Contests and Spotlights
Talented? Bored? Feel like sharing your gifts with Neopia? Fortunately, you're in luck! There are a huge variety of spotlights and contests on the site that focus on lots of different areas, and the winners take home a trophy!
That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight...
Spotlights
Neopian Spotlights are a series of features that highlight a different user-customisable area of the site each week. Winners get their name in the New Features and a trophy (awarded either to the user or their pet).
Gallery Spotlight
Neopians everywhere love to collect all sorts of things in their galleries. Why not show them off in the Gallery Spotlight? Per TNT, galleries are judged based on "quality, aesthetics, originality, and content". This spotlight is awarded weekly, usually on Tuesdays. Submit Your Entry »
You are allowed to enter and win this contest more than once, but repeat wins must be unique—you will need to create an entirely new gallery with a new layout, theme, and name.
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Customisation Spotlight
This is where stylish pets get to strut their stuff. The winners of the Customisation Spotlight are chosen by both users themselves and TNT. You can enter two pets in the Neopoint category and two pets in the Neocash category per week. Prior to March 30, 2026, there was no limit to how many pets you could enter.
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
There are two categories; one for strictly Neopoint wearables only and another for outfits featuring Neocash wearables. Users simply submit their most fashion-conscious pet. This spotlight is awarded weekly, usually on Mondays. Submit Your Entry »
Contests
Neopets also features a wide range of more traditional contests, where users can show off their skills in many different areas.
Art Gallery
While not termed a contest as such, the Art Gallery takes its place with the others by virtue of its selective acceptance of exceptional Neopets-themed artwork. Often submissions will be chosen as part of a theme, for example a pet day or other Neopian holiday. Art can take many forms, whether it be traditional media or computer-crafted creations. Users submit their artwork, along with a title and a subject. This contest is updated usually twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Beauty Contest
Like the Art Gallery, the Beauty Contest accepts stunning artwork of Neopets everywhere. Unlike the Art Gallery, the winners are chosen by you, not by TNT. You may have noticed the Beauty Contest board for this purpose - so entrants can advertise their pets in the hope of attracting votes. Users submit their artwork, along with a short blurb (8 lines) about their Neopet. This contest is updated weekly on Fridays just past noon NST. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Storytelling
For those with a yearning for lore, the Storytelling contest is for you. Here, a story beginning is posted (either by TNT or a user) and other users complete the story, one part at a time. No funny business permitted here, though - the whole story must still make sense! New parts are posted daily except for weekends and holidays, with each story usually lasting two weeks. New stories almost always start on a Monday and end on the Friday of the following week. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Neopian Times
The Neopian Times is Neopets' weekly newspaper, contributed to by users and edited by TNT. Published (usually) every other Friday, users are treated to a feast of user-written articles, comics, short stories and series, as well as an editorial written by TNT about the site. Users submit their content in either written or pictorial form. As of April 10, 2026, the Poetry Contest is no longer a standalone contest, and is a section of the Neopian Times. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Caption Contest
Feel your sharp-as-a-thumbtack wit is lost on your fellow players? Why not try out the Caption Contest? Users submit their captions, then finalist captions are selected by TNT, and winners are voted on by the Neopian public. This contest currently runs monthly, with the image posted toward the start of the month and voting occurring in the last few days. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Mystery Pic
Got an eye for detail? The Mystery Pic needs you! Every Thursday, part of an image from somewhere in Neopia is posted. The hard part? It's a blown-up bunch of pixels - literally! Mystery Pics are fiendishly difficult and only a few manage to figure out the answer each week. Users submit their answer in the format specified. This contest is run weekly, usually on Thursdays. Submit Your Entry » JN Guide »
Can you enter on a side account? NO!
Gourmet Club and Book Awards
These two contests (well, three, really) are identical in aims and structure, but very different in items! The aim is to eat or read as many Gourmet Foods or books as possible to your pet. A third subcontest involves Booktastic Books only. If your pet can eat or read with the best of them, they'll reach the high score lists! Users don't need to submit anything, their pet does all the work. JN Guide (Gourmet Club) » JN Guide (Book Awards) »
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
PPL
The Petpet Protection League like to honour Petpets that have remained attached to their pets for long periods of time, through thick and thin. Every week, a different petpet is honoured through the PPL; the longest-attached Petpets win! No Petpet species/colour combo can be selected more than once (though if a pet is repainted, it can win multiple times) and zapped Petpets are ineligible for the honor. Users don't need to submit anything.
Can you enter on a side account? YES!
Defunct Spotlights and Contests
In addition to the active spotlights listed above, TNT have discontinued several older spotlights. Many were for games that simply weren't being played as often and had very low submission numbers. Here are the spotlights no longer being actively judged:
- Adventure Generator Spotlight: final round was 288 on June 6, 2009
- Better Than You: final round was 962 started January 14, 2021
- Escape from Meridell Castle Spotlight: final round was 251 on June 17, 2009
- Faerie Caves Spotlight: final round was 228 on June 13, 2009
- Hannah and the Kreludor Caves Spotlight: final round was 217 on March 5, 2015
- Hannah and the Pirate Caves Spotlight: final round was 348 on September 9, 2010
- Lenny Conundrum: final round was 502 on July 25, 2013
- Neohomes Spotlight: final round was 576 on June 5, 2015
- Neovision Contest: final round's winners were announced on February 7, 2009
- Pet Spotlight: final round was 1,235 on February 19, 2019
- Petpet Spotlight: final round was 742 on February 22, 2019
- Poetry Contest: final round was 2890 on March 23, 2026
- Random Contest: final round was 300, ending on January 8, 2021
- Site Spotlight: final round was 914 on February 19, 2015
- Tyrannian Mini Golf Spotlight: final round was 241 on June 16, 2009
- User Lookup Spotlight: final round was 1010 on February 17, 2026
Spotlights and contests come and go, but Neopian creativity lives on!
This page was written by Torratz & noileh and last updated on May 17, 2026.
