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OTHER SIDE OF NEOPIA - Recently someone asked this question in the Editorial section
of The Neopian Times: "I was just wondering, what is on the other side of Neopia?
On the Explore map it only shows half of the planet." And here was the answer:
"Ahh... we actually have plans for the other side of Neopia... More will be
revealed shortly..."
So I got to thinking. Okay, that's a rare event, but bear with me. I got to
thinking about some of the things that we might see on the other side of Neopia.
The whole concept is simply rife with possibilities. (Neopian Word of the Day:
Rife). Here are some worlds that I think may actually have a shot of showing
up on the other side of the new Neopian Map.
DARIGAN
I think this is really a no-brainer. Meridell fought a war with this country
for months, so we know it exists. And it certainly isn't on THIS side of Neopia.
If it were in walking distance, Lord Darigan wouldn't have needed a floating
Citadel to get to Meridell. I think Darigan will finally get its own official
country so all those Darigan paint-brushed Neopets and their Drackonack Petpets
will finally have a place to hang out. And I'm pretty sure King Skarl will stop
being a grumpy old king when they finally hit the road.
WILD WEST WORLD
I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be a rootin' tootin' head-'em-off-at-the-pass
kind of world. If for no other reason than that there seem to be a LOT of shopkeepers
you can put in your private shop that seem to be distinctly western. Here are
the names of the shopkeepers I am talking about: Aisha Cowboy, JubJub Cowboy,
Cowboy Kougra, Rodeo Lenny, Cowboy Lenny, Wocky Sheriff and Native Indian Mynci.
I have no clue why there are two western-style Lennies, especially when they
look practically the same, but they actually look kind of cool. That is saying
a LOT for a Lenny.
I also think that there are two great candidates for places in that world.
Two guild neighbourhoods, Coral Canyon and Endless Plains, don't appear anywhere
on the Neopian map, but they still seem to exist. And I can picture a battle
arena called the O.K. Corral. There could even be a combination food
shop and game room with a name like The Round-Up Saloon. Maybe the games
of JubJub Blackjack and Neopoker will finally have an official home. And if
a game like Extreme Herder doesn't look right at home in this kind of world,
then I'm an orange speed orb.
JELLY WORLD
Despite all the free jelly people claim to be getting the and bizarre jelly
foods that are popping up in private shops all over Neopia, Jelly World does
not officially exist. But I think that there is a good chance that when we finally
get to see what is on the other side of the planet, we'll find that there is
a gooey spot there for everyone's favorite non-existent and invisible land.
VIKING WORLD
There's a big snowy mountain at the bottom of the main map that's just crying
out for another world. Maybe it will appear on the OTHER side. And personally
I can't think of a world more suited to a frosty land than something with Vikings
in it. There are a whole bunch of private shopkeepers who seem to be all dressed
and ready to go for this too: Kiko Viking, Viking Chomby, Viking Uni, Viking
Shoyru and Bruce Valkyrie. Even Barbarian Mynci, Buzz Warrior and Gladiator
Chia look suspiciously like Vikings despite their names.
Of course, there are some guild neighbourhoods that are all sad and lonely
with no place to go that would be perfect for a place filled with horn-hatted
guys. Poogle Mountain and Kiko Lake would be perfect for this place. And that
ice-encrusted Lupe-made monument to a princess, Lilac Island, would finally
get a spot on the map as well. I can picture all of the long ships with Shoyru
or Draik carved images on the bow sailing across Kiko Lake. Everyone will be
dying to get their hands on a Viking paint brush. The Krawk Island pirates will
suddenly have to compete with another group of marauding raiders for our affections.
ROO ISLAND
According to the Neopedia, this place is all set up and ready to go with the
swipe of an artist's ink pen. Here are the places that are already there, just
patiently waiting in line to get on the Neopian map:
Grandma Roo's Cafe - Situated in the village of Blumaria, located
towards the north of Roo Island, this little cafe serves delightful scones and
tea. Grandma Roo has been running the cafe for over 30 years now, and is still
going strong. She will also make any pancake to order... just let her know what
toppings you want!
