Remember the Furby? How about the Tamagotchi? Well, now there is an Internet fad that feeds that same, elusive human need to take care of make-believe animals: Neopets.
Neopets was founded by Adam Powell and Donna Williams in November of 1999, during the height of Furby-mania. They initially envisioned it a fun virtual world where you could adopt a virtual pet, feed it, and play games -- on your own, or with your pet.
Little could they have expected the growth their little website has seen. Neopets has grown into a massive multiplayer game, albeit one with a bit less shooting and bleeding than many other games. Not only do you hatch your pet, you can play games to win neopoints, the currency of the neopet world (called Neopia). Neopet owners can then use neopoints to purchase items for their neopet, including food for their Neopet, furniture to put in their neopet's virtual online home, and magic potions that transform the neopet into a different species.
Of course, in this Pokemon-centric world, battle can never be far away, even for cute virtual pets. You can also buy weapons for your pet to be used in the Battledome. Of course, you can choose to have a peaceful, non-battling pet, but if you like to fight Neopets transforms from a virtual pet game to a groom-a-cute-cartoon-for-battle game.
The Neopets staff have created a number of wacky new species, including the korbat (a white mouse with bat wings), the peophin (a horse with a mermaid tail), and the chia (which looks like a smiling little couch pillow, actually).
Seaches for Neopets were small and steady for the first year of its existence, but the site really started blossoming in December. Neopets now gets 250 percent more searches than it did four months ago. This week, Neopets received about half the number of searches required to make the Lycos 50, or about as many searches as The Sopranos or actress Angelina Jolie. Up north, Neopets actually is #21 on the Canadian Lycos 50.
Neopet owners have become fanatical about collecting and growing their pets. Tripod has a number of fan sites devoted to fans and their neopets, including this page which features hints on playing the game and this page from an all-around animal lover and Neopets fan.
TOMORROW: Requiem for the WCW.
