Team Interviews
To really get into the Altador Cup spirits we have asked one supporter of each team to do an interview with us. In this interview they were asked several questions about the famous cup. Here you can read the questions and their answers.
Altador Cup XI
Altador
Interviewed Person: iluzija What do you think are your team's strengths?
Sportsmanship! Altador is by far the friendliest team I've ever had the pleasure of associating with. As the hosts of the cup, it's pretty important that we show good sportsmanship to all teams. We're also underdogs, so we're capable of pulling upsets that gets all the teams talking about us. :-P
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Freeloaders, probably. We're actually a pretty decent-sized team, but we get a lot of people that join, thinking we'll win because it's the ALTADOR Cup.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
It's hard to say so early in the cup, but I think Faerieland will be interesting to compete against.
What drew you to your team?
Well it has a Wocky, which is my favorite Neopet. :-P I also love the Greco-Roman aesthetic; it's one of my favorite things about Altador. We have a reputation of being a very laid-back team, which is what I wanted because I wasn't sure how much effort I'd put into playing this year. Turns out that I made quick friends with everyone and they all motivated me to do my best this year.
What is your favorite side game?
Slushie Slinger!
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
This is my seventh year.
Brightvale
Interviewed Person: flyingmonkeys_6_6 What do you think are your team's strengths?
Our strengths reside in our ability to band together in order to accomplish a goal. In the past years with ACGs, it has been Brightvale that is usually the first to take a win against a team with cheaters.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
We struggle getting coverage for all of the games due to our small amount of players. However, the players we have are extremely experienced, talented, and dedicated!
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I think Tyrannia will be our biggest competitor, because they seem to be the other powerhouse team sustained by legitimate players.
What drew you to your team?
I was drawn to Brightvale due to our welcoming community on the boards, along with its small size. I am able to see the impact I am making on the cup.
What is your favorite side game?
My favorite side game is Make Some Noise.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I have participated in the Altador Cup seriously for 2 years, this being my third. I achieved all star my first serious year, and double all star my second. I took a break, and here I am again!
Darigan Citadel
Interviewed Person: parody_ham What do you think are your team's strengths?
Our team is huge and very hardworking! It's incredible how much time and energy people give for our team. Plus, we love a good friendly competition and have really enjoyed race and marathon boards in the past.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Our team's strength has depended on a core chunk of Neopians playing *a lot* of games. When the caps were higher, these people would play for countless hours to achieve them. (I myself never hit 300 YYB games in a day. The people who could manage that have always impressed me). With the caps lowered, the ability for hardcore players to impact our standing has decreased.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Krawk Island! They've always been our biggest rivals (and our favorite match up next to DC vs MD).
What drew you to your team?
The plots. The DC/MD war stories--despite them occurring before I joined--continue to be my favorites. It's great to see a story where both sides are morally gray. Their perspectives, although flawed, are reasonable. The characters are all memorable and the villains are quite enjoyable (both aesthetically pleasing and interesting). The other reason I came to DC is the Minions have always been kind and welcoming to me. I know we may seem intimidating sometimes, but we're really quite nice. I'm really lucky to know such a large network of great Neopians!
What is your favorite side game?
Slushie Slinger! Does that seem odd? I've always found it to be relaxing, if not a bit time consuming.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
This would be year 11!
Faerieland
Interviewed Person: _unis4ever_ What do you think are your team's strengths?
I think FL's major strength is everyone's dedication to the team. Most of our players are people who have been on the team for years (although we always welcome new teammates!). Everyone wants the team to do well and will often put aside personal goals in order to help the team.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Our greatest weakness is that our team has a smaller active player base compared to some other teams. This prevents us from doing well against bigger and traditionally stronger teams, because there just aren't as many of us.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
It's hard to tell who our biggest competition will be, since we're not generally in the running for any podium spot, but FL has always had a small friendly rivalry with AL. However, with the new caps, rules, etc. I'm not sure if we will be competing against other teams on a more even playing field, which could change a lot of things!
What drew you to your team?
