Toontown Online facts for kids
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| Developer | Disney's Virtual Reality Studio Schell Games Frogchildren Studios |
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| Type | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game |
| Launch date | August 2001 – January 16, 2002 (Beta 1) September 10, 2002 – October 21, 2002 (Beta 2) October 21, 2002 – June 2, 2003 (sneak preview) June 2, 2003 (official launch) November 28, 2006 (Mac OS X) |
| Discontinued | September 19, 2013 |
| Platform(s) | Macintosh operating systems and Microsoft Windows |
| Website | toontown.go.com (archived on August 24, 2013) |
Toontown Online, often called Toontown, was a fun online game. It launched in 2003. Players explored a cartoon world. They played as cute animal characters called Toons. The game was made by Disney's Virtual Reality Studio and Schell Games.
Toons completed missions called "ToonTasks." They also fought against robot bad guys called Cogs. Toons used funny weapons called "Gags." These Gags were like things from old cartoon slapstick comedy. For example, they could throw cream pies! The main Toontown Online game closed in September 2013. But fans have made their own versions since then. The most popular one is Toontown Rewritten.
Contents
How Toontown Was Played
Meet the Toons
In Toontown Online, you played as a "Toon." Toons were animal characters. They looked like classic Disney cartoons. You could make your Toon special. You chose its shape, color, and clothes. You could also pick its animal type. Choices included cats, dogs, ducks, and more.
Fighting the Cogs
The Cogs were the bad guys in the game. They were robot business people. They wanted to turn Toontown into a boring business place. There were four types of Cogs. They were Bossbots, Lawbots, Cashbots, and Sellbots. Each type had different levels. Higher levels meant stronger Cogs.
Toons started with simple "Gags." Gags were cartoon-style weapons. They were used to defeat the Cogs. You could unlock new Gags by finishing ToonTasks. Gags got stronger as you used them more. Toons also had a "Laff" meter. This was like your health bar. If your Laff meter ran out, your Toon would go "sad." This meant you were defeated.
You fought Cogs in turn-based battles. Up to four Toons could fight together. You could find Cogs on the streets. You could also find them in "Cog Buildings." The Cogs even had their own headquarters, called "Cog HQs." Each HQ had a powerful boss. These bosses included the Senior V.P., C.F.O., C.J., and C.E.O.
Fun Without Fighting
Not all of Toontown was about fighting. "Playgrounds" were safe areas. Cogs could not enter them. In playgrounds, Toons could get back their Laff Points. They could also get new ToonTasks. You could buy Gags there too. Playgrounds offered fun games. You could play trolley games, go fishing, or race karts. You could even play golf!
Finishing ToonTasks made your Toon stronger. You would get more Laff Points or new Gags. Fishing, racing, and golfing also helped you earn more Laff Points. Each neighborhood in Toontown had a playground. Famous Disney characters were often there. Some main playgrounds were Toontown Central and Donald's Dock.
Every player had their own "estate." This was like a home area. It had a fishing pond. It also had six houses for your Toons. You could decorate your Toon's house. You bought items from a special catalog. The game's money was called "jellybeans." You could also get pets called Doodles. Gardening was another fun activity.
Staying Safe Online
Toontown Online was made for players of all ages. So, it had special safety features for chat. At first, players used "SpeedChat." This was a list of pre-approved phrases. You could pick phrases for talking, strategy, or holidays. You could buy more SpeedChat phrases with jellybeans.
Later, "SpeedChat Plus" was added. "Secret Friends" also came out, later called "True Friends." Parents had to turn these on for younger players. SpeedChat Plus let you type your own messages. But Disney had a filter. If a word wasn't allowed, it changed to a funny sound. True Friends let you chat more freely. You had to share a special code with a friend.
Hosting Parties
Toons could plan and host their own parties. You used your jellybeans to add fun things. You could have fireworks, mini-games, and trampolines. You could even have party cannons! To plan a party, you visited a Toon Party Planner. You could also design your own party invitations.
How Players Got the Game
CD Version
In 2005, you could buy Toontown Online on a CD. This meant you didn't have to download the game. The CD came in a box. It included two months of game time. It also had a poster and a game manual. Plus, you got a special bonus item in the game! Disney made a CD version because some people felt safer buying games in stores.
Why Toontown Closed
After ten years, Toontown Online closed. The game shut down for good on September 19, 2013. When they announced the closure, all players got free membership. They could play until the very end. Special events and holiday celebrations happened during this time. You could no longer buy new memberships.
After the game closed, its website changed. It helped players with questions about billing. It also explained why the game closed. The old Toontown website now sends you to Disney's main site.
Many players missed the game. So, they created their own free versions. These are called private servers. The most popular one is Toontown Rewritten. Its creators say it's a fan-made version of the original game. They used information that was made public.
Jesse Schell was a creative director for the game. He said Toontown Online closed because of its business model. It was a game you paid for each month. Disney wanted to bring the game to phones and tablets. But they needed a good way to make money from mobile games. They kept talking about the future of Toontown.
In 2021, an unofficial archive was released. It's called the "Toontown Preservation Project." It has original design documents and artwork. These were given by the game's developers. It also has old promotional items.
Fun Events: ToonFest
Disney held two real-life events for Toontown fans. They were called ToonFest. These events had fun activities and games. There were trivia contests and costume contests. Fans could also see new game features. Developers answered questions from fans.
The first ToonFest was in 2006. It was held at the Walt Disney Studios in California. The second ToonFest was in 2007. It took place at Walt Disney World in Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Toontown Online para niños
