The Highs and Lows of the Mutants of Neopia

     So with another Mutant Day upon us, let’s start with the best of what the mutant world has to offer.

     It will be no surprise to anybody that the Mutant Draik heads this list. Once an inaccessible dream for many, when Draik eggs and even Morphing Potions were amazingly found intact at the Forgotten Shore, many Neopians got to indulge their childhood dreams. However, the Draik Transmogrification Potion is now beyond rare and exorbitantly expensive, with the handful that come on the market selling for in excess of ten million neopoints. Now there’s a figure to make your eyes water.

     Despite this price tag, many Neopians will hope for the blessing of the Fountain Fairy or even trust to the random chance of the laboratory ray because, let’s face it, the Mutant Draik is still a firm favourite. It’s easy to see why. As the mutations take hold the Draik body bulks out significantly, a change that is fairly common in Mutant neopets, their face and wings grow larger and sharper and their colouring takes on a dusky green shade. With their glowing eyes, they look like the dragons of old. But most striking of all is how their skull seems to split, leaving a small sliver of brain matter apparently exposed to the elements entirely. How their brains do not get damaged is a mystery lost to the winds of time itself.

     But the Draik isn’t the only contender for the best of the mutants, and it would be remiss to forget the Peophin with their stunning purple, blue, and gold colouration that makes them stand out in even the deepest, darkest oceans of Neopia. Much like the Draik in some ways, the Peophin body becomes far larger than their non-mutated counterparts and it is clear to see just how much sheer power they have as they cut through the waters. But the change of hue is hardly the only transformation that takes place, as their mane and tail become a mass of writhing tentacles that seem almost alive. Able to split and coalesce at will, these tentacles allow the Peophin far greater control in the water and the sharp claws put them on par with the Jetsam for fiercest predator in the seas.

     And whilst the colour shifts that occur as cells differentiate and morph are not by any means the only thing that stands out about the mutant neopets, they sure do make a difference. You only need look as far as the Poogle to see that this is undeniably true. The sharp contrast between the dark armoured body and the bright blue energy that shines from its eyes, mouth, tail and even skull, make the Mutant Poogle the stuff of nightmares. When combined with its accentuated horns, sharply ridged tail and armoured body, there is almost nothing left of the soft and baby-faced Poogle. There can be little doubt, its ridged scales and soulless blue eyes make it a demon on the Battledome floor.

     The Lutari, Chomby, Jetsam and Pteri all deserve mentions here though. Although they may not be quite as striking as some of the other mutant friends, they still stand out from the crowd in different ways. The Mutant Lutari’s additional mass forces their body to become hunched, but their thick, coarse fur provides protection from the elements even as their multiple tales allow them to move almost soundless through the water. The Jetsam forsakes their tail, instead growing eight tentacles that give them an edge of surprise as they hunt through coral reefs for their prey. These multiple powerful tentacles also allow them to move around on land with relative ease, making them a predator to content with.

     The Mutant Chomby, however, mutates from a quiet and peaceful herbivore into an absolute bruiser of a neopet. Never the smallest of neopets to begin with, the sheer additional size and power of the mutant Chomby is a force to be reckoned with. When combined with additional legs and scales, there is no doubting that they mutate into a fearsome beast beyond imagining. But size isn’t everything, and the Pteri doesn’t need to be huge to be a nightmare of the skies. Instead of the soft downy feathers that we are used to, the Mutant Pteri’s sleek and sharp body is covered with scales. When combined with the elongated claws and almost reptilian face, it becomes a pre-historic demon that soars the skies.

     But enough about the good, I hear you say. What about the bad? Well yes. Whilst some species got lucky as their genetic mutations made them stronger, faster or simply unforgettable, others did not fare so well. With any game of chance, there always has to be a loser.

     It will come as no surprise to anyone I would imagine that the Gnorbu leads the race for the most grotesque looking mutant by a head and at least two tails. The sad thing about the Gnorbu is that the mutations actually didn’t change it by much, other than making it look ill and infested. The Mutant Gnorbu still has one head, two ears and four legs like its regular brethren. But instead of becoming stronger, it looks far more ill and scrawny. Yet the most unfortunate mutation by far must be the flaking, greasy skin, and uneven patches of fur. Wherever they go they bring with them a plague of scaly flakes that stick to all surfaces, and any other neopet unfortunate to be near them. Because of this, you rarely see a Mutant Gnorbu as they tend to stick together. After all, one Gnorbu’s skin peelings look much like another after a while…

     And although they can’t hope to match the grim grossness of the Gnorbu’s skin, the Mutant Blumaroo would otherwise be a potential contender for the grossest of mutant species. Much like the Gnorbu, very little changes in their make-up as the mutations take hold and from a distance, you would be forgiven for thinking you simply needed to take that poor Custard Blumaroo to the NeoHospital. Their sagging and hairless skin makes them look as though they have been infected by some super strain of any well-known disease, but no, that is simply the result of their unfortunate mutation. Of course, the Mutant Tuskaninny isn’t much to look at either, with its bulging spots and slightly goofy expression and the abominable ooziness of the Mutant Quiggle would be enough to put anybody off their food.

     This wouldn’t be a fair article however without including the Mutant Ogrin. Let’s be honest, there isn’t a category to fit them into because there isn’t a way to describe them. Nobody has any idea what happened with the mutations here; the random vagaries of chance making the Mutant Ogrin the most hideous cacophony of random colours and textures and tentacles that anyone has ever had the misfortune of seeing. With suction cups as paws, tentacles as ears and a patchwork quilt of horrors making up its body and tail, this is one mutant where you just have to stand and wonder what in Neopia happened here. Adding to the cacophony, the three eyes all look in different directions meaning the poor soul is constantly covered in bruises and they often snap their horns off on random buildings.

     So whatever else you can say for the mutants of Neopia, they are certainly a wide and varied bunch! Regardless of whether you are looking for a drooling eyesore or a striking new addition to your family, there will be something for everyone. So, what do you say? How about you find that Transmogrification Potion and take the leap of faith?