History YMMV / AnimalJam

* LootDrama: Obtaining rare and coveted items in both versions of ''Animal Jam'', such as Spiked Collars, New Year's Party Hats, Headdresses, Founder Hats and more, is not easy and there is a none-too-small segment of the playerbase that will resort to less scrupulous means of getting them. [[RealMoneyTrade There have been cases of players getting banned after attempting to sell these items online for real life currency]], which is explicitly against the game's rules. Hacking and looting is also not unheard of, which Animal Jam HQ will usually not compensate the victims for unless they are a high profile player. Since the economy of the game is more or less controlled by its playerbase (which is mostly comprised of young children and teens), trying to get these items through trading or by using the My Shop feature can be frustrating, and sometimes, even downright impossible depending on the individual.

*** Pandas. Many players find them unattractive and awkward-looking in the game's art style, but others think they're cute and deserve more popularity. It doesn't help that Pandas were only paid through sapphires in ''Animal Jam Play Wild''.

*** Throughout February to September 2021, ''Animal Jam Play Wild'' added domesticated cats[[note]]Himalayan, Maine Coon, Siamese and Scottish Fold[[/note]] and dogs[[note]]German Shepherd, French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Siberian Husky and Chihuahua[[/note]] to the game in order for players to learn about rescue pets. This comes off as this as on a small side, they think they look cute on their own. However a majority of the side think they are not wild animals and they think the designs look terrible. It doesn't help that the pattern involving domesticated cats and dogs annoyed the majority of the players as they wanted to see wild animals. Thankfully the pattern broken off when tarantulas were released in October.

** Greely is the most popular Alpha, undoubtedly because of his cool design, aloof personality, and the rather mysterious role that he plays in the game's story.
** Among the playable animal avatars themselves, the arctic wolves are easily the most popular and commonly-used animals in Jamaa, to the point where they're the main reason for wanting/buying a membership to some players. But before they were introduced to the game, foxes were the main craze.

* LootDrama: Obtaining items in ''Animal Jam Classic'' such as Spiked Collars, New Year's Party Hats, Headdresses, and Founder Hats are not easy. As a result, [[RealMoneyTrade there have been cases of players getting banned from the game after attempting to sell these items online for real life currency]]. Some will even go so far as to hack other accounts and steal the items in question from them, which Animal Jam HQ will usually not compensate the victims for. Since the economy of the game is more or less controlled by its playerbase (which is mostly comprised of young children), trying to get these items through trading or by using the My Shop feature can be frustrating, and sometimes, even downright impossible depending on the individual.

* SalvagedStory: Non-members will most likely be happy knowing that as of 2018, the adventures are now for everyone (non-members included).

* UnintentionalUncannyValley: Some of the animals can come off this to some people. Granted, while this can sort of be justified due to the game's animation style, there's just something about some of the animals that look... off.
** The pandas are supposed to be cute ([[{{Moe}} and they are]]) but their abnormally large eyes, huge paws and the way they roll make them look disturbing rather than cute.
** This trope is one of the many reasons why sloths are so divisive within the fanbase. Although they're hyped up to be just as cute as the other animals in the game (if not more), similar to the panda example above, their ''huge'' eyes, the way they walk and hop make them seem like something out of a horror movie rather than a kids' game.

* UnintentionalUncannyValley: Some of the animals are this to some people. Granted, while this can sort of be justified due to the game's animation style, there's just something about some of the animals that look... off.
** The pandas are supposed to be cute ([[RidicuouslyCuteCritter and they are]]) but their abnormally large eyes, huge paws and the way they roll make them look disturbing rather than cute.

* BrokenAesop: Crystal Sands used to be a natural-looking beach with plenty of tropical plants around and the hut being the only man-made object existing. It was later redesigned to add in water slides, an aquarium, and plenty of man-made beach objects. Oh wait, isn't building man-made property in undisturbed wilderness not [[GreenAesop green]], as the game is trying to promote?

*** Pandas. Many players find them unattractive and awkward-looking in the game's art style, but others think they're cute and deserve more popularity. It doesn't help that Pandas were only payed through sapphires in ''Animal Jam Play Wild''.

