Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
As I suspected, Thanksgiving has arrived in Springfield! (rather sneaky, my splash screen changed and I don’t recall updating…)
You’ll need Homer and Marge free to kick things off, followed by 4hr currency earning task for Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Grampa, Milhouse, Martin, and Wiggum.
Yes, Black Friday is included with this.
I’ve got a thousand things going on at work this morning, so I’ll be back in a little while to break it all down for you. Until then, feel free to use this post to discuss the event...
Details below the fold…
(and yes, THOH Showoff will still be going up. I’ll have it up later today. Thought I had a few more hours before this one started..)
Here’s the quick rundown of Blargsgiving details:
First thing first…this event, and everything with it leaves games in two weeks…December 2nd.
So you’ll have to finish the prize track questline, purchase any premium items, and do any of the Black Friday options BEFORE December 2nd. Don’t let the timer run out on you!
Onto the mini-event itself…
So this mini-event is titled Blargsgiving. And the same basic concept applies. Follow a questline, do the tasks, and unlock the prizes associated with it.
The premise of the event starts when you log into Springfield, with the You Don’t Make Friends With (Fruit) Salad…
Marge: Homie, could you run to the store to pick up a few things for Thanksgiving dinner tonight?
Homer: But Marge, if I leave now, I won’t know who wins the big game!
Kent Brockman: And going into the fourth quarter, the Shelbyville Sharks lead the Springfield Atoms fifty-six to zero. I think it’s safe to say we know who will win the big game.
Marge: *sigh* I guess I’ll just go pick up the ingredients for the fruit salad myself.
Homer: Fruit salad? Never! The only fruit I’ll be eating this Thanksgiving will come in canned form. Delectable cranberry sauce. The one time of year dessert comes with the main course instead of after.
Marge: I didn’t buy any cranberry sauce this year. I told you, we’re having fruit salad.
Homer: WHAT?! No Thanksgiving dinner is gonna get served without cranberry sauce on my watch! I’m heading to the store!
Marge: I thought you said you couldn’t leave because you were watching the game?
Homer: That was before you threatened me with fruit salad. Also I don’t really care about the game. I just didn’t want to get off the couch.
This dialogue is followed by a 6s task for Homer and Marge, and they’ll you’ll roll right into the main questline….
The questline to follow for the free prizes is…Cranberry Calamity.
Prizes are as follows…
Swapper Jack’s
Time Travel Delivery Service
Jelly Monster
Giant Jelly Can
Humanity’s Hope
Always nice to see a prize track full of new prizes…and not returning items.
The turbo tappin’ post, which I’ll have up later, will show how you unlock each of these prizes. But the basic gist is…follow the questline, unlock the prizes. You guys should be pros at it by now! 🙂
The store is then full of new/returning items specifically for this event. Thanksgiving items some of you have been looking for…
New stuff
Premium:
Blarg Huts and Alien– 150 Donuts (Alien earns event currency), also comes with the Blarg Thanksgiving Table… (table earns 2.5% bonus)
Returning Stuff
I’m sure there’s likely other items I’m missing from this, but I’m on a time crunch. If you see something not listed, just do a search on this site and you’ll likely find the info for it.
Ok so that’s the basics of the mini-event itself. Now let’s talk about Black Friday.
Again, these items ALL leave the store on December 2nd.
After you’ve started the Cranberry Calamity questline, prize track, you’ll then trigger the Black Friday specials as well.
Guys, before your heads explode…THIS ISN’T A NEW CONCEPT! This is the sample Black Friday Playbook they ran in 2019. Can’t be mad at EA for trying to entice you to spend actual money in the game, since donuts basically grow on trees these days. As I’ve been saying for YEARS, expect more stuff like this. It’s a business, they have to make money. No money, no TSTO.
There’s a separate prize track available for those who PURCHASE donuts.
To unlock these prizes you MUST purchase donuts from the store. You cannot convert tokens to donuts. Donuts much be purchased from the game store…whether via cash or a gift card.