I joined FL back in ACIII, when I was 12 years old, so back then I just really liked faeries and that was what drew me to the team. I've joined FL again every year since then (with a one year break during ACIX when I was on hiatus) because I've made some great friendships through the team, and I like being on a team small enough that you can feel your contribution really matters. Plus I still like faeries!
What is your favorite side game?
My favorite side game is SOSD... it's just so quick and I can zone out during it. FL used to be super strong in SLSL, and we still aren't too shabby at it, but it's no thanks to me. I barely play it at all each year and only focus on it if that's part of our team's strategy for the day.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
My first AC was ACII, and as I mentioned I wasn't around for ACIX, so I guess this is my 9th Altador Cup! It doesn't seem like it has been that long...
Haunted Woods
Interviewed Person: xxxlillythexxx What do you think are your team's strengths?
We're the only team to have won twice. We also have an amazing group of supporters consisting of new and old loyal friends. Zo Junior is one of the best centre forward players in the Altador Cup Tournament!
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Haunted Woods came in last last year, which cost us a lot of players.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
This might be unpopular opinion, but I really think Meridell might be our biggest competition this year.
What drew you to your team?
The whole Haunted Woods/Halloween atmosphere was what initially drew me in, but I stayed for the friends I made on the boards. Everyone is so friendly, welcoming, and helpful!
What is your favorite side game?
Shootout Showdown
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
6 (I participated on a previous account before switching to this one)
Kiko Lake
Interviewed Person: sailorganymede What do you think are your team's strengths?
Kiko Lake's biggest strength is sheer determination despite overwhelming odds!
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Sadly, we have no legs.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Maraqua is looking really strong this year, and honestly that makes me -really happy- because I LOVE MARAQUA, but at the same time, it's like trying to fight a fire hose with a fire hose, you know?
What drew you to your team?
When I first defected from Darigan, I felt quite lost. I perused the forums looking for where I fit in. Being my dream pet (which I had recently acquired) was a garlic kiko, I strongly leaned towards playing for Kiko Lake for a year, just to test it out. The people I met there were so inspirational, and so kind, not only did I hit All-Star for the very first time that year.. I did it while recovering from a broken wrist.
What is your favorite side game?
Ew, side games. Honestly, I actually rather like Slushie Slinger, but I rarely ever play it because it takes so long.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
Pretty sure this is my 6th year in.
Krawk Island
Interviewed Person: neon3002 What do you think are your team's strengths?
Krawk Island's biggest strengths are its core group of hardcore players and the camaraderie on the boards that helps keep us going year after year. We maintain a pretty calm, laid back atmosphere these days, but we're still here to do our best.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Our biggest weaknesses stem from our size. Because our team is so large, we have tons of casual players balancing out the efforts of the crazy ones. In terms of results, this is our biggest weakness, as we often end up in the middle of the pack despite consistently having many of the top players. Further, our boards sometimes move very quickly, so posts are occasionally lost in the chaos, making people feel left out. We do our best to be a welcoming, friendly bunch, but sometimes it's hard to make everyone feel included.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
It appears that teams with cheating groups will be everyone's biggest competition yet again. Beyond that, smaller teams with good core groups of players and few casual players (the prime example is Kreludor) thrive even more in an environment with lower maximum games, and we're definitely not small or lacking casual players. Lower maxes make it a bit harder for teams like Krawk Island and Darigan Citadel to keep up like they used to.
What drew you to your team?
I was originally drawn to Krawk Island for the same reasons as many others: the logo looks cool, pirates are cool, and red and black are cool colors. Once I joined, I met a lot of great people (on the K.I.L.L. board) who continue to give me a reason to come back and play each year.
What is your favorite side game?
Shootout Showdown. I'm mostly focused on Yooyuball, so when it comes to side games, the faster the better.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
My memory's a bit fuzzy since it's been so long now. I've definitely played for Krawk Island since the second Altador Cup, but I may have played a handful of games in the first as well. I wasn't very active at that point though -- I didn't even collect my trophy until the third year of the event. Eventually I started participating more in the event and on the boards, and I've been an All-Star since Altador Cup V.