* WereStillRelevantDammit:
** The abilities to publish Art-Studio-made artwork as den items (even having a "Like" feature) and host message-like "jammer boards" are most likely an attempt to give a social media vibe to the game.
** Fidget spinner as one of the clothing items for pet echidnas.
** Clydesdale horses use dabbing as part of their 'Dance' animation.

* TastesLikeDiabetes: Animal Jam is often advertised as a light-hearted, warm, and happy game to play, with [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife colorful animals]] having joyful and fun lives in the bright and radiant world of Jamaa. Even the Night of the Phantom advertisements are still cute.

* WhyFandomCantHaveNiceThings: In early March of 2022, Spiked Collars have been removed from not only Lucky Clovers and Tiki Trouble seasonal adventures, but also the ever-popular Forgotten Desert adventure in ''Animal Jam Classic'' due to the sheer amount of hackers instantly getting the Spiked Collars from hacking the treasure key on the last chest, which caused the economy to break in the first place.

* GameBreaker:
** Flying animals. All of the seasonal adventures, such as Lucky Clovers and Special Delivery, have areas in them that require the players to work together in order to progress (i.e. in the former, some clovers are found on top of hills that can't be reached unless four players stand at the base and dance to make steps appear); eagles, owls, and falcons can simply fly over blockades like these, effectively saving time. They are also the only animals that have access to The Forgotten Desert, an adventure that sometimes rewards rare and otherwise unobtainable items (top hats, spiked collars, den betas, etc.) for completing it.

** Arctic foxes, cougars, coyotes, and Clysdale horses, while there are already foxes, snow leopards, wolves, and horses
* LootDrama: Obtaining items such as rare spiked collars, party hats, headdresses, and top/founder hats is not easy. As a result, [[RealMoneyTrade there have been cases of players getting banned from the game after attempting to sell these items online for real life currency]]. Some will even go so far as to hack other accounts and loot the items in question from them, which Animal Jam HQ will usually not compensate the victims for. Since the economy of the game is more or less controlled by its playerbase (which is mostly comprised of young children), trying to get these items through trading can be frustrating, and sometimes, even downright impossible depending on the individual.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: In its early years, the game was called out and declared not for kids by parents and MoralGuardians, because of moderation not watching for [[VideoGamePerversityPotential inappropriate behavior]] (such as players attempting to simulate sex with their avatars), [[NewMediaAreEvil cyberbullying]], and con artists scamming others for rares. Fortunately, moderation has approved and this has relaxed.years.

* FanPreferredCouple: Liza/Greely and Cosmo/Peck, even though there's NoHuggingNoKissing.

*** [[HereWeGoAgain Continuing the ''Animal Jam Classic'' cycle]] with new animals as of late, cougars have gotten this reaction from some. A popular complaint from their detractors is that they're "just snow leopards with lynx heads pasted on", while other players enjoy their house cat-like design and cute actions.

*** The playable pandas. Many players find them unattractive and awkward-looking in the game's art style, but others think they're cute and deserve more popularity.

*** Sheep, ''sheep'', '''''[[RuleOfThree sheep]]'''''. Some players think they're adorable, others find them clunky, ugly, and completely unfitting in the AJ world. The fact that they're members only doesn't help.

*** Throughout February to September 2021, ''Animal Jam Play Wild'' received domesticated cats[[note]]Himalayan, Maine Coon, Siamese and Scottish Fold[[/note]] and dogs[[note]]German Shepherd, French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Siberian Husky and Chihuahua[[/note]] to the game in order for players to learn about rescue pets. This comes off as this as on a small side, they think they look cute on their own. However a majority of the side think they are not wild animals and they think the designs look terrible. It doesn't help that the pattern involving domesticated cats and dogs annoyed the majority of the players as they wanted to see wild animals. Thankfully the pattern broken off when tarantulas were released in October.

* BrokenBase: Members vs. non members. Since this is pretty common among [[AllegedlyFreeGame allegedly free]] {{Freemium}} games, this is pretty much self-explanatory.

