During the holidays, we’re running a contest through our “12 Days of the Spiral“. The question is – what has Wizard101 or Pirate101 meant to you and/or your family in the past year? Here is our thirteenth winner! Read how Wizard101 helped this father have quality time with their children as well as meet friends in the Spiral.
I am an adult and a dad and my 10-year old son Sam introduced Wizard101 to me. I was disinterested at first, seeing it as a waste of time and money and was amazingly dismissive of it. I didn’t like him making ‘friends’ online either. Eventually my young daughter Sophie wanted a wizard too when she saw Sam playing the game and so she started an ice wizard with pink hair and a unicorn. However, she couldn’t actually do anything more than walk around so she always badgered me to play for her. Well, I the end I gave in and did just that, and found myself slowly loving this game, this immersive world as I finished quests. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to play for myself and so I opened an account with a storm wizard. I was leery of everything at first and always denied friend requests, ploughing ahead on my own, and not taking part in anything I didn’t understand. Eventually, reluctantly, I accepted a friend and since then have never looked back.
I now have a house (the red barn farm) and am amazingly house-proud; I engage in planting and care for my plants deeply; I train pets and find myself feeling proud of them when they reach a new age or win a race; but most especially, I have really grown to enjoy the company of my online friends. What I love about Wizard101 the most is how it’s a perfectly safe community with people from all over the world (I myself am from New Zealand) that truly can come to respect each other. They might be girls playing boys, boys playing girls, adults playing as kids (and learning new internet buzz words!), or kids playing grown-ups, whites playing blacks, or blacks playing whites. It doesn’t matter: it’s all pretend yet incredibly safe and nurturing. I have made some brilliant friends, but there’s never any attempt to find out anything about you in real life, although over time, small clues can slip out.
I like being a friend that other friends can rely on, and now as I’m rising in level, being the powerful friend for new wizards and paying it forward, as old hands once taught me. But what I love the most about this game is how it’s another level of connection between me and my son. We can talk about this game if there’s nothing else to talk about. He’s my (more powerful) friend in The Spiral who gets to come to my rescue and help me out through this new life. It’s an inversion of the normal father/son relationship and it makes him proud and it makes me proud. Still nobody in the game knows about the bond we have and I don’t intend to tell anyone, just as they have no intention of telling me about themselves, and that’s just perfect to me. We can go online and be whoever we feel like being at the time. Mostly I want to be a good friend to the good friends I’ve made.
Oh, and I do it for storm shark. That spell is awesome.
Dylan WildStrider
Level 48 Life Wizard
During the holidays, we’re running a contest through our “12 Days of the Spiral“. The question is – what has Wizard101 or Pirate101 meant to you and/or your family in the past year? Here is our twelfth winner! Read how Wizard101 helped this young Wizard begin to excel in school.
Ever since I created my account, Wizard101 has given me something to look forward to every day this past year. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been really struggling at school. It’s hard for me to concentrate on my books for long, besides the fact that English is not my first language. It hasn’t been easy to keep my grades up to my parents’ standards, and sometimes I just wanted to give up trying. I felt like I didn’t have something to live for, something that I could look forward to and enjoy. Yeah, I’ve always been a fan of computer games, but most of the free online games I played were dull and boring. Until my friend told me about Wizard101.
From the start, I thought this game might be more fun than the other ones I’d played. It looked exciting and those Ninja Pigs in the tutorial had me laughing straightaway. I played for a while, and I felt a little better afterwards. I found I was really enjoying it.
When I asked my mother, she told me I could play every day if I wanted to. I only had to finish all my homework and I could go right on the computer. I was happy, and started anticipating making all those amazing spells every day. After a few months, my parents and I were astonished when we looked at my grades. It was like I had made a complete U-turn; from getting C’s at best, to B’s and even A’s! While before I couldn’t concentrate for more than half an hour, now I was zipping through my homework and actually understanding it! My parents found it hard to believe that Wizard101 had played a large role in this, but I definitely believe it had. I mean, before I got my account, I honestly didn’t see the point in studying any of my subjects, and I had stopped trying to do my best. Every morning it was the same old routine, and I was sick of it.
Wizard101 definitely changed all that. What’s more fun than exploring bright new worlds, growing as a magician’s apprentice and learning new spells? Even when it was raining or snowing outside, I could still enjoy the game. And it was never the same old thing anymore, but every day was different and better than the last.
Wizard101 also helped me learn the value of setting priorities and saving money. I used to go the store and just spend my money on anything that caught my eye. But after I started playing the game, I decided I would save up for the locked zones, even finding ways to make more money.
This was a new interest that I had found. Because of Wizard101, I learned to organize my life so I would be happy and have time and money to spend on something I really cared about.
Right now, I feel happier than I’ve ever been before. I’m also looking forward to each new day and the things I’m planning to get. Thank you, KingsIsle, for helping me get back on my feet!
Wolf StormStalker
Level 25 Fire Wizard
During the holidays, we’re running a contest through our “12 Days of the Spiral“. The question is – what has Wizard101 or Pirate101 meant to you and/or your family in the past year? Here is our eleventh winner! Read how Wizard101 helped helped this young Wizard cope with her parent’s divorce.
Wizard101 has meant everything to me this past year. It’s been the toughest and the best year of my life. In February, my parents separated. I loved them both and I’d never foreseen this, but it happened and it broke my heart. Moreover, I was doing poorly at school. In grade 9, I was the only dyslexic girl in my classes. I went to a small, private school, so I could never really blend in with the crowd. I could hear students snickering behind my back about the way I stumbled over words when I read. It really hurt, and after the divorce, I would cry almost every night. Sometimes I just didn’t know if I could keep going anymore.
