 The Most Notable Trophy Designs
by dragonair23
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Special thanks to june_scarlet for helping me with the editing
The good old game trophy. You strive to achieve one to put on your user lookup, and often cause your wrists and neck to hurt more than they do during the Altador Cup. The first of the month becomes an important date which you train vigorously for. One can hope that all the frustrated table flipping and keyboard smashing pays off in the end, and you get your shiny new trophy for the rest of Neopia to see. But have you ever stopped to actually look at the trophies before leaving them on your user lookup? Like, really looked at them? Of course you haven't - that's why I'm here. Not all trophies are made equal you see, and some deserve to be looked at more than others. Now you might be saying to yourself, "Why should I care what my trophy looks like?" Well, a trophy says a lot about you – if you win at Math's Nightmare, you're probably good with numbers. If you win at the Lenny Conundrum, you are probably good with puzzles. And if you win at Sakhmet Solitaire, you probably have far too much time on your hands. So, think about it this way - if trophies represent you, don't you want them to look nice? Probably, unless you still don't care because you just skipped over this paragraph due to it being far too long. At any rate, here are the notable trophy designs in each of five categories I've picked. Enjoy. Or don't. Whatever makes you happy.
The Prettiest
 Game: Sophie's Stew Rank: Any, but gold's particularly pretty Description: Sophie's wand, with a tag hanging off of it that states the rank number Modeled off of Sophie's signature staff, this is one of the few trophies to be colored something other than gold, silver, or bronze. There's a very nice, glassy look to it. It's even topped off with a lovely eyeball. Because that's what this trophy was missing. An eyeball. 
Game: Goparokko Rank: Any; silver's accented well Description: The Goparokko board, leaves included Nicely detailed and very shiny, this trophy will help you remember the hours upon hours you had to spend switching blocks to earn it. Good times. 
Game: The Haunted Shootery Rank: Silver helps the cork gun stand out Description: A cork gun resting up against a gear with the rank number inside it This has a unique design, with the rank inside of the gear. It will instantly bring back memories of you yelling "Reggie! Get out of my line of vision if you don't want to be shot!" 
Game: Neverending Boss Battle Rank: Any; bronze is a rather nice shade Description: A medal hanging from a white and green striped cloth with Dr. Sloth's image and the rank number carved into it Isn't this more a medal than a trophy? At any rate, this features a stylized Dr. Sloth with the rank listed underneath. Simple, but effective. Like a ray gun.
The Scariest
 Game: Attack of the Marblemen Rank: Any Description: A Marbleman without arms or legs sitting on a simple base
With its crazed expression, this trophy is rather creepy. The only think I can think about, however, is that it totally looks like a Neoboard smiley. Something like >:D .
Game: Jungle Raiders Rank: Any Description: The idol from the game itself We've all seen the typical ancient treasure idol. You know, the ones that are booby trapped to prevent people from taking them? This one tries a different approach - it just terrifies you into never wanting to look at it, let alone try to take it out of the jungle. 
Game: MAGAX: Destroyer II Rank: Any Description: Tree roots in the shape of a skull It's surprising how many trophies have skulls on them or are skulls. I mean between this, the Lost City Lanes trophy, and the Ghost Bopper Trophy, you have a nice little selection to choose from. I think this one's the best though, with its great design and almost distorted face. Even if trees never appear in the game itself. 
Game: Hannah and the Pirate Caves Rank: Any Description: A rather angry Pawkeet flying straight at you Oh dear Fyora THE PAWKEET'S GOING TO EAT ME HELP 
Game: Freaky Factory Rank: Bronze Description: A curvy pillar with an Evil Blob on top In the game, when you knock down an Evil Blob, it turns into the creature shown on this trophy and raises your spill level. Never before has a puffball seemed so scary. Well, save for Evil Fuzzles. 
Game: Petpet Battles Rank: Silver Description: A Tigermouse peering over the edge of a simple trophy SOON.
Most Clever
 Game: Tug 'O' War Rank: Any; gold's the best, though Description: A coil of rope with the end forming the rank number This is a rather neat trophy, with the rank numbers being formed by a coil of rope. Though the way the numbers are suspended in mid air kind of makes it look like a Cobrall. Maybe it dreams of being the Piper Panic trophy. Or the two trophies are related. Like distant cousin trophies who haven't seen each other in a long time and what am I even talking about anymore? 
