Neopian Nonsense: Unraveling TNT’s Sneakiest Pranks

      Now, before you run off to secure that Paint Brush or Morphing Potion sitting in your inventory from the likes of the Pant Devil, what if I told you that the trickiest entity in Neopia is not a villain, but actually The Neopets Team (TNT) themselves?

      Yes, it might be shocking to hear, but TNT is in fact the greatest prankster in Neopian history! In Y3, TNT began a tradition of pranking Neopets and owners alike on April Fool’s Day.

      Now, I only tell you this because, as they say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and I’m the fool.” With Y27 upon us, TNT will undoubtedly pull out all the stops in order to render us mere Neopians fools once more. In order to best prepare yourself for whatever sort of prank may lie in store on this year’s Day of Trickery, I have compiled a list of TNT’s cleverest and most devious pranks yet.

      Folks, buckle up your seat belts, because this is going to be one wild ride.

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      Quiguki Apocalypse

      When it’s raining frogs, you best be worried that the end is ‘nigh! In Y6, TNT showered Neopia with all things Quiguki, which had most of us fearing for our lives. You heard me right: Quiguki, Neopia’s second-favorite line of collectable dolls--based on the Quiggle species.

      That year, TNT announced the release of a Quiguki-themed expansion series for the burgeoning trading card game (TCG) franchise, aptly named “Quiguki Armageddon." Supporting this announcement included a Neopedia-entry, a “How-to-Draw” page, and even four buddy icons (similar to avatars).

      For 24-hours, Usuki-mania dawned upon Neopia, with many Usuki-fans rushing to stock up on their favorite collectable dolls, fearful that their beloved franchise may soon become retired. While, ultimately, Neopians came to understand that the “Quiguki Apocalypse” was nothing more than a Quigarian hoax, the prank left a permanent mark on Neopian lore. It certainly helped the burgeoning and underground Quiguki-fandom gain some steam, and, most notably, it birthed the Quiguki April Fool’s Day avatar, which can still be earned by visiting the New Features page on the Fourth day of Eating (April 4th).

     Neovision+ & DungDash

      I am lumping Neovision+ (Y22) and DungDash (Y23) into one entry on this list. Both pranks display TNT’s cleverness in a similar vein. It is said, in a universe beyond Neopia where pet owners are said to originate, that proprietary delivery and streaming services have been all the rage.

      In back-to-back years, TNT decided to bring these trends in mobile commerce to Neopia. The first came in the form of Neovision+, an all-inclusive streaming service for an unbelievably low price: one Neopoint per month! On Neovision+, Neopians could enjoy a free sports bundle, which included Neopia’s leading sporting events such as the Altador Cup, the Gormball Championships, and even the Krawk Island Deckball Championships, in addition to original programming, including new shows such as “Defenders of Neopia: End of Flash," “Doctor Roo," and “The Kreludorian." In Y23, TNT announced DungDash, an all-in-one food delivery app. While the app did boast an all-dung-themed food section, it also purported to deliver delicacies from all over Neopia, including the Super Happy Icy Fun Snow Shop and the Spooky Food Shop.

      Unlike the Quiguki Apocolapyse, Neopians were actually quite excited by the conveniences these services seemed to offer. With Neovision+, you would no longer need to venture all the way to Altador in order to enjoy the famed Yooyuball Championships. With DungDash, you would no longer need to worry about mishaggling for a Brainburger. Needless to say, Neopians were quite disappointed when both of these offerings wound up being no more than a cheap ruse devised by the pesky Neopets Team. As a rule of thumb, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

     Nick Neopia

      Please don’t tell me that you’ve never heard of Nick Neopia. Nick Neopia's name is almost synonymous with April Fool’s Day. In fact, he has been featured in not one, not two, but three (yes, three) April Fool’s Day pranks concocted by TNT.

      Typically, an appearance by Nick coincides with a redesign of the site. When Nick first appeared in Y5, Nick served as the spunky, funky, and totally tubular sidekick to help guide Neopians around a rebranded site, called “Neopetz” (please take note of the “z”).

      Just like a certain famous paperclip, Nick Neopia didn’t last very long (twenty four hours to be precise), but he reappeared seventeen years later (in Y21) to help usher the site into its modern era. This time, Nick was much older than when he originally appeared on and now boasted graphic design credentials (quite like many of us returning Neopians, to be quite frank).

      Interestingly enough, Nick popped up yet again last year. However, this time, Nick wasn’t his usual spunky self. Instead, his hair was a mess, his eyes looked strained, as if he hadn’t slept for days, and his mouth kept spilling preposterous conspiracy theories about TNT. With his arrival, he announced a new section of the site called the “Sceptic Tank," which purported to expose TNT’s secrets.

      Nick is somewhat like a fly that you can’t quite shoo away. He just keeps coming back. Although it might be quite some time before we see him again, a source of mine has told me that the Down for Maintenance Pteri and some devious (and potentially evil) Meepits have Nick tied up amidst the servers because he knows too much…

      The Original “Converted Pets” Fiasco!

     Not many Neopians remember this, but the first pet conversion incident actually occurred in Y3. It might be hard to believe, but it’s actually true! TNT’s first ever April Fool’s Day prank saw all Neopet artwork across the site replaced with redrawn versions of their previous selves, including exaggerated (and admittedly ugly) features. The Meerca’s body became one gigantic eyeball. The Wocky grew one of the biggest noses I have ever seen. The Chia—how could I forget the Chia? The Chia grew a frighteningly realistic overbite. Needless to say, pets and pet owners alike were quite relieved when the artwork reverted to its original form the following day.

      Clearly, this prank was so effective at traumatizing us Neopians that TNT’s appetite to mix one part whimsy with one part absurdity within April Fools Day pranks going forward was born.

     New Neopets

     This final prank that I’m about to tell you about is perhaps the most preposterous of the lot. On the First day of the month of Eating in Y7, we woke up to fifty (yes, fifty) new Neopets. No, your ears aren’t clogged; you heard me correctly. Fifty. New. Neopets.

      Many Neopians were so excited by the plethora of new options, that they began to brainstorm names for when these new pets would be released. While TNT never had any intention to actually release any new pets, their popularity around these pets created a hubbub that became too loud to ignore.

      TNT would later hold a poll, the winner of which would become canonized as the newest Neopet around Neopia. Ultimately, the Gnorbu would win the vote, so think about that the next time you brush your Gnorbu’s luscious mane. Additionally, a few of the runners-up would become the basis for newly released petpets, such as the Carmariller, Duocorn, and Urchull.

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     Running through this list of April Fool’s shenanigans, it has become clear that TNT’s tactics can range from cute to creepy to downright insane. No matter what trick they pull out of their sleeve this year, just be aware: TNT will find a way to make a fool out of you! :)