A few months later, a friend told me about Wizard101. I said I’d check it out, thinking it was just another ordinary game. However, as soon as I was in the Commons, listening to the happy music and hubbub around me, I felt just a little less sad. This was my own, new world that I had just discovered.
The following weeks, I could feel myself healing. I showed my mom and brother the beautiful scenery and spells, and my mother lit up, seeing me smiling the way I was. My brother, however, immediately asked to make an account and started playing. In a short time, Wizard101 had created a bond between us. Until then, we had each gone our separate ways, but this amazing game was our first common interest. Soon, we became closer than ever, talking and laughing together about our spells and quests. For the first time in ages, I was confident in myself. I was happier, and every day was an adventure. Crying myself to sleep had become history. I woke up confidently every morning, knowing I’d do my best at school. I also knew that I could go back to that beautiful world anytime I wanted. Of course, whenever something great happened on Wizard101, I could share it with my truest friend, my brother.
Wizard101 changed my life for the better. I think I’d be in a very different place right now if I hadn’t discovered it in time. I can’t express how thankful I am for you, KingsIsle, because what you’ve made isn’t just a game; it was a miracle for me. Thank you, KingsIsle, from the bottom of my heart!
Roslyn Wildflower
During the holidays, we’re running a contest through our “12 Days of the Spiral“. The question is – what has Wizard101 or Pirate101 meant to you and/or your family in the past year? Here is our tenth winner! Read how Wizard101 helped this adult found family friendly gaming through Wizard101.
I began playing Wizard101 over four years ago after my sons saw the commercials on TV and wanted to try the game. After watching them play for a while I decided to make an account and give it a try. I have always enjoyed role playing games and fantasy. I thought even though it was a “kids” game I might like it. I soon discovered after reading the Wizard101 forums that many adults were playing and enjoying the game and it was truly a family game, not just a “kids” game. It has been a wonderful bonding experience with my two sons(ages 12 and 7). My oldest son and I enjoy doing the dungeons or the Winterbane and Pagoda Gauntlets together. We also like to hatch pets together too try to get rare hybrid pets. While my youngest enjoys collecting pets and looking at the different houses and items in the crown shop. Our family’s finances don’t allow me to spend much money on crowns, so I have only bought a few locations. My oldest son saves his allowance to purchase game play cards for crowns and items.
Since I only have access to all of Wizard City and Parts of Krokotopia, I have become an expert on those areas of the game. I really enjoy helping new players with their quests in those locations and showing them all the places to find reagents as well as the ways to get special items such as the rare pet drops from Lord Nightshade.
I have been working on finishing my degree the past few years and had not played much the last couple of years. This year has been especially stressful and I have found myself playing more. It is very refreshing for me to take a short break from my studies and play Wizard101 for a little while. It also gives my some quality time with my boys doing something we both enjoy and can share. Even when we’re not playing we often talk about certain strategies to use on the different bosses or how to gain special items or hatch a certain pet. My oldest son is always coming up with ideas for new pets or special abilities he would like to see in the game.
I know that there a relatively few adult players on Wizard101; But a few of us have figured out that it is truly a game for any age. Also it is a great, safe, fun place to spend quality family time together battling evil and meeting new friends.
Alex DragonTamer
Level 25 Fire Wizard
During the holidays, we’re running a contest through our “12 Days of the Spiral“. The question is – what has Wizard101 or Pirate101 meant to you and/or your family in the past year? Here is our ninth winner! Read how Wizard101 helped instill some good qualities and life skills into this young person’s life.
Honestly, Wizard101 has changed my life. I first started to play in 2009. One day, my cousin who is basically my other twin, randomly introduced it to me, and so I thought I would give it a try. I generally was a “gamer” type of person, but that day I realized my true talent. Wizard101 has greatly impacted me in terms of skills, my studies, and me generally.
My cousin used to live far away from me and I would rarely see him. However, Wizard101 allowed us to contact each other through the game. We would develop different skills and strategies that we would both need in order to complete a quest. It taught me to co-operate with him and others as I was not the best person to co-ordinate with. It greatly impacted my ability to recognize what is most important and what is least in terms of doing quests, gathering health, and choosing specific attire that would help in terms of resist, damage, critical rating, and block.
Furthermore, it taught me to organize my time. I would keep a specific schedule in order to balance my time with my family, on my game and my studies. As I got older, I started to help my mother with chores, and started to work. The money I earned, I would partly use it for my membership and other things. Wizard101 greatly taught me how to be responsible and manage my money and time wisely, and such a skill greatly helps me now. Also, I was a pretty slow communicator through technology, and this game helped me increase my ability to type faster, which is a funny thing, but honestly it greatly helped.
I have been gaming for approximately four years. Wizard101 has taught me skills which greatly impacted my overall life, such as responsibility, time management, organization, and coordination. I am significantly thankful to KingsIsle as it has allowed me the ability to connect with my only cousin through Wizard101, and together we both learned various different techniques and strategies for quests. It helped open my mind to newer techniques and improved my ability to be a critical and creative thinker. It has honestly helped me to become a different and better person. As of now, I believe that I am going to stay as a loyal member to Wizard101 until the end. Thank you to KingsIsle for creating such an amazing and friendly game.
Tristan HawkFlame
Level 49, Death Wizard
KingsIsle Blog 