Game: Mutant Graveyard of Doom II Rank: Gold's amazing, but the others aren't half bad Description: A melting candle with the rank number in the wax My personal favorite trophy, this shows a melting candle, which represents your (or rather, Albert's) health in this game. What's so awesome about it is how subtle the rank numbers are – it can take a while before you realize that the number's to the right, hidden in the wax. And as an unrelated side note, how do you make a flame out of metal? 
Game: Extreme Faerie Cloud Racers Rank: Gold's probably the best. Description: A Cloud Racer with an arrow following it on top of the rank number This isn't so much clever or subtle as much as it is... confusing. There's a cloud at the bottom, with an arrow meant to show where the Faerie Racer's travelled, but then the number is just in the right hand corner, sitting there. Is it made of cloud? Is it supposed to be a building? Is it just a miscellaneous number? At any rate, it is a bit hard to see the rank number at first, particularly with the gold trophy.
...Seriously, though, I don't get it.
Game: The Buzzer Game Rank: Any Description: The rank number formed by a twisted wire This is rather brilliant, though it might take you a few minutes to realize that the rank number is made out of bent wire and is meant to be navigated like the game. Hopefully it doesn't come equipped with its own buzzer. Once you win the trophy, you should never have to hear that noise again.
Most Improbable
 Game: Stamp Collector Rank: Any Description: A stamp balanced on its corner edge
...Whaaattttt.... ...So, the metal stamp in this trophy is somehow set on its side, at a diagonal angle, and yet it somehow supports itself without falling over? The corner's not even bent, nor is there anything to indicate how it's attached. ...Actually, seeing how getting this trophy is near impossible, it's actually kind of fitting. 
Game: Bumble Beams Rank: Any; bronze in particular Description: A Roburg 3T3 on a beam on top of the rank number Seeing as this has no base and the Roburg 3T3 is clearly bigger and heavier than everything else, this would tip over instantly. Bronze is particularly glaring due to the rounded bottom of the 3. This isn't Wicked Wocky Wobble – you can't get away with things like that. 
Game: Top Chop Rank: Any Description: A karate belt resting on its string Just like the Stamp Collector trophy, the metal karate belt has no indication that there are screws or anything to hold it in place and that leaves the larger, heaver loop of the belt just hovering in mid air. The only way this would be possible is if it was on Kreludor. Actually, even then it wouldn't work. 
Game: Defender Trainer Rank: Any Description: A Defender of Neopia badge on a blank base So, the base looks like it's flat and is lying down. Fair enough. But then the badge part is hovering at a 90 degree angle to it, only attached by the very bottom of it. Unless the middle part of the trophy is empty space and the whole thing's upright, but why is the bottom angled - you know what? Magic. That's my explanation. Case closed.
Miscellaneous
 Game: Lenny Conundrum Rank: Any Description: The Lenny Conundrum Lenny's head Now you too can own your very own metal-plated Lenny head, proudly put on display for everyone to see. ...I worry about you sometimes, TNT. 
Game: Kiko Match II Rank: Gold or silver Description: A Kiko. Just... a Kiko. The first and second place Kiko Match II trophies – making people believe you own an actual Gold or Silver Kiko far before they were ever released! 
Game: Nimmo's Pond Rank: Any Description: Nimmos in various poses with transparent backgrounds Trophies with transparent backgrounds? WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?! /remembers 2012 Daily Dare/ ... Darn it Daily Dare, you're ruining my jokes! 
Game: Extreme Potato Counter Rank: Any Description: A potato. That's it.
It's a giant metal potato displayed on your user lookup. NOTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE SAID.
Game: TNT Staff Smasher Rank: Any Description: A statue of Donna Seeing as Pop Tart got the giant gold trophy on Mystery Island for winning Sacrificers, Donna apparently decided she needed her own trophy. BASK IN ITS MAGNIFICANCE.
So, now I hope you'll take a longer look at your trophies before leaving them on your user lookup to rot for all eternity. And before we end this article, it's worth noting that I own almost no game trophies and am therefore barely qualified to snark at the designs. Have a nice day. :)
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