These days, there are plenty of acronyms but true millennials will know “FF” or Falling Furni, from one of the most iconic online games of the early 2000s: Habbo Hotel. The virtual world is now back as Habbo Hotel: Origins, and it just launched this week.
90s kids, now’s a good time to scream, download the launcher, and finally take a dip in the virtual Habbo Lido pool once again.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Habbo Hotel first launched in 2005, during the era of classic computer games and websites like Miniclip, RuneScape, and Y8. It was the age of unsteady dial-up internet connection that was at risk of being cut off every time someone called the home phone line. Still, nothing could stop us from logging into the virtual and limitless world filled with players from around the globe.
We could interact with our friends, collect items, and hang in our own little virtual room that no one could tell us to tidy up.
Habbo Hotel: Origins is supposed to be a mirror to the OG game, with identical gameplay and public virtual spaces to explore. So of course, we had to check it out for ourselves.
If wisps of recollection serve right, the login page is rather different now. Here’s how you can create an account in 2024:
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
On the homepage, click on the “Check-in!” button and there’ll be a pop-up for you to download the game.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Once you’ve set up the game, click on the Habbo Hotel: Origins tab, select English, and hit the large green “ORIGINS” button.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
You’ll be greeted by the oh-so-familiar Habbo Hotel staff clad in red uniform. Follow the instructions to create your avatar and pick a name. And voila! You’re now in the nostalgic world of blocky outfits and gravity-defying hairstyles.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Stepping into Habbo Hotel in 2024 is much like visiting the school you graduated from long ago. Simply walking around brings back core memories, and I found myself recognizing random features I never knew my hippocampus retained – such as the quirky pigtail hairstyles you can choose to rock.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
The Welcome Lounge is a good place to start interacting with other users, and get used to key features of the game like the chat function and navigation.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Of course, a Habbo Hotel experience is incomplete without creating your own private room to hang with friends. There are various room configurations players can pick and choose from – without having to worry about accompanying home loans and 5-year build time…IYKYK.
Here, I also found a safe space to test if the iconic server censor that turned swear words into a hilarious “bobba” was still in operation.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Verdict: They do not censor words in this 2024 version.
Original Habbo Hotel (left) vs 2004’s Habbo Hotel: Origin (right).
Image adapted from: Mmobomb, Habbo Hotel: Origins
True to what the developers promised, the virtual rooms remained largely the same, with the Rooftop Rumble, Habbo Lido, and Sun Terrace simply a more high-resolution version of the originals.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel:Origins
Though I was running on the ticking office clock there simply had to be time for the one and only Falling Furni – essentially a virtual version of Musical Chairs. There were several rooms hosting the game, and it didn’t take long before I could join a game and aggressively click at chairs and colourful sofas. Ah, the things that used to bring us joy back in the day.
Image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
Playing Habbo Hotel: Origins was like taking a time machine back to simpler days, before the existence of highly-stimulative, fast-paced games complete with mind-blowing graphics. This geriatric millennial was very pleased to revisit the era before “WASD” navigation, with fuss-free but nevertheless fun gameplay.
For some, an elephant in the room would be the safety aspect of the game – after all, the original Habbo Hotel faced criticisms over explicit messages that players were indiscriminately sending out. It’s reassuring to know that 2024’s version has an emergency help feature with moderators that can jump in to assist if nasty messages enter your inbox.
But that being said, it’s ultimately still a game targeted towards players 18 and above. So, if you do happen to be a youngin reading this, it’ll be a good idea to wait your turn since this is a multiplayer online game at the end of the day. Even if you don’t encounter weirdos, chat conversations still tend to get a little unhinged.
For more nostalgic games:
Cover image adapted from: Habbo Hotel: Origins
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