Animal Jam Classic facts for kids

Animal Jam Classic, formerly known as Animal Jam, is an online virtual world that was developed by WildWorks and is recommended for children aged 7 to 12. It was launched in 2010, in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. As of late 2020, there were 3.3 million monthly active users and a lifetime total of 130 million registered players in 200 countries across both Animal Jam Classic and Animal Jam.

In Animal Jam Classic, players can discover and learn various facts about zoology using the game's numerous features, including mini-games, puzzles, adventures, parties, and social interactions. Due to its rapid growth, Animal Jam Classic has spawned different types of merchandise, including figurine toys, children's books, board games, and a subscription box.

Although Animal Jam Classic is primarily played online, the Animal Jam Classic universe has been expanded to incorporate most mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and iOS devices. The most popular Animal Jam Classic mobile app spin-off is Animal Jam, previously known as Animal Jam - Play Wild!, which is a 3D version of the Animal Jam Classic world. WildWorks has also developed other apps that are based on the Animal Jam Classic game including Tunnel Town, AJ Jump, and Dash Tag.

In May 2020, in an event dubbed the "aMAYzing Migration", WildWorks rebranded the desktop game from Animal Jam to Animal Jam Classic; as part of the event, the app that was formerly known as Animal Jam - Play Wild! was rebranded to Animal Jam.

Gameplay environment

Animal Jam Classic takes place in a fictional area that is known as Jamaa, with various different biomes and customizable animals. New players can create an animal with a name that is composed of three simple words. From that point, players can customize and move around with it in the gameplay environment. The original six virtual animals that could be created were the panda, rabbit, tiger, wolf, koala, and monkey, though many more animals were added following the six.

Players can customize their own dens with furniture, chat with other players, adopt pets, play mini-games, purchase in-game clothing and furniture with currency, trade items, attend parties, and go on various RPG-style adventures. There is a membership feature available on the site that costs real money and lets players access certain exclusive in-game features.

Communication and safety

Animal Jam Classic contains three versions of in-game chat, which offers various levels of restriction. Bubble Chat restricts players from typing messages but will allow them to select predefined words and phrases in a list. Safe Chat, the default setting, allows players to type words or phrases in a particular list which only the game permits, similar to a whitelist. Safe Chat Plus, which was previously available only to members but is now available for all players, allows players to type any word or phrase, which is being run through the game's safe chat filter. Parents can control players’ chat settings from the site's parent dashboard. One player can report or block another player for unacceptable, intolerable, or inappropriate behavior. If the player is found chatting in an inappropriate way, the player may have their chat temporarily muted or even be suspended from logging on for a long period.

Animal Jam Classic is free from outside advertising and adheres to a strict privacy policy.

Educational elements

In addition to in-game nature facts and activities, Animal Jam Classic provides educational video content featuring herpetologist Brady Barr and marine biologist Tierney Thys. Furthermore, there are certain events and activities that help raise awareness for environmental problems.

Other media

Merchandise

Animal Jam Classic shirts, stuffed animals, hats, in-game currency, books, and toys are sold on the Animal Jam Outfitters site and have become very popular.

In 2013, WildWorks partnered with Sidekix to produce a set of eight stuffed animals modeled after the Animal Jam Classic avatars that can be "flipped" into a ball. In October 2015, the company named Jazwares as the main toy partner for the Animal Jam Classic brand. Jazwares began developing figures, playsets, and plush items which were launched internationally in 2016.

In June 2016, WildWorks released Animal Jam Classic toys which consisted mainly of stuffed animals, figures, and toy sets. One of which is a series of toys called "Animal Jam Adopt-a-Pet" which comes with a miniature figure of a pet from the game and two accessories in a den shaped box, along with an in-game item code. Since the release, four series have been released so far featuring different pets, accessories, and dens.

On November 16, 2016, WildWorks launched "Animal Jam Box", a subscription box that contained merchandise sent to those who would subscribe to the plan.

In early 2019, WildWorks' contract had ended, and the company could no longer make merchandise toys or books. However, the subscription box has still been existent.

"Pillow Pets" that are based on Animal Jam Classic in-game avatars are sold on the Pillow Pets official website, at many online stores and on Amazon.com.

Animal Jam Academy

Animal Jam Academy is a program by WildWorks directly linked to the Animal Jam Classic website. It provides users with "how-to" projects using the themes of science, technology, engineering, and art.

Mobile apps

Animal Jam

The most popular mobile application by WildWorks is Animal Jam, formerly known as Animal Jam - Play Wild!, which is a 3D version of the Animal Jam Classic universe and was released in August 2015.

In February 2016, WildWorks had announced that Animal Jam had reached over 1 million downloads. The app is the top downloaded iPad educational game in 24 countries, the top downloaded game for kids 9-11 in 35 countries in 2018, and top grossing iPad game in 54 countries. On May 19, 2017, Animal Jam won the Google Play Awards 2017 for Best Kids' App.

In early 2020, a desktop app version of ‘’Animal Jam’’ was released allowing players to play the 3D mobile environment on most PCs and Macs.

Other apps

On July 18, 2013, a free Animal Jam Classic-based app called Tunnel Town was released on the iOS and Android. In Tunnel Town, players raise a bunny family underground by purchasing, looking after, and raising new rabbit species.

Later, in 2013, a second Animal Jam Classic mobile game spin-off was available for purchase, which was titled AJ Jump. This game is centered on kangaroos with a similar gameplay format to Doodle Jump.

In 2018, a third game was released, which was titled Dash Tag. In Dash Tag, the player collects various animals and attempts to evade the capture from Misha the Panda. The gameplay is an endless runner game similar to Subway Surfers and Temple Run.

In 2020, the creators of Animal Jam Classic released Fer.al.

Donations

The Gem donation box which is in the game's Conservation Museum is a way Animal Jam Classic encourages players to be more aware of the environment. A significant portion of all revenue Animal Jam Classic collected went to support worldwide conservation efforts. By June 2012, players enabled the Animal Jam Classic developers at WildWorks to contribute over $3 million to the National Geographic Society's work. The Play Wild Fund was introduced in November 2011 to allow other players to choose which animals they want and conservation efforts they wanted to donate to Animal Jam Wishes to create a bigger community to contribute to the planet. In 2014, Animal Jam Classic raised $200 million to the charity.

Awards