Webkinz are

There are many types of Webkinz: regular pets, wild animals, and mythical creatures. They all come with codes that can be entered on the computer at www.webkinz.com Along with the regular Webkinz toys, there are also smaller, less expensive versions called Lil' Kinz as well as larger, slightly more expensive versions in the Signature collection launched in April 2009. The Signature collection later ended in December 2013. In May 2009, Birthstone Pets were released. One new Birthstone Pet was released for every month. In April 2010, Ganz replaced the Birthstone Pets with the Zodiac Pets. Again, one Zodiac Pet will be released every month. In 2011, CandyKinz were released. In June 2012, Rockerz Pets were released. In 2019, Ganz announced that no new plush pets would be released as of now, but purely virtual pets can still be purchased, accounts can be made, and the website still operates.^[4]

Gameplay

Each Webkinz

Many of the tasks in Webkinz World involve collecting items. For example, recipes are released for the players through cookbooks or one of the TV shows called The Secret Chef. Players can even obtain a trophy if they stumble upon a recipe that has yet to be discovered. Another activity that involves collecting items is going mining at the Curio Shop. This can be done once a day. As players go mining they will begin to collect "Gems", and when they collect all of the gems available they will receive the "Legendary Crown of Wonder". There is a similar feature found in the magical forest called Alyssa's Star Challenge. In this challenge players hunt amongst colored stars for constellations. Once all of the constellations have been collected, players are awarded a special throne.

Other features of Webkinz include:

• The ability to create shows with the Webkinz Studio, and enter to be chosen to appear on the Webkinz TV.
• Buying a swimming pool, a trampoline, and a treadmill where Webkinz can improve their health.
• Sending gifts or letters to friends on a peer-to-peer network.
• Inviting a friend over to your house, where you can chat and interact with some board games and items.
• Participate in the hourly events, which can earn you prizes, KinzCash, and coupons, among other things.
• Brushing, washing, and bathing your pet.
• Setting up a party, inviting guests, playing games and giving out loot bags. (a Party Pack costs 750 to 1000 KinzCash)
• Playing a variety of games such as gem mining.
• Trading items with other players in a safe and fun way.
• Reading virtual books exclusive to the Webkinz World.
• Enrolling your virtual pet in school, or "The Kinzville Academy" where your pet can learn and develop skills to help them compete in tournaments.
• Decorating your pets' home. Furniture can be purchased via the W-shop in the Webkinz World.
• Interacting with other players via the Webkinz Clubhouse, where players can play games such as "Link'd" (Connect four), Checkers, and much more.
• Shopping for clothes
• Competing in the Webkinz Stadium competitions
• Going to the Park
• Board Games can be played with the pet
• Going to Vacation Island
• Competing at the Tournament Arena

Webkinz Studio

• The Webkinz Studio generally costs 1000 KinzCash in the W Shop.
• There are currently 18 characters and 9 sets. One can buy more from the W Shop.
• In 2008, a very strict dictionary was added to secure the words used in the studio.
• In March 2010, Webkinz announced that the Studio had been "enhanced" with more features, including "slide transitions", the "who speaks first" option, and character entrances and exits.
• Also, the Studio can be found in the Curio Shop on a rare basis for less than 1000 KinzCash.
• As of 2020, there have been no major changes to this feature of Webkinz World

W-Shop

The W-Shop is a virtual market where players are able to buy their pets food, games, beds, exercise equipment, pools, bathtubs, tvs etc. Kinzcash (the virtual currency) is exchanged for said items. W-Shop coupons can be used on top of items in order to make them cheaper for players, and items can also be sold back to the W-Shop at a fraction of the price that they were purchased at, if a player is disappointed in their purchase or simply in need of a little kinzcash in their pocket.

Tournament

The Tournament Arena is a fun place in which Webkinz players from around the world can meet up and play against eachother in a variety of games. It includes games such as Webkinz Supermodelz, Link'd, and Webkinz Chef Challenge. Each game offers a set amount of kinzcash, and allows a moment after in which players can request a rematch, or request to become friends.