Kreludor
Interviewed Person: th3_dream What do you think are your team's strengths?
As is a strength for many teams, YYB and SOSD are games that are focused more than others. Our strengths are interchangeable, though. We are a very resilient and emphatic bunch. No matter which opponent we are up against, we play as hard as we can!
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
We are a fairly balanced team. Our weaknesses would probably lie within the SLSL and MSN side games. We do have many dedicated players who love these two games, but on a bad day or against a worthy opponent, I could see us dropping one of these easily.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Based on the results of the beginning of the Cup, it is clear the Maraqua will be a hefty challenge this year for everyone including us. There are many other teams that are going to have very, very good years. We can't count anyone out.
What drew you to your team?
I joined for a few reasons. Home of the Grundo, the best species out there. The colors rock too. However, the biggest reason I became a dork is because of the community of players that dwell on KFC and KSG. They are some of the most kind-hearted players in Neopia.
What is your favorite side game?
My favorite side game is Shootout Showdown. The others have their place too, but Slushie Slinger gets monotonous and Make Some Noise has NOT been friendly to my keyboard over the years.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
This is my eleventh cup! I'll keep coming back as long as we have it!
Lost Desert
Interviewed Person: latin_dime What do you think are your team's strengths?
I think LD has a few strengths. Three being that we are such a hard working, dedicated and determined team. But also we just communicate really well. Which I find to also be important. We like sharing strategies with each other so we all succeed.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Ahh a team never shares their weaknesses! lol But just to be completely honest, I don't feel like as a team/as a group we have weaknesses. Individually, maybe. For me personally I feel like time, and this weird lag going on are my weaknesses. I'm a mother so I'm not able to spend hours at a time playing AC like many others do. I don't let it hold me back though. As far as the lag goes, I haven't been able to play AC all day due to the extreme lag every time I try to play games on Neopets. So it's definitely frustrating and bumming me out.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I believe Shenkuu is our biggest competition this year.
What drew you to your team?
Well I chose LD for more sentimental reasons. LD was the FIRST team i played for, so I figured why not bring it "home". Plus I had some really good feelings about LD this year!
What is your favorite side game?
SLSL is my favorite, but as far as ease goes, SoSD is also great. I find myself surprisingly good at MSN, but after a few games my fingers are numb lol.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
This will be my 5th year in AC. I have been a part of Neopets for about 7 years if you include my very old first ever account on Neopets (I no longer have access to). I was on hiatus a couple times so I did miss some ACs.
Maraqua
Interviewed Person: aperkins2189 What do you think are your team's strengths?
We seem to be popular this year. It seems a lot of people don't normally come to Maraqua so it'll help. We're more focused on the prize ahead of us too. As far as play goes, from what I've seen, Oten and Elon are the best offensive players and as long as they have the ball, we're in good standing.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Defense. Hands down. If we can keep the YYB on the other team's side of the field, GREAT. It gets nerve-wracking when the other team has the ball.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Lost Desert and Shenkuu, overall. Right now their standings aren't so strong, but they've got great players. We may have some issues with the winners of the previous two years, but who knows. *shrug*
What drew you to your team?
LOL. Initially I picked Maraqua because I had a Maraquan pet at the time. I thought it was funny and appropriate. I continued on the pattern until this year when I almost went with Kreludor... because they have better colors. I could deal without the brown of Maraqua. The teal is okay.
What is your favorite side game?
Shootout Showdown. Although Make Some Noise is becoming fun. This is my first year playing it (and understanding what to do).
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
Since AC VIII in 2012. I joined the day it started in 2011 so I stood no chance at joining anyone. It kind of bums me out. Oh well. If I hadn't lost my job right before, I wouldn't be here today.
Meridell
Interviewed Person: dragons9rhapsody What do you think are your team's strengths?
Team unity. Our team gets along wonderfully most of the time.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Pessimism. Team tends to let the negativity of the cup dishearten them.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Tyrannia. Their side games are consistently strong.
What drew you to your team?
