Virtual Pet Games - the reason for their popularity

When you feed this pet, you are merely feeding a bunch of pixels, not a living breathing pet. But the pets adopted on this virtual pet game are very important to their owners. They adopt them, care for them, feed them, buy them toys, play with them, travel with them, get them pet pets - in essence, they nurture their virtual pets. If the pets are not fed, they don't die, they linger on, weak and hungry, pointing to the callousness of the owner.

The rise

One of the earliest digital pet games was Dogz. This was followed by, hold your breath, Catz, Horsez and even a Hamsterz all under the Petz brand. All this happened in the 90s. This was followed by Tamagotchi. These were a huge hit in Japan, but could not sustain their popularity in the US as schools banned them for their need for constant attention.

Jump, People. Stay, Dog. by Gordon

Why were they so popular

Well, they are definitely easier than getting a real pet. Approvals and resources required are fewer, especially if you are a kid! These pets occupy no space and when you need to go away, they need not be physically looked after. Apart from all this, you can nurture them, name them, complain about them among peers, dress them up, play with them, and buy them toys.

A whole world

Interestingly some of these pets occupy a whole virtual world, like Neopets which occupy Neopia. Players on these worlds, have currency they can use to buy their pets food, clothes and toys.

The worry

As these technologically advanced pets become companions to humans, especially kids, the psychological effects of this worry many. People can have programmable affection without really investing time or effort. Interaction with an actual physical creature is always superior to simulated interaction. The worry for many is that people might replace the real with the artificial, because they can invest less of themselves.

The good

Though virtual pets might seem a departure from the reality of the world and some might even call it escapism, it has its pluses. Kids who cannot have pets in the real world, can have one here. People with physical disabilities, can manage these pets far more easily, than the real ones. Short of space, no problem, adopt a virtual pet. In fact many animal lovers feel having a virtual pet, gives people and kids a window into the world of having a real pet. Like a dry run, without the pain of a real animal involved. Compassionate for the a real pet and happiness for the real human.

A few pixels can do a lot of good!

Virtual Pet Games like Neopets

I must admit, the title of this post is rather misleading. After all, there really isn’t any virtual pet game out there quite like Neopets. The sheer enormity of the site and the nearly limitless options of what you can do when you’re on there is what most users agree make Neopets as popular as it is. I’m yet to find a virtual pet game that can compete with Neopets in size and complexity. However, many old-time users of Neopets have found the website becoming too impersonal and commercialized in the recent past, and are looking for other websites where they can experience some of the original Neopets charm. Embarking on the same quest (Neopets reference intended), here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

“Poogle Side” by Mary-Lynn is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Subeta – A lot of Subeta members are people who have been or still are Neopets users. The consensus is that this is the closest it gets to Neopets. You can adopt a virtual pet choosing from about sixty species, both imaginary and real. The site has plots, quests, mini-games, collectibles, and of course plenty of ways to customize your pet. You can also have a human avatar on Subeta. Site events, regular updates and an active, supportive community make Subeta a popular virtual pet game.  A few of the main differences between Neopets and Subeta revolve around the fact that Neopets is targeted at young kids and Subeta at older users. Therefore the content on Neopets is monitored to keep it appropriate for its younger users. Older users may find the relative freedom on Subeta refreshing. A lot of the plotlines and store items too involve more mature content. Another important difference is the fact that Subeta’s artistic users can sell their artwork on the website for Subeta points or real currency. On the flip side, users may find that the world of Subeta is not as extensive or fleshed out as that of Neopia. The site has fewer mini-games, and they aren’t as flash-y (pun intended) as those on Neopets. Also, some users find it annoying that fighting is an integral part of playing on Subeta, as several plots do not advance if you don’t battle in the Coliseum.

Icepets – Icepets is another virtual pet game that’s doing a good job, but it’s far smaller than Neopets or Subeta. Here users play games, embark on quests, and choose from various fun activities around the site. There are fourteen pet species to choose from here, and one of the main attractions is dressing up the pet and customizing it. Users on Icepets get to change the species of their pets at will, and can save each of their pets’ looks so that they can switch between them whenever they like. As with Subeta, older users appreciate the fact that they can talk freely on the forum without worrying about whether the content is appropriate for younger audiences. The smaller community means that people get heard on the forums, and engage in more personal relationships with each other, which is something that a lot of users appreciate.

Powerpets – Powerpets is a virtual pet game with a difference – it is all about teaching users to be kind and considerate towards animals of all types. The pets on Powerpets are all based on real animals, and you have over sixty species to choose from. Other interesting features include the fact that the map is based on locations in the real world (but places are inhabited by animals) and that the website’s encyclopedia imparts educational information about the pet species available in the game. Like Neopets, the game has plots, quests, mini-games and its very own economy, influenced by the actions of its users. You can also customize your pets by changing their looks. Users get to create human avatars as well. For those who would like to share their creativity with others, Powerpets lets users write stories about their pets and publish them as virtual books for other users to read. The site also holds donations and uses the money raised to fund campaigns geared towards animals.

For some Neopets users, no other website can ever take the place of the virtual pet game that started it all. But for those who are ready to try out other games, they may find a new virtual pet game that is as good or even better (gasp!) than Neopets.