Seven Easy Ways to Reach All-Star in the Altador Cup

     I've had seasons where I struggled to reach level 2 and seasons where I reached All-Star and after having played for twelve seasons I've learned a few things and wrote down a few must-dos to help me reach it again this year.

     One: Mix it up! There's nothing wrong with being a loyal fan of a certain team but you can switch teams without being a traitor. I've played for a different team each year and it definitely keeps the monotony at bay. The player I hated last season becomes my best mate when I join his team. Don’t just play Yooyuball. Play all the games. Yes, some take a lot longer than others but it breaks the monotony.

     Two: Don't forget to eat. Most meals can be eaten at your desk, at the table, on a blanket on the floor, be flexible. Foods eaten with one hand is easiest, apple, banana, corn dog, etc but if you really want more excitement, a plate of spicy beef nachos or a bowl of fisherman's stew can be eaten. I like to grab a bite after goals, while the commentators are speaking (although that's the best time for a bathroom break) and if you're up 6-1 give up a goal or two to cut into that steak and eat it. You can save a lot of time by eating while playing Yooyuball.

     Three: Music! Not just any music either. Sing and dance along music. I like to sing loudly and can dance in my seat as easily as standing on my feet. When was the last time you listened to a concert on neo? Open up a tab, buy a concert ticket and listen to the music. There's all types and you can hear a different concert every day. Its even more fun if you wear headphones so no one else can hear the music. I must warn you that a couple of them have the unappealing side effect of playing in your mind while you're trying to sleep and it usually takes drastic measures to remove the tune from your head. My tried and true method of doing that is to have an equally annoying out of tune friend sing a song to me.

     Four: Make goals. Not the ‘I am going to play 25 games of Yooyuball and 10 games of Slushie Slinger today’ kind of goals either. My goals are: ‘I am going to score 12, 13, 15, etc. goals this game.’ or ‘I am going to let 4 slushies fall to the floor before playing and getting a high score on Slushie Slinger with just one slushie left.’ My absolute favorite is ‘I am going to play Showdown Shootout with my pinkie fingers.’ This helps to save wear and tear on your other fingers too.

     Five: While teamwork is great and I'm all about team efforts, at the end of the season it’s all about how YOU performed. Were YOU an asset to your team? So don't get discouraged if your team loses the first 2, 3, or 8 games. Become the rallying cry for your team! Get on the boards and rev your teammates up! Don't just post your scores. Encourage others. And for Pete's sake, show your spirit! Dress your pets in your team gear, rename your Petpets Maraqua rules or Moltara Fan. Personally I like Lost Desert Diva but I'm sure you can think of something that shows your spirit. Isn’t it better to be a big fish in a little pond rather than just another big fish among many?

     Six: Relax! Don't seize up or stress over playing. It is just a game. We can't ALL always win but we can ALL be winners. Good sportsmanship if you don't win and especially if you do win. Don't play too many games in a row. Don't play for hours. I'm pretty sure that your homework, chores, etc still needs to be done. Children need to be watched, fed, bathed, etc. Bosses expect you to work in order for you to be paid. Although sneaking in a few games at work is probably okay when the boss is out to lunch. If you're the boss you can probably play all you want.

     Seven: Don't cheat. I laugh when people cheat at games. Cheating is basically stating to the world that you're a loser so you must cheat to win. Unfortunately, it still makes you a loser. So don't put your account in jeopardy over a game, over a trophy that everyone gets, or for more points in the prize shop. I've never made double or triple All-Star, not because it isn't possible but because the prize shop doesn't make up for the loss of Neopoints I miss from not restocking, buying, selling, etc. Don't engage in risky behavior. Even if you aren't cheating you might get caught up in the net that catches cheaters.

     I have to make up my mind which one of the remaining six teams I’ve never played on will I choose this year. Some years I’ve been on teams with such positive outlooks and the competition was fun. Other years its been a chore to have people posting on boards to ‘win at all costs, don’t worry about having fun’. Sometimes I choose a team by pulling it out of a hat or closing my eyes, spinning around a few times and putting my finger on the map of Neopia. One year I assigned a number to each team and asked a friend to pick a number between 1 and 18. That wasn’t a very good year for me so I won’t repeat that method. I’m not sure of the team I’ll be on but I know I’ll still have a life, still spend lots of time on Neo, and not whine about how much longer until the Altador Cup is over. Haven’t played in a few years? Try it again.

     Instead of complaining about rule changes, the bracket system, All-Star groups or whatever has you in a twisted knot, put on your cleats, run out on the field, and PLAY!