Meridell was, for a long time, my runner-up team. I love the theme and the team has a strong foundation in the games. I had held off on joining them because they seemed to have issues with enthusiasm in previous cups, and I always wanted to be on a team that was focused on trying to win. Took a chance on them a few years ago and haven't left.
What is your favorite side game?
My favorite side game is Make Some Noise.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I have participated for eight years. This is my ninth. AC2, AC3, AC5, AC6, AC7, AC8, AC9, AC10.
Moltara
Interviewed Person: playme41 What do you think are your team's strengths?
I think our team's strengths are the dedication of the players to the team and the guidance we receive from more experienced players on the team.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Our main weakness is probably the size of our team. So far as I can tell, we seem to be a fairly small team.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I'd say the hardest ones to beat are last year's champs, and probably Krawk Island. It looks like they're a pretty big team, and that will make it harder for us. I know we're all really excited about the Cup and we're going to give them our best shot!
What drew you to your team?
I was mainly drawn to the team by my unfamiliarity with the world. Most of these other worlds have been around since I joined in 2004, but Moltara is fairly new compared to the others.
What is your favorite side game?
Definitely Slushie Slinger. MSN is kind of challenging for me, and I'm not familiar with SOSD at all.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I've been playing in the Altador Cup for 4 years, although not 4 consecutive years.
Mystery Island
Interviewed Person: hooverr18 What do you think are your team's strengths?
I think we shine in yooyuball the most out of the games. We are also friendly and uplifting to each other which is good for morale.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Our biggest weakness is probably Make Some Noise according to the scores. Also, there has been some disagreement about sending minimum scores just to rank up fast instead of playing the full games.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
Maraqua. Their scores are crazy.
What drew you to your team?
I love the beach and tropical things so I chose Mystery Island naturally.
What is your favorite side game?
I used to hate Slushie Slinger but it's starting to grow on me. I would still say I enjoy Make Some Noise better though.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
5 - I started in AC3 and played in AC4, then I came back for year 7, 10, and this year.
Roo Island
Interviewed Person: kelsladry What do you think are your team's strengths?
I think of most members of Roo Island as a quaint little family I can count on seeing every year on the team boards, we're very loyal. In terms of the tournament, we've always been quite stROOng in Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown. I'm always surprised at how many of our members max out on those two games each day!
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
I'm not sure many of us are very good at Make Some Noise or Slushie Slinger. Those are my two least favorites by far, and our team's results in those areas don't impress me either. It's only the beginning of the tournament so maybe we can turn those two games around this year?
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I really have no idea who will be the biggest competition. Of course I'd like it to be us, and maybe it will be but I'll take a wild guess and say Maraqua. They are a pretty strong team and I think it could be their year! Secretly, I'm ROOting for Faerieland to be the underdog to come out from the bottom and win.
What drew you to your team?
Back in ACI, my best friend and I were trying to decide between Roo Island and Krawk Island. We ended up choosing Roo Island because of how fun it sounded and the bROOight colors. I've kept coming back because of the loyal familiar faces. There were a few years when I jumped ship to Krawk Island, but I know in my heart I'm a Roo.
What is your favorite side game?
My favorite side game is Shootout Showdown. It's just so fast paced and easy to do. I can max it out in just over an hour if I'm really trying. It also reminds me of my own goalkeeping days.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I've participated in the AC since the very first one, with the exception of ACIX. I don't remember why I missed that one. I remember playing for Roo Island in the first AC and then switching the Haunted Woods when we were knocked out.
Shenkuu
Interviewed Person: pipasf What do you think are your team's strengths?
Shenkuu is a great team, we've been around since year two and started off with great results, getting a place in the podium a few times. In the last years the team is starting to become more fierce, mostly because our great results in the secondary games, like MSN, SLSL and SOSD. Also, Shenkuu players are very supportive of each other. Maybe that will helps us make a big comeback this year.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Shenkuu's weakness are definitely connected to the teams not so good results in the last few years, which could mean a lost of members and supporters.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
In our current Bracket I'd have to say Tyrannia, who is showing a lot of power this year. In the competition I'd say the team to fear this year would have to be Maraqua.
