Should I Buy….Christmas Rewind! (Part 1)

Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!

The snow in Springfield is falling and friends are calling…oh wait.  Anyway, the snow is Springfield is falling and the store is full of premium items from Christmas past!  It’s like 2 of Ebeneezer’s 3 ghosts are visiting us, as we’ve got premium items of Christmas past & Christmas present in our stores.

As with Christmases past (and other events) EA has decided to make old items new again, and give players who might have missed out on something a second chance to get it.  Of course that second chance doesn’t come with out a price, as many of the returning items are premium.

Recently EA brought back several items from 2013 and 2012 for phase 1 of Christmas, Santa’s Village, Christmas Frink’s Lab, Christmas Krabappel’s Apartment, Christmas Muntz House, Christmas Volcano Lair, Clasu Co., Egg Nog Bar, Santa’s Workshop..and just added today (12/12) The Grumple and Ebenzer Burns.  Now many of you are curious if any of these items are worth your hard earned donuts, and we’ve broken a lot of these down for the previous events…however we decided it’d be great to give them another look in a Christmas Should I Buy reboot post!

So now let’s take a look and see if these items are worth YOUR donuts!

This will run a little different than our typical Should I Buy posts.  Basically I’ll give you a quick overview, some pros and cons & my opinion on it now…but I’ll also link you to the previous Should I Buy for more insight…

Let’s get started with…the Buildings Decorated for Christmas

Decorations: Decorated Frink’s Lab, Decorated Muntz House, Decorated Volcano Lair & Decorated Krabappel Apartment
Cost: 10 Donuts Each
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2012
How Did You Get it Before: Premium/Won
What Does it Do: Christmas decorations for buildings in Springfield.

Pros
-Give a festive look to these buildings, I love the volcano Lair one & the hat at Frink’s Lab.
-Inexpensive

Cons
-Just festive skins for your buildings.  No additional tasks/bonus unlocks with them
-In Christmases past they were free…or could be won.

Final Thought
Personally some of these are worth the donuts if you have them.  I own all of them, and I either purchased or won them, and I love them.  But I love Christmas, so to me the more decorations the better!  So if you’re someone not sure if you want to part with your donuts for just a “skin” for your buildings…you might want to hold off.  You’ll still get plenty of other decorations from the Elf Tunnel!

Combo: Santa’s Village/Santa Homer
Cost: 80 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2012
How Did You Get it Before: Premium
What Does it Do: Typical Skin/building Combo

Pros
-Comes with Santa Homer, another skin for Homer
-The Village will earn you $300 & 30xp every 24hours
-Many great outside tasks, including Homer Flying Santa’s Sleigh around your town (ala Arnie Pye & his helicopter)
-Reduced price!  Last year it was 200 donuts! (hey EA…can I get my 120 donuts back?!)

Cons
-No Additional Quests with it
-A Skin for Homer.  So you’ll need Homer free to use it
-No Present earning tasks
-Only Homer has 1 task with the Village & it’s not animated.

Final Thought
I own this combo.  I purchased it last year and love having the Village in my Christmas area.  I also love making Homer fly!  At the reduced rate it’s a great buy.  But it does require Homer to be used & it won’t earn you any more presents.  So if you don’t have the ability to use Homer & don’t plan on using the Village after Christmas…this may be something you want to pass on.

Post from Last Year (includes Santa Homer’s tasks)

Building: Claus Co
Cost: 90 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Wheel Prize
What Does it Do: Building for Springfield.  Earns $300, 30xp/ 12hrs.

Pros
-Pays out at a decent rate
-Awesome looking Skyscraper for Springfield
-A Wheel Prize from last year…so if you missed out now’s your chance.
-Animated ticker at the top

Cons
-Was essentially free last year
-No Character interaction with it.
-Expensive for a building

Final Thought
I own it and LOVE it!  This is easily one of my favorite buildings in Springfield…BUT I got it for free last year on the Wheel.  While I love the building, I don’t think it’s worth 90 donuts.  So, unless you’ve got excess donuts to burn…this might be one you want to pass on.

Previous Posts:
WDTCF

Building: Egg Nog Bar
Cost: 60 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Christmas Prize (2nd Prize Won)
What Does it Do: Building for Springfield.  Earns $105, 11xp/ 3hrs.

