Wiki101
Extra Credits - Wizard101 15

For September 2023's Extra Credits objective, KingsIsle tasked content creators like myself with making something that explains why we love playing Wizard101 in tandem with the game's 15th Anniversary celebration, which is currently ongoing! Given that I've been playing the game since April 2009 (when I was just 8 years old!), you can imagine that there's quite a bit that I love about it. So in this article, I'm going to break down all the personal major reasons for why I love Wizard101!

StoryMusicGameplayCommunityConclusion

The Story[]

I am the Master of Death - EC Sep 2023

One of the best story moments in the entire game.

Given that I lead an entire wiki community dedicated to the story/lore of both 101 games, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that this is the first and foremost reason for why I enjoy Wizard101. Ever since I first encountered Malistaire and his Draconians in the tutorial, I've been entranced by the magical world of the Spiral, and learning more and more about the behind the scenes of how the game is crafted over the years has only enhanced the magic feeling. When I first started playing, Arc 1 had only just ended a few months earlier with the launch of Dragonspyre, and Grizzleheim was still on the horizon. Though I didn't end up reaching Dragonspyre until several years later, I very distinctly remember watching the final fight with Malistaire on YouTube and being so thrilled by the iconic cutscene between him and his brother Cyrus. At that time, I only dreamed of being able to reach Dragonspyre someday.

As time passed and I grew and matured, the game's story did as well. Arc 2 was the first sign of the story going in a more complex direction, but I feel that it wasn't until Arc 3 that this truly manifested. It's REALLY cool that the writers were able to pull this off, and that it didn't feel jarring, like the game had a huge shift all of a sudden. The increase in complexity and darker tone felt earned, and for that I think Wizard101 has one of the most interesting long-term stories of any MMORPG out there. There really aren't many games with the same depth of storytelling that are aimed towards general audiences, and the presence of voice acting for all dialogue and presence of so many fun and well-written characters really helps. More recently, Arc 4 so far has been an amazing achievement that just goes to show how far the story has come, and I can't wait to see how the arc concludes with Wallaru this fall.

The Music[]

Nelson Everhart Dev Diary

This man is a LEGEND and anyone who doesn't think so is wrong.

Oh, boy. What can I say except that Nelson Everhart is a legend, and HUGELY underappreciated in this industry. From the extremely recognizable melodies in Wizard City, to the gothic vibes of Darkmoor, to the intense drumming of Khrysalis and the surreality of Novus, there really isn't any theme or genre of music that Nelson can't master. That's not to discount the other composers who have worked so hard to bring their music to the game, though. Bobby Moen, Nick Jonas, Krys Kozlowski, Mark Packard, and others have all done great work of their own, adding to a large collection of tracks that I believe contribute so so much to the overall feel and excellence of Wizard101.

One of my earliest memories related to Wizard101 is coming hom from school and visiting Wizard101.com on my dad's laptop after learning about the game from another kid on the playground earlier that day, to be greeted by hearing one of the tracks from Marleybone on the landing page. I had never seen Harry Potter by this point in my life, but I later learned that this track in particular, titled "Marleybone Theme 1," was specifically written to be reminiscent of John Williams's score from the early Potter films, and given that I HAD seen Star Wars, I think some part of me must have subconsciously recognized the similar style, and I fell in love. Being able to hear the music only improve in quality over the years has been really special, and not something that could really be said about any other game I've ever played. The music stands out so much, and that's a great thing. Nelson deserves all the love for putting together such amazing compositions for us year after year.

The Gameplay[]

Wizard101 Combat - EC Sep 2023

Just me fighting some Irks. Sorry, Irks.

I'm admittedly not super in-tune with the intricacies of the game's mechanics and how good or bad Wizard101 is from a balance perspective, that's just not really my "thing" (I just like to have fun when it comes to gaming in general), however I can say without a doubt that the game is very much one-of-a-kind when it comes to MMORPGs or even video games in general. There just isn't any other game out there that does all the same things as Wizard101, and certainly not as well. The cinematic, turn-based combat holds up amazingly and is one of the reasons why I love playing the game so much beyond the reasons listed above. It's always so exciting when a new update releases and there's an all-new spell animation to enjoy, and recent game mechanic additions like School Pips have ensured that things are staying fresh and evolving and the combat isn't the same as it was 15 years ago. While some things have gotten more complicated in recent years in a not-so-good way, I still think that the combat is very much accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. Beyond the combat, it's just so fun exploring the worlds of the Spiral in all of its color and movement. I love discovering new things that I never noticed before in areas that have been around for years. The various mini-games, very intricate player housing system, and other fun things are the cherry on top.

The Community[]

Valiant Troupe EC Sep 2023

Shoutout to my guild Valiant Troupe! Here's our entrance area with a banner for the game's 15th birthday.

Last, but certainly not least, the community. In a popular MMORPG like Wizard101, the social aspect is usually pretty close to the top of the list of things to maintain and make sure people remain happy about, and with more recent additions like Guilds, I can say it's super rewarding being a member of the game's community, possibly more now than ever before! Wizard101 has opened the door for so many opportunities, and is the reason why I adopted Wiki101 back in 2017, created Voices of the Spiral in 2022, joined Extra Credits in 2023, and more. I have met so many great people through this game, and I'm so grateful to Wizard101 and KingsIsle for everything that it's done for me in my life. Being a part of making Wizard101-related content or even just consuming the great content that others have put their hard work into is so fun, and I'm always being reminded of just how cool this community is. I hope that through my community efforts, I can bring people even half as much joy as I have experienced over the years.

Conclusion[]

Amazing - EC Sep 2023

He only speaks facts.

Happy birthday, Wizard101! You are such a big part of me and so many others' lives, and I dearly hope that we can double this and in another 15 years we'll be celebrating another amazing milestone while looking back on this one with a smile. This game is truly something special, and I just know that its legacy will live on for many years to come, even if the game itself somehow doesn't last. The Spiral is my second home, a home that I have lived in and loved since I was a child, and I never want it to go anywhere.

Thank you KingsIsle for making my life all the more magical. And thank YOU for reading this article!