What drew you to your team?
I've started playing in Year II when Shenkuu was introduced to the cup. I chose this team because the discovery of Shenkuu was a very interesting time to be playing Neopets and I loved it. Shenkuu's aesthetics and characters are just amazing.
What is your favorite side game?
I'd have to go with Shootout Showdown. Slushie Slinger is just not for me and Make Some Noise makes my wrists hurt like crazy. So SOSD is the most fun for me, apart from Yooyuball.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I've actively played three years, this being the fourth. Since here in Portugal the school year (and now college) end around this time, some years, sadly, I just could not find the time play.
Terror Mountain
Interviewed Person: hol123 What do you think are your team's strengths?
Terror Mountain and specifically TOTM is a relatively small and close-knit community. The Cup has been a thing for 11 years and most of our active members have been a part of it for quite a bit of time. We did get a bit of a dramatic reputation years ago but now we're all sportsmanship and sunshine and rainbows. The size and state of a fandom can determine match outcomes and navigation of games. I've learned that the smaller, the better.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
A downside of being a smaller team is that we don't spread the love across all four games. While we do love the cold most of us cannot stand slinging slushies.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
We hope that we've risen above our usual low tier rivals after placing in 5th last year and have upgraded to a stronger competition for this iteration of the Cup. But at this point there are so many surprises that every team can dish out so.. all of them?
What drew you to your team?
I honestly don't remember. Long ago there was a quiz to determine which team a newcomer should be. I got Maraqua and I was like "no," so I probably chose Terror Mountain based on the ice aesthetic.
What is your favorite side game?
Shootout Showdown. The record-breaking winning streak in the ACV made me learn to love (but also hate) that Chia.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
The ACXI is my 10th year. I joined in the Altador Cup II and have joined Terror Mountain in every year since. It makes me feel elderly and skeletal to say I've been playing for a decade.
Tyrannia
Interviewed Person: after_shocks What do you think are your team's strengths?
Tyrannia has a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Our thought process is that members should play as much of whichever game or games as they desire to play. As a result, over the years we have had a variety of strengths- at one point even being called the "Side Game Kings and Queens". Nowadays, our core base of members is pretty diverse so we seem to do well at all of the games. Plus, who doesn't love chombies and dinosaur references?
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Tyrannia is a small team, which many people like because it keeps us close-knit, but it makes it easy to get burnt out and if a few of our top players are unable to play for a few days, our scores are noticeably influenced.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I prefer to take each day as it comes, but I suppose based on the scores, our biggest competition will be Brightvale or Kreludor this year.
What drew you to your team?
I was very impressed by Tyrannia's performance in ACII. They were the first non top-tier team to specialize and dominate in a game. Previous to ACIV, I had been on top tier teams, so I decided that I would try joining Tyrannia to see if I could help them improve at Yooyuball. Then, I found that it was really fun to break expectations and make upsets. I've been with my little band of Dinos ever since!
What is your favorite side game?
I really like Slushie Slinger. Even though the game is long and doesn't reward you with many prize points, I find that of the three side games it is the one that is most based on gaming ability rather than mindless repetition. Plus I like hand-eye coordination exercises.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I've been participating since the very first Altador cup, though I missed two years while I was on hiatus from Neopets.
Virtupets
Interviewed Person: emineu What do you think are your team's strengths?
Dedication. Many of our players are all star or play to the max any day they are present.
What do you think are your team's weaknesses?
Team size. I think we have one of the smallest numbers of participants. I don't know for sure but it's definitely one of the smallest.
Which team do you think will be your biggest competition this year?
I really expect to see Tyrannia in the top 4 this year and they were the first team we were up against.
What drew you to your team?
I like space, robots, mutants, and I really like the fan base of VP.
What is your favorite side game?
Shootout Showdown.
How many years have your participated in the Altador Cup?
I participated in AC II, III, and VI - so this is my 4th year participating.
{{ loadingMessage || 'Loading, one moment please'}}
