The history of World of Warcraft is easy to trace when following the timeline of the expansions. The Burning Crusade was one of the peaks of WoW and the whole MMO genre, but it was The Wrath of the Lich King that made World of Warcraft the biggest and most popular MMORPG in town.
World of Warcraft: Classic is about the follow down that same road again. The continent of Northrend is set to open up in September, and players are taking advantage of in-game events like Joyous Journeys to level their characters for the new continent and its unique zones.
9 Howling Fjord (68 – 72)
There are two zones in Northrend that players can visit as early as level 68, and Howling Fjord is the one on the eastern side of the continent. That means that characters who are starting their travels in the Eastern Kingdoms will reach this zone first.
Howling Fjord is where Arthas first landed with his army, and the settlement where he made landfall, Valgarde, is still an Alliance-held city. Horde players can take a zeppelin to Vengeance Landing from Tirisfal Glades.
8 Borean Tundra (68 – 72)
Other than a few Tuskarr, the Borean Tundra is a bleak pace without much to see at first glance. It's not considered to be controlled or dominated by either faction, and the locals use the region for hunting and fishing. Look for the new fishing quest along the southern coastline.
For those that don't have their cold-weather flying yet, there's a handy turtle boat that commuters can take between this zone and Howling Fjord.
7 Dragonblight (71 – 74)
A wasteland with not much else to see except the northern lights and a few forlorn, half-ruined towers, the Great Dragonblight is home to Azul-Nerub, one of the locations that were featured in Warcraft 3.
Some things have changed in the last few years in this landscape, the most notable addition being the floating ziggurat of Naxxramus. This is still the seat of the Lich Kel'Thuzad, who watches over the winter landscape on behalf of his king.
6 Grizzly Hills (73 – 75)
That lush pine forest and fiddle music soundtrack is what made this zone a favorite among players, and resources and fishing prospects are also helpful. It's a natural path to take between Howling Fjord and Zul'Drak.
Grizzly Hills comes with some stunning landmarks, such as the massive tree trunk that serves as the home of the Grizzlemaw Furlbogs, and the bubbling rivers that flow down the hillsides.
5 Zul'Drak (74 – 77)
The Drakkari can be found throughout Northrend, but this is their original home, and it rivals the old zones like Stranglethorn Vale or The Hinterlands when it comes to troll lore and legend.
The zone is currently under attack by the Scourge, and the local trolls have sacrificed their local animal god, or Loa, to try and defeat them. It might not have been a good trade as their sanity has left with the Loa.
4 Sholazar Basin (76 – 78)
This might remind players of Un'Goro Crater in Kalimdor. It has the similar design of a tropical but dangerous paradise amid an otherwise barren landscape.
Local theories state that the Titans used this place for their experiments or left some items of power in the ground, which would explain the warmer climate. The zone is mostly neutral, with the main flight path leading both Horde and Alliance to the heart of the zone.
3 The Storm Peaks (77 – 80)
Archaeologists and historians will see more than the picturesque cliffs and misty hills when they visit this zone.
The Storm Peaks was the home of the Titans, the creators of Azeroth, and some say their secrets or even the Titans themselves are still here. Explorers can adventure into the massive complex of Ulduar and find out.
2 Crystalsong Forest (77 – 80)
One of the central zones in the continent of Northrend, this is also where players can find Dalaran, the city of mages and magic. Formerly located on the southern shore of Lordaeron Lake and hidden from view, the city is now a neutral area that welcomes characters of either faction. As a centralized sanctuary city, it functions in the same way as Shattrath does in Outland.
Other than Dalaran, there's not much going on in the Crystalsong Forest other than a few quests and some interesting landmarks that recall an earlier time. This was the site of a great battle that involved the black and blue dragonflights and a Guardian of Tirisfal, the mighty mage Aegwynn.
1 Icecrown (77 – 80)
The home of the Citadel that houses the Lich King and his minions, it's virtually impossible to explore this zone without the aid of a flying mount. This neatly restricts the region to higher-level characters.
Icecrown is home to the Argent Tournament and is one of the zones bordering Lake Wintergrap, Northrend's PvP battleground. There's an island off the northern coast called Hrothgar's Landing. This was formerly a Tuskarr village and is technically its own separate zone.
World of Warcraft Classic is available on PC.