Tournament Hall - The tournament hall is a large marble building
near to the royal palace in Roo City. It used to be used for boring town meetings,
however lately King Roo has turned it into the location of Neopia's biggest
Dice-A-Roo tournament. Every year thousands of Neopians meet up to play and
try and win one of King Roo's fantastic prizes.
Spring Shop - Even though Blumaroos possess a natural spring in
their tail, sometimes this isn't enough - and the Spring Shop that just opened
up in Northern Blumaria is doing great business as a result. They sell anything
that can make you bounce even higher, extra springs, pogo sticks, trampolines,
and much more.
CIRCUS WORLD
I think a lot of people were kind of miffed when amusement parks were tossed
out of Neopia. But there is no reason that Neopets can't build a super park
of its own. There are loads of carnival games and rides that could easily be
made into virtual versions. A ride on a virtual roller coaster would be a real
blast. And think of all the concessions stands selling every kind of popcorn
you could think of: cheesy popcorn, caramel popcorn, popcorn balls, hot buttered
popcorn and chocolate popcorn. Of course the kiosks would also sell cotton candy
in a rainbow of flavors too.
There are also those pesky shopkeepers that are all decked out in red rubber
noses, just waiting for the Big Top and its accompanying paint brush to show
up. And annoying as it is becoming, I am going to list them: Clown Kougra, JubJub
Clown, Uni Clown, Kau Clown, Clown Quiggle, Clown Bruce and Kiko Clown. There
is even a guild neighbourhood just itching to parade into a fun world like this:
Cute City.
ROMAN WORLD
This would be my favorite world if it ever appears on the far side of the
Neopian map. Think of all the pets walking around wearing bed sheets when the
Toga Paint Brush is released. The architecture would rival the shrines and tourist
attractions of the Lost Desert, with a palace, forum, temple and amphitheater.
And there would be new creatures wandering around too. We might get centaurs,
minotaurs and a Cyclops.
There would definitely be a Coliseum Battledome Arena and a weapons shop,
complete with feather-topped helmets and bronze swords. We would have chariot
races and Olympic-style games as well. There might even be a laurel-leaf wearing
emperor who gets bumped off for another one of those fun who-dun-it mysteries
we get to solve.
MYSTIC WORLD
I know there is already a Faerieland, but there are all of those wizard shopkeepers
who desperately need a place to wave their magic wands. And on the very very
far outside chance that you want me to list them, here they are: Ixi Shaman,
Techo Wizard, Wizard Eyrie, Pteri Wizard, JubJub Wizard, Jetsam Wizard, Magician
Bruce and Kiko Witch, who surprise surprise, looks like a wizard. And there
are other shopkeepers as well who would fit right into a fantasy land: Elfen
Cybunny, Elfen Girl and Leprechaun, who is definitely a Skeith. If you have
never seen a Skeith leprechaun, you have GOT to check out the list of shopkeepers
and see it to believe it.
Fire Faerie Volcano is a guild neighbourhood that seems just made-to-order
for a land filled with mystical and magical things. There are so many creatures
that could be wandering around a place like this that it boggles the mind. You
could have regular magical creatures like pixies, brownies, sprites, elves,
phoenixes and angels. And you could also have lovely monsters like the Yeti,
Loch Ness Monster, ogre, giant, sea serpent and something really horrible like..
a palm reader. That three-headed Luperus that has his own collectable card would
be able skulk around here too.
SAMURAI WORLD
Since the World Page has been promising a Secret Ninja Training School since
practically before King Coltzan III died of indigestion, I can't think of a
better place to put it than in a Japanese-themed world. This makes even more
sense since Japanese is the only other language that Neopets is available in.
There could be so many cool sites and shops in this land, that it defies all
efforts to list them all, but here is a sample: Kimono Shop, Sushi Bar, Samurai
Weapons Shop and Ninja Battle Arena. There could even be an anime-style art
generator.
Of course, I can't guarantee that any of things will show up on the other
side of Neopia. But it's almost more fun to imagine what MIGHT be there than
to actually see what does show up.
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