Kinzville Academy

The Kinzville Academy is a virtual school in which regular players can sign their pets up for 3 classes per day, and Deluxe players can sign their pets up for 4 classes per day. The Kinzville academy offers a variety of classes in skills such as running, cooking, grooming, and agility. These skills can then be transferred and used at the Webkinz Stadium. (A competitive arena in which players can earn kinzcash, and trophies.) As players begin to master different levels of these skills, they are awarded badges and new pet skills. They also are awarded an Arcade version of each class as they reach level 10. Once all 10 levels are completed for all classes players are awarded an exclusive diploma to celebrate their accomplishment.

Employment Office

The Employment Office is a virtual job office in which players can perform various jobs. Players are allowed 1 job every 8 hours, and Deluxe players are allowed 1 extra job on top of that. As players successfully complete jobs they are awarded more kinzcash, and as they fail jobs they are awarded less.

Webkinz Stadium

The Webkinz Stadium is a virtual competition arena in which players are able to take their skills from the Kinzville academy, and earn kinzcash and trophies. Players who often win are also awarded a place in the top 10. As of 2012, players can play in quick tournaments, if they want a shorter and less competitive competition. Unlike some of the other features players can compete in as many competitions as they would like daily; however, they are much more likely to win if they are highly educated at the Kinzville academy, so it is advised to wait to compete until then.

Membership

When a pet is registered at www.webkinz.com (or "adopted"), it gives or renews an account's full membership features for one year. When the membership of a pet expires, the account becomes a free account, missing the ability to play some games, buy certain items, and do other things in the world. However, a player can renew their account again whenever.

There is also an upgrade to regular memberships called the Deluxe Membership which is available at the Ganz eStore. This is a premium membership with many features, benefits, games, and prizes to which regular accounts do not have access. Deluxe Members also receive free Webkinz eStore points at the time of purchase and at the beginning of each month afterward for the extent of the Deluxe Membership.

If one wants to register an account at www.webkinz.com without a pet code, they are permitted to select from 9 Ganz eStore Pets. Several limitations exist on free accounts that make many challenges and activities impossible. Free accounts can be upgraded to regular memberships or Deluxe Memberships at any time.^[6]

W-Plus & Trading Cards

Aside from the Webkinz, Lil' Kinz, Signature, and Rockerz Pets, Ganz also has made other toys that can be used on Webkinz World. These are called W-Plus items, and all W-Plus items come with a secret code that can be used in the Code Shop in Webkinz World. These codes unlock items for the Webkinz Pets, like new room themes, clothing for pets, KinzCash, and other prizes.

W-Plus

These are all of the W-Plus items Ganz has released:^[7] W-Plus items can still be purchased minimally on places such as Amazon or Ebay; however, Most of the benefits of these W-Plus items can now be had by purchasing a Deluxe Membership. Deluxe Memberships cost anywhere between 5 dollars a month, and 100 dollars a month, and they enable full access to all things on Webkinz World.

• Body spray and lip gloss—unlocks a piece of furniture for the Glam Boutique theme
• Clothing for the Webkinz stuffed toys—unlocks the KinzStyle bag, which can be used to access the KinzStyle Shop. The KinzStyle Shop contains clothing that can't be found anywhere else.
• Charms—gives access to Fairy Falls and Magic Mire.
• Bookmarks—unlocks a Book Bag, allowing the user to choose one free book in Webkinz World.
• Mousepads—unlocks an exclusive Mouse Pad Art Print, a hanging poster of the mouse pad.
• School supplies—unlocks exclusive KinzPost stationary.
• Pet carriers—allows the user to assemble an exclusive wardrobe from four choices.
• Figurines—unlocks a virtual figurine and a unique prize (varies by figurine); also unlocks a display case that can be used to hold all the figurines. Purchasing these will also give full access to Woodland Wonders.
• Wacky Zingoz plush toy—gives access to Wacky Zingoz Extreme, an exclusive version of the game Wacky Zingoz.
• Webkinz Trading Card binders—unlocks two exclusive podiums to hold the virtual binders.

