Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

video games

Use the GameStop Military Discount the Next Time You Go to the Mall

by Leave a Comment

GameStop Military Discount

Whenever we go to the mall, there is one store I know my boys will always want to check out, that’s GameStop, and they have a military discount too. From new and used video games, to fun characters, and t-shirts, this store has so much for the gamer kid, and well, gamer adult too.

History of GameStop

Did you know that GameStop has a connection to Barnes and Noble? Here’s how…

GameStop basically begins in 1984 when the store Babbage’s was founded. Babbage’s started selling Nintendo games in 1987 and then in 1994, the company merged with Software ETC. and created the NeoStar Retail Group.

Then, in 1999, the GameStop brand was launched in 30 stores in strip malls. They also then launched the website. That same year, Barnes and Noble bought Babbage’s Etc. This led to Barnes and Noble having control over GameStop until 2004.

GameStop acquired EB Games in 2005 which expand their operations to Australia, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. The company has acquired many others over the years including some Radio Shack locations if you are wondering what happened to those places. At one point they had MovieStop stores which sold new and used movies but that didn’t last.

And you have probably heard of the GameStop short squeeze that happened in 2021. The movie Dumb Money tells the story of what happened and it is pretty interesting!

The GameStop Military Discount

The GameStop military discount is for 10% off and is available to members of the military and law enforcement. You can use the military discount in-store, however, the following items are not eligible:

  • New video game
  • New accessories
  • New video game systems
  • New tablets
  • PC Hardware (including, but not limited to, monitors & components)
  • Televisions
  • Gift Cards
  • POSA cards/time cards & points cards
  • Downloadable content (DLC)
  • Candy & Drinks
  • Books & Magazines

While it is a bit of a bummer you can’t use the discount on new video games, you can on used video game, and they have a great selection. You can also trade in your own used video games for money or store credit. They also have used video game systems.

Show your military ID at the store, your Form DD214, or you can verify your military status through online platforms.

Using Military Discounts

Military discounts can be a fantastic way to save a bit of money. From 10-15% at a retail store, to 30% off or more on tickets to your favorite amusement parks. If you are ever unsure about if a store or location has a military discount, just ask them if they do and be understanding if the answer is no. But it’s always great to be able to save a little money.

3 Cozy Video Games to Play When You Really Need to Relax

by Leave a Comment

3 Cozy Video Games to Play When You Really Need to Relax

Somedays are just a lot. I have too much on my mind, and quite frankly, I need a break. I need to relax and do something calm and chill, and that will allow me to veg out a bit. And something I can easily do from home. For me, sometimes that is playing a cozy video game. Here are three of them I love to play when I want some downtime.

This post does contain affiliate links!

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley looks like something from the 1980s. You aren’t going to find super modern graphics with this one, but it is also one of the best games to play to help with my anxiety as well. I play on my Nintendo Switch, and I love curling up with the game, ready to work on the farm.

The storyline is that your grandpa has passed away and has left you his farm. You move in from the city and start your new life. You can have animals, which make items you can sell such as cheese, milk, and eggs. You can also garden, and sell or can your items from your crops. You can also go to the mines to well, use your pix axe to mine, or fight monsters, which honestly can be a little scary sometimes.

You start in the spring, and play 28 days in each season, with winter bringing you a snow-filled farm. You can interact with the townspeople, make friends, and even marry and have children. There is so much gameplay to be had and it is all so satisfying. You can also play with others, although I haven’t yet explored playing that way.

The best part is, the game is only $15.00!

Sims 4

I have been a fan of the Sims since it first came out in 2000. Sims 4 is the latest version and so much fun. From playing different challenges to watching your Sim family grow, it’s perfect for cozy gameplay. Sims 4 is basically a virtual doll house where you can create, or download families, starting at the infant stage. Your sims will grow to a baby, toddler, child, teenager, young adult, adult, elder, and then pass away and turn into a ghost.

You can play a single sim living it up in the big city or a mom of six trying to make it on a farm complete with a cow, chickens, and even some wild rabbits. Your sims can stay at home and garden or work their way up an astronaut or doctor career path. There are so many choices.