Pros
-Pays out at a decent rate
-Unique Bar for Springfield

Cons
-Was free last year
-No character interaction

Final Thought
I own it and it’s ok.  It sits in my Springfield by the strip clubs.  See if you can get my line of thinking there….
Personally, if I didn’t already get it for free…I wouldn’t pay the 60 donuts for it.  I just don’t think it’s worth it for what it is/does.  It’s also barely from the show.  It made a quick blip appearance in 1 episode and that was it.  Last year it served a purpose, it gave out coins each day for the Holiday Wheel.  This year…it just doesn’t seem worth the donut investment.

Previous Posts:
WDTCF
Prize Rundown

Building: Santa’s Workshop
Cost: 70 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Community Prize
What Does it Do: Building for Springfield.  Earns $135, 15xp/4hrs

Pros
-Looks cool in a Christmas area
-From last Christmas, so if you missed it last year (only if you didn’t play last year…since it was a community prize EVERYONE should have it that played last Christmas) now is your chance to get it

Cons
-Was free last year
-No character interaction

Final Thought
I own it and it’s ok.  It’s in my Christmas Village & looks great there….BUT if I didn’t already get it for free…I wouldn’t pay the 70 donuts for it.  I just don’t think it’s worth it for what it is/does.

Previous Posts:
Rundown/WDTCF Combo

Character: The Grumple
Cost: 120 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Premium
What Does it Do: Full character for Springfield.  Comes with a full set of tasks.

Pros
-Is a permanent Character to your town
-Comes with 5 money/XP making tasks
-Comes with a GREAT back story and quest line
-Adds to the Holiday Decorations

Cons
-A Holiday Character
-Pricey for not including a building

Final Thought
I have him & I love him.  He makes me giggle every time I see him!  Especially when he does the “Fight Homer” Task!  Finally, a character that’s returning that cost exactly the same as it did the year prior.  So there’s in inflation or free to premium issue going on.  Basically…if you want the Grumple and you think he’ll make a nice addition to your Springfield pick him up! 🙂

Previous Posts:
Should I Buy (Including Tasks)
Walkthrough

Whatever you decide on the Grumple…just remember he will be LEAVING Springfield (for purchase) in 1 week…so on 12/19.  So decide quickly! 

Character (Skin): Ebenezer Burns
Cost: 50 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Community Prize
What Does it Do: Skin for Mr. Burns.  Comes with a full set of tasks.

Pros
-Has a great outdoor animation (Money fight)
-Fairly inexpensive, compared to other returning items

Cons
-Was previously free (for EVERYONE) as a community prize.
-Skin for Mr. Burns.  So you have to have Mr. Burns free in order to use him

Final Thought
I have him & I love him.  But I’ll be honest…I haven’t used him since I got him last Christmas.  While I think his at a fair price, you might be better off spending your donuts elsewhere…unless of course you REALLY want this skin for Mr. Burns.

Previous Posts:
Community Prize Rundown

Whatever you decide on the Ebenezer Burns…just remember he will be LEAVING Springfield (for purchase) in 1 week…so on 12/19.  So decide quickly! 

Decorations: Festive Trashcan Fire
Cost: 3 Donuts
First Introduced to TSTO: Christmas 2013
How Did You Get it Before: Premium
What Does it Do: Christmas decorations for Springfield.

Final Thought
Decorations are really a personal choice.  If you like it and want to spend the donuts…go for it.  It’s only 3.  I’ve got a few in my Springfield.

Post from last year:
Should I Buy

Whatever you decide on the Trashcan Fire..just remember it’s leaving Springfield (to buy) in 11 days (so on 12/23).  So make your decision before time runs out! 

So that sums up all of the…”if you haven’t seen them, they’re new to you” premium items!

Remember…everything is marked Limited-Time.  We can only assume certain buildings will be disappearing when Phase 1 is over (on 12.24) but we don’t know for sure.  What we DO know for sure is that the Grumple and Ebenezer Burns will leave our games on 12/19 and the Festive Trashcan Fire (along with the other cash items) will leave our games on 12/23…so make your purchases before time runs out!

What do YOU think of the items?  Have you purchased any?  Have some from previous Christmas?  Any advice on what to buy for TSTO Noobs?  Sound off in the comments below, you know we LOVE hearing from you!