If you want these items….EA wants your cash. Donut farmers need not apply…unless they’re spending $$$
You’ll unlock prizes at…
12 Donuts Purchase – Prize is 5 Tokens
60 Donuts Purchase- Prize is Homerland Bundle
132 Donuts Purchase- Prize is 7 Tokens
300 Donuts Purchase- Prize is The Boob Tubery
450 Donuts Purchase- Price is 10 Tokens
600 Donuts Purchase- Prize is Circuit Circus
750 Donuts Purchase- Prize is 15 Tokens
900 Donuts Purchase- Prize is Catfish Lake. Catfish Lake comes with a fun visual task for Homer
IF you buy a larger package of donuts, you’ll unlock all of the prizes below that as well.
For example: if you buy a Store Full of donuts (900 donuts), you’ll fill the meter at the top of the prize track and unlock ALL of the prizes below that as well. (this applies only to this special Black Friday prize track.)
So that’s just 1 aspect of Black Friday. The cash aspect.
The second aspect of Black Friday is the return of Mystery Boxes, including the elusive Gold Mystery Box.
The Gold Box is full of special items (all returning) and can only be opened via tokens. Similar to the tokens you earn as prizes on BOTH prize tracks.
How else can you earn tokens? I’ll cover that in a minute. First, let’s talk about the boxes available for just donuts…you know the old fashioned way.
Long-time players will note, that these boxes have been around a few years for Black Friday. I need to go through them all carefully, but it’s possible a few items have been added to boxes over last year though.
Not sure if I’ll have the time to do a breakdown of each box this year, but I’ll do my best. It’s possible they’re basically the same as they’ve been in previous years. (as they usually are)
The Gold Mystery Box, which will get its own post separate from the other boxes, is available for purchase via token only…
Gold Mystery Box- 1
Tokens are available via the Black Friday Prize track and you’ll be awarded one for free at the are of the event. OR you can unlock additional tokens when you purchase donuts. Each donut option available for purchase with cash is bundled with tokens…
1 Dozen Donuts ($1.99 US) comes with 1 token
Stack of 60 Donuts ($4.99 US) comes with 2 tokens
Tray of 132 Donuts ($9.99 US) comes with 5 tokens
Truckload of 300 Donuts ($19,99 US) comes with 10 tokens
Store Full of 900 Donuts ($49.99 US) comes with 25 tokens
Boatload of 2,400 Donuts ($99.99 US) comes with 50 tokens
And remember, when you buy donuts you also unlock the prizes (including additional tokens) on the Black Friday Prize track.
What happens if you don’t want anything in the Gold Mystery Box? Or you already own all the items? What are the tokens worth then? Well you can convert your tokens to donuts…via the store.
1 token = 12 dounts. So if you buy the Boatload of donuts that’s an additional 600 donuts from the 50 tokens PLUS 444 donuts from the Black Friday Prize track (37 tokens converted).
So basically, if you don’t want any items from the Gold Box…buying a Boatload of Donuts will give you 2,400 donuts PLUS an additional 1,044 donuts from converting tokens to donuts. (3,444 total). Not to shabby…likely the option I’ll do at some point…
And that’s it guys! A very short mini-event…with a lot of freakin info to cover! Look for posts for Turbo Tappin’ and Mystery Boxes up soon.
Of course, we still have to wrap up THOH XXXI. So look for Showoff later tonight, sounds of to go up soon, and a musing post up eventually. I guarantee the first two, the musings post will come once I have the time to sit down and get it done.
So…lots of content incoming. I ask that you be patient with me as I’m essentially a 1-woman show right now, trying to knock it all out while working a full time (very busy) job and taking care of the Tiny Addicts, while my hubby works crazy hours at his job. Trying to juggle it all and keep my sanity. Some days it goes well, other days it does not…
Oh and a heads up…Thanksgiving in the US is next Thursday. I’m taking a much-needed break that day. So posts may be a little funky, and it’s possible you may not see the free prize breakdown posts until right before this event ends. We’ll see how it goes.