The Sims 4 Base Game is now free to play, but you can add to your game with packs based on all sorts of themes. My favorites are Growing Together, Cottage Living, Seasons, and Parenthood. You can see the vast collection of packs here. I like to play the Sims 4 on my MacBook Air but you can also play on a PC, Playstation, or Xbox.

Shop for Sims 4 Expansion, Game, and Stuff Packs!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing is similar to Stardew Valley in some ways. You play a cute character who has to build up a home on an island. I haven’t spent as much time playing Animal Crossing but its really so cute and you get to upgrade your home over time. You spend time making tools, making friends, shaking trees, fishing, and looking for fossils. You can also connect and play with your friends who also play Animal Crossing, visit each other’s islands, and help each other out.

Cozy video games are such a great way to unwind from a long day, work through your anxiety, and create and have fun in a virtual way.

What are your favorite cozy games?

5 Reasons Why the Sims 4 is My Favorite Video Game

by Leave a Comment

5 Reasons Why the Sims 4 is My Favorite Video Game

This post does contain affiliate links!

The year was 2000 and I loved playing the game Sim City. The goal of the game was to build your own city, run it, make enough money to do so, and keep your citizens happy. When I heard that there was going to be a game where we could play those little Sims citizens on an individual basis, I knew I had to get it and then I did.

I fell in love with the game right away. Over the years I have enjoyed the evolution and all the new gameplay that has been added.

When COVID started, I only had the Sims 4 base game. I bought Cats and Dogs on a whim and started playing the game on a regular basis. Over the months and years that have followed, I have added quite a few of the expansion packs. I think Seasons is my favorite, although there are quite a few I really enjoy playing with. Some add a lot more to the game than others.

If you are curious about the Sims 4, know that it is one of the best cozy games around. I can pull it up and dive into a variety of challenges, play with a host of different families, and truly relax and let go of the anxiety life brings. Here are 5 reasons why the Sims 4 is my favorite video game.

Shop for Sims 4 Expansion, Game, and Stuff Packs!

It’s a virtual doll house

The Sims 4 is like playing with a virtual doll house. You have your sims and can make them do whatever you want. Beyond telling them what to do, there is some game play that can create a virtual world with jobs, relationships, frustrations, and real-life experiences. You can add in your favorite celebrities, or create your own people from your imagination. It’s almost limitless.

The challenges

There are some really creative Sims 4 players out there who have created challenges for us to play, complete with rules and all. The 100 Baby Challenge, created for Sims 4 by Snarky Witch, and The Legacy Challenge by Pinstar, are my favorite and I tend to go back and forth between those two challenges, or similar ones.

Challenges allow you to have a focus and a mission of some kind while playing. This can add to gameplay and make things a bit more fun. You can also catch some of your favorite YouTubers playing these challenges too.

Watching the Sims grow

There is just something about starting a player as a baby and watching them grow through every stage. With the Sims 4, you can start a player as an infant, watch them turn into a baby, then toddler, child, teenager, young adult, adult, and elder. This is what makes the Legacy and even the 100 Baby Challenge so fun for me. I can start with a baby and then eventually play their grandchildren or great grandchildren.

Gardening

No matter what challenge I am playing, what world I have my Sims in, or what job I have them do, I will always have them garden. I love it so much, even with some of the glitches that come up with the gardens. There is such a variety of plants you can grow and with the Seasons pack you can have a lot of fun with the changing of the weather and seasons. Strawberries might be my favorite.

Different packs, different gameplay

I don’t own every pack that has come out for the Sims 4, but I own quite a few. Kits are new, and are the smallest type of pack, then Stuff Packs, Game Packs, with the Expansion Packs having the most to them. I love how each pack adds something different to your gameplay. From the Vampire pack adding vampires and spooky decor to Getting to Work which allows you to actually go to the hospital when you have a baby. If a pack comes out that doesn’t interest you, you can skip it. It’s also quite exciting when they announce a new pack with new decor, clothing, and gameplay.

You can get Sims 4 for free at EA Games!

Shop for Sims 4 Expansion, Game, and Stuff Packs!

Have you played the Sims 4? What’s your favorite pack?