Pop It Pets - Season 2 | Buffalo Games | Ages 3+ | Released Spring 2023
The success of Season 1 Pop It Pets resulted in the request that I create a Season 2 cast of characters and develop expansion items to the original line. While we had the development and manufacturing processes figured out, there was still a lot of work to be done to bring everything to life!
We needed it to be clear to collector’s that this was a new item when it hit stores, so I developed a fresh color combination for Season 2’s packaging. Packages are typically displayed in a PDQ as shown above. This keeps the product organized and offers a space to advertise what’s inside!
I created 50 new pets and 5 new towns for Season 2. The pets were wackier (including a naked mole rat and a grumpy toilet), the world’s were wilder, and the effects were awesome with combinations like color changing swirls, rainbow glow, and even scented finishes!
Once again, each pet came with a sticker and trading card, and the trading card backs could be puzzled into a new map. This time I created a continuous path across the world, starting at Grandma’s house and ending at Dizzy Dance Club. I utilized this feature in a new product that set later in the year - but more to come on that! The dotted rectangles in the map were for a new item called Petites.
Pop It Pets - Season 2 Petites | Buffalo Games | Ages 3+ | Released Summer 2023
Buffalo Games wanted an expansion item at a lower price-point and came up with the idea of Petites: the pets have pets! These pets were even tinier than the original size and were sold for $2 less. I suggested they coordinate with the main line to drive collectability…and cuteness! Where would a hamburger be, without it’s trusty side of ketchup?
I developed another 50 petite sized pets from the same 5 towns as Season 2. Since there were friends among both products, it encouraged cross-merchandising and add-on purchases. Petites were packaged in a mini pouch and paired with mini trading cards. The back of the trading cards were placed on designated spaces of the main season map and would change the scene!
We carried the structure of the collector’s grid from Season 1 into Season 2. Each mystery bag includes a black and white grid that can be filled in with colorful stickers as pets are collected. The Season 2 grid had regular size pets, petites and…the Mega Mystery Set!
Pop It Pets - Season 2 Mega Mystery Set | Buffalo Games | Ages 3+ | Released Fall 2023
The Mega Mystery set was the last expansion item for Season 2. Buffalo Games asked that I create something at a higher price point, with more surprises and a unique opening experience. This item would not be sold in randomized packs like the rest of Season 1 and 2, but was meant as a one time purchase to complete the collection.
Knowing the pets were the main reason collector’s would be purchasing this item, I worked with our manufacturing team to find out how many we could afford in the set. We landed on a whopping 21 with a range of sizes from petite up to a new size: MEGA!
Buffalo Games wanted to ensure the opening experience for the Mega Mystery set felt worth the higher price point. I accomplished this through storytelling: 4 pets had gone missing from every town in Season 2 - Detective Squeaks (a detective Pop It mouse) was on the case, but he needed the collector’s help! Inside the confetti filled outer package were 5 mega mystery pouches (one for each town), an instructional case folder to kick off the investigation, and a 3’ long game board map.
Inside each town bag was a case file card and 4 uniquely designed, themed pouches. The case file explained the town’s mega mystery, how to solve it, and the first clue - a hint about which bag to open first. Each interior bag contained a Pop It pet, trading card and sticker. I wrote rhyming riddles for the trading cards which lead to the next bag and gave a hint to the solution of the town’s mega mystery. I also developed a low-cost extra surprise for each town. In School Daze, a long coloring page was tucked into the last bag depicting the classroom pets at the parade that was just saved!
Once all the packages were opened in a town, the back of the trading cards were placed on the game board map to fill in the missing pieces. Detective Squeaks could then use his cheese car to follow the path to the next mystery. Work your way across the entire board to find every missing pet! Some clues are revealed in the dark, some with the heat of your hand. Collect surprises like a recipe card, a mini puzzle, and more! The Mega Mystery set takes about an hour to open and is a blast to do with a group of kids!
For the full opening experience, watch the video above!
From happy purchasers:
“I have never had a toy experience like that in my life where opening is engaging and fun…”
”I can tell the craft and care yall put into the whole process of planning, creation and production - THANK YOU”
”I’m so happy I got this…please get [one] it’s so worth it and so cute and I loved it.”