Thoughts on the Thanksgiving event? Black Friday deals? Donut purchases? Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!
This is my 5th year playing TSTO. I had two (2) items in the Gold Mystery Box and no other mystery boxes. I really wanted the Donut Factory when it was first introduced in 2018, but was only available if you purchased 900 donuts for $49.99. I spent my Token on the Gold Box and got Costmo. I had no idea it paid out 6 donuts every 24 hours until I saw the note under the Gold Box in my second Springfield. I really like the Lard Lad Donut Factory design, so for $1.99 I got 1 Token plus 5 more from the prize track. So, for $1.99 I got 12 donuts plus 6 Tokens of which I converted 5 Tokens back to donuts for 72 donuts in total…and a really cool building I had been wanting for 2 years. I don’t really need the donuts since I’ve been hovering around 8-10,000 for some time due to KMT farming. Maybe if I’m still playing two years from now, I can get Catfish Lake?
When I tried to get donuts/tokens no matter what amount I was told I had already purchased that item and could not do so again.
I guess EA does not want my money. 🙁
Yeah that all sounds well and good, but what happens when you try to purchase the 2400 donuts but the system won’t let you because it tells you you have already purchased the package, so you go to your account and the account shows the last time you made a purchase was the 2019 black Friday event.
Sucks that I cannot take advantage of the donuts, token or the offer… smells of false advertising by EA to me.
Try contacting EA directly.
https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/new/?product=the-simpsons-tapped-out
Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
Thank you for all the hard work you do Alissa!
Tony / Chicago USA
Please help
I can’t trigger the event
I have the latest update
Homer and marge don’t have any tasks that look relevant to trigger
Talk to EA
What are your thoughts? If I save left over purchased Gold Box Tokens will they work in future events?
I’d kept some left over previously (earned not purchased) but they didn’t work in this years gold box.
Doubtful.
Thanks Alissa
I have a situation where I want to buy 750 donuts (per the tokens track) but in the store it jumps from 300 to 900. Does anyone have some insight?
750 donuts isn’t a direct option, it’s never been. You can buy multiple bundles to hit 750 or you can buy 900
I suspected, but wanted to double-check. Thanks, Alissa.
I tried to buy 132 tray of donuts but it says “you already own this item” and won’t let me get it. 🙁
I’m so annoyed! After buying the donuts I went back to tap on the gold mystery box, which is the first box… but then they slipped in the dozen donut box and I accidentally spent my coin on that! This happened to me twice! The placement is real tricky. GRRRRRRRRR
Noticed today that CostMo Foods gave 6 donuts per 24 hours (same as Lard Lad Donut Factory). Donut factory I have from Golden box, but not sure where I got that CostMo Foods. Nice touch though, 12 donuts a day.
All this and still no NPC turkey. Son of a …
My thoughts exactly
Not sure how many items were in the black Friday mystery box. i only had 1 item which was the Costmo, so i used my free token and got that. Now there are two donut producing buildings in my town. I wonder if this means that the daily glitch (that was already giving me an extra 6 donuts daily) will double now to 12 extra free donuts. I’ll post an update tomorrow after both buildings have the free donuts waiting and see if the glitch is still present.
Hey do any of my neighbors have Catfish Lake yet? Just wanted to take a look at it before I pull the trigger on the donuts. Not sure I have enough land for it as people are saying it’s huge 😛
Did you see it, and is it huge? And apologies for the way that sounds— get your minds out of the gutters— oh wait seeing as I thought of it first I guess I’m the perv. 😉
Hey guys, I have a question: I *think* at least some of the items from the Black Friday boxes that I already own but have stored away still show up as options – does anyone know what happens if I land on those…?
Otherwise pretty happy with the event, just got the (massive!) catfish lake; gone fishing now! ☺️ 🎣 Thank you Alissa for your meticulous work as always!