*** Sloths. Some players think they're adorable in-game, but others find them ugly and despise the way they look. A third party thinks that they're UglyCute and loves them ''because'' of their strange appearance and [[NarmCharm narmy actions.]]
*** Pigs have also gotten this treatment, with some finding them cute, as well as praising them for being the first diamond animal that's available to non-members, while others find them unflattering.

*** [[HereWeGoAgain Continuing the cycle]] with new animals as of late, cougars have gotten this reaction from some. A popular complaint from their detractors is that they're "just snow leopards with lynx heads pasted on", while other players enjoy their house cat-like design and cute actions.

* UrbanLegendOfZelda: Urban legends in the community claimed that the bridge in Coral Canyon and the frozen lake in Mt. Shiveer can be damaged if players jump on them, and become more damaged the more players join in and jump; parts of the bridge will break off, and the ice covering the lake will break into pieces. If players stop jumping in these places, the bridge and lake will then revert to their usual intact state. There have been many claims about things that will supposedly happen if enough people jump in these locations at once, generally involving the players who jumped receiving some sort of reward. Rumors regarding the icy lake sometimes go as far as claiming that jumping on it enough can cause players to fall into the water and be transported to a secret underwater adventure. However, all of these claims are false and jumping in these locations does nothing aside from temporarily altering the area's appearance. Claims that the bridge can break completely and the ice can disappear are similarly false - even if the room is full and everyone jumps, this still does not occur.

*** This will probably go on for any new animal released since mid-2016, since they are released too frequently, thus being rushed and not special anymore.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk0PfItwIt8 "Mystical Morning"]], also known as the Diamond Shop theme, is appropriately mystical, dreamy, and calming.

** The abilities to publish Art-Studio-made artwork as den items (even having a "Like" feature) and host message-like "jammer boards" are most likely as an attempt to give a social media vibe to the game.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Greely is the most popular Alpha, undoubtedly because of his cool design, aloof personality, and the rather mysterious role that he plays in the game's story.

* GameBreaker: Flying animals. All of the seasonal adventures, such as Lucky Clovers and Special Delivery, have areas in them that require the players to work together in order to progress (i.e. in the former, some clovers are found on top of hills that can't be reached unless four players stand at the base and dance to make steps appear); eagles, owls, and falcons can simply fly over blockades like these, effectively saving time. They are also the only animals that have access to The Forgotten Desert, an adventure that sometimes rewards rare and otherwise unobtainable items (top hats, spiked collars, den betas, etc.) for completing it.

* GoodBadBugs: In March 2016, the [[TwentyBearAsses Lucky Clovers adventure]] featured a glitch where rapidly clicking on the symbol to harvest a clover could allow the player to collect 2-5 of them in one go, making the adventure much quicker and easier to complete. This only lasted for about a day or so, however, before AJHQ caught on and quickly fixed the bug.

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: Some players have criticized the fact that some premium animals and items are previous animals and items but with a PaletteSwap. An example would be the Spring animals.

* WereStillRelevantDammit: The ability to publish Art-Studio-made artwork as den items (even having a "Like" feature) and host message-like "jammer boards", most likely as an attempt to give a social media vibe to the game.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: In its early years, the game was declared not for kids by parents and MoralGuardians, because of moderation not watching for inappropriate behavior, [[NewMediaAreEvil cyberbullying]], and con artists scamming others for rares. Fortunately, this has relaxed in the recent years.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: In its early years, the game was declared not for kids by parents and MoralGuardians, because of moderation not watching for inappropriate behavior (see the GettingCrapPastTheRadar entry on the main page), [[NewMediaAreEvil cyberbullying]], and con artists scamming others for rares. Fortunately, this has relaxed in the recent years.

** PopularWithFurries: Many of the periphery demographic are furries, particular the Feral type, and animal lovers, thanks to the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin fact that the game is about animals]].

* WereStillRelevantDammit: The ability to publish art as den items (and even like them) and have "jammer boards", probably as an attempt to give a social media vibe to the game.