Trading Cards

There are 4 series of Webkinz Trading Cards, of which 2 can be used (in virtual form) to play the challenge game. The cards come in booster packs, with 5 playing cards and a code card in each pack. In these packs, there are also chances of getting special cards as well, like free pet codes. In Series 1, you can also get Curio Shop Curiosities and Webkinz Doodlez.^[8] In Series 2, there is At Paw Level and W-Tales Snapshots instead. These special cards are foil. For Series 1, 80 base cards have been released, 12 challenges, 8 Curio Shop Curiosities, and 8 Webkinz Doodlez. In Series 2, there are 85 base cards, 15 challenges, 8 At Paw Levels and 8 W-Tales Snapshots.^[9] The cards are also W-Plus items, and they each come with 2-5 codes. 1 code on each card is for a virtual pack of Trading Cards, while the other 1-4 can unlock prizes like rare and exclusive themes or coupons. Series 3 changed the format, with only 1 feature code per pack, and no code for a virtual pack. The packs also included stickers and a chance to win a previously unheard-of Pet, the Magical Retriever. Also, Ganz has said that each Series 3 code gives you an item you cannot find anywhere else in Webkinz World. Series 4 has also been released, and the prize Pet, the Mystical Panda, replaces the Magical Retriever. As of 2012, Trading Cards are no longer a feature of Webkinz World.

Ganz eStore

The Ganz eStore is targeted to an older audience of the website, it can be used to purchase virtual pets, furniture and items with real currency. Sales of plush Webkinz and Lil' Kinz are limited to the United States and Canada, however, virtual pets can be purchased from the Ganz eStore by international residents. Secret Codes issued in conjunction with virtual pets can be used the same way as Secret Codes attached to plush pets.^[2]

Deluxe Members get free Ganz eStore points every month. These eStore points are the primary way of purchasing Webkinz Pets, since Webkinz pets are now almost solely virtual.

Webkinz games

Webkinz World has many games in which players can play to earn KinzCash. The website also has a wide range of multiplayer games for users to play against their friends and anyone else who wants to play at the time. There are some games specifically reserved for a premium tier of users, called Deluxe Membership.

Criticism

Concerns have been raised about children's use and overuse of the toys. Parents may worry that children will become addicted to the game.^[10] Some parents have voiced concerns about the website's online chat system. The KinzChat chat system has various safety precautions, with restrictions on who can send messages. Additionally, users cannot type, but can choose phrases to say from a list.^[11] Concerns have also been raised about the toys being a distraction in school, occasionally resulting in them being banned from school grounds.^[12][13] Concerns were also raised when the once advertisement-free site ^[14] started displaying advertisements, previously only for their own additional game-related products, but now also for movies, such as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Bee Movie.^[15] There is an option that members can use to block ads that promote sites not sponsored by or affiliated with Webkinz or Ganz. However, if enabled, this option can not be changed until 30 days have passed. Rumors have circulated that malware is present.^[16][17] In 2007 rumors spread about a character that would kill Webkinz on the site,^[16][17][18] supposedly inserted by a disgruntled employee or a rival site.^[17] These claims were dismissed by Webkinz.com^[19]

Errors

There has been problems in the past with connecting to the Webkinz World site. These range from technical problems with customer's internet browsers and unresponsive customer service^[20] to programming problems at the Webkinz World site.^[21] Changes made to the Webkinz World site have resulted in many disappointed users as newly introduced features often limit access to a small fraction (less than 1%) of users ^[22] and programming errors often reduce the ability of the remainder of the site to function at prior levels.^{[citation needed]}

Appeals

Although there are many criticisms surrounding Webkinz World, there are also many appeals. One of which is that it is educational, and that it is safe. Kinzchat blocks out the usage of crude language, so that parents don't have to worry about their kids getting into trouble. And Webkinz makes it virtually impossible for kids to give out any personal information of any kind.

References