I was wondering about this… unfortunately i stored half of my town before this event, including the first class lounge and i am pretty sure i had the dancing bot and chippy as well. But they r gone from my storage and i can get them again in the mystery boxes.
I dont think thats fair :/
Would you mind friending me? I’d love to see how catfish lake looks before I take the plunge (pun intended hahaha)
VICTOR_YUP
Hey there, sorry for my late reply, I had trouble logging on, but I added you now – the lake is on the far right!
what is this Homerland thingy, that you can get in the purchase prize track?
It’s Homer’s attempt at making his own theme park. It has an entrance sign, a trampoline and pile o’muck.
Oh yeah…forgot to say. Man, this site is good – can’t believe the level of detail it has and the dedication you all give. Really happy to see it still going.
Started playing this little game a good few years ago but stopped a couple of years ago. Logged on to have a look to see what was happening a few months ago and the addiction starts again :).
Not that fussed by the Thanksgiving event if I’m honest, not anything in the prizes I reallly want.
The BF part though…so much content I have missed out on! Will be contributing to EA’s profits with a donut purchase but then what to do! Unless I have missed it, I couldn’t see the Itchy character. Having managed to get Scratchy, would love to have them both in there. Guessing he’s not available which is a shame.
Lots of work to do on the town to make it “nice” but need to find the time, This is what made me stop to begin with – too many buildings/decorations and couldn’t keep up.
Itchy is in the yearbook mystery box
https://tstoaddicts.com/2019/03/13/yearbook-mystery-box/
Please re-offer some of the older characters EA!!
Still missing Bob’s parents & Miss Sinclair 🙁
I agree with you. You’re not the only one who’s missing those particular characters.
Can I keep the tokens for future events?
Not sure that they’ll carry over.
Well I NEED that damn donut factory, so off to spend some money to get chances to buy it!
How do you you get the donuts factory?
For me, it was in the Golden Mystery Box. So you will need tokens from when you buy donuts and from the Black Friday prize track which is also awarded when you buy donuts.
CostMo Foods (also in the gold box) also gives 6 donuts per 24 hours. Nice bonus, did not remember that one.
I checked on CostMo a couple of days ago.
I found a reference in Addicts from 2014
So, apparently, it was originally offered in the early days of the game
Nope it was first offered last year during black Friday (for Cash)
https://tstoaddicts.com/2019/11/22/2019-black-friday-cash-item-breakdown-vhs-village-babies-b-this-and-costmo-foods/
Not sure what you found from 2014, but it wasn’t costmo. Maybe a WDTCF that mentioned it in talking about something else…
I have been playing for years….. and as a result I usually never have any Mystery Boxes anymore. But this is the first time I actually have a Mystery Box offered to me! I love that excitement of trying to get the item I want the most.
My game has grown so much over the years, that I unintentionally farm donuts just by playing daily so I never NEED to buy donuts. But I TOTALLY 100% AGREE that every player should buy Donuts with real world cash at least once a year to support the game we all would be sad to go away due to lack of revenue.
I wait until there is a good add-on prize (character / building / decoration) and will buy $5 or $20 load of donuts at least once, if not twice, a year. I am sure my ROI must be only a few cents an hour of entertainment over a whole year. Heck how many times have I purchased a $30-$60 game on Steam only to finish it 10 hours or less and never play it again? (more times than I care to admit).
Since I need several Golden Tokens this is my time to buy $4.99 Stack of Donuts and I will have 7 tokens (2 for the donuts and 5 in the prize track) for the 7 premium items in my Golden Mystery Box, that is the best cash for items deal I have seen in a long time!
Hobbes, thank you very much for this! I’m also playing the game for years now and have literally never spent any “real” cash on it – until today. Your comment made me think about how many happy hours (in total) the game has bestowed on me, and that it is important (and in my case overdue) to reward the programmers once in a while.
So, although I was a bit annoyed to find that the price in euro is significantly higher than in $ (why???), I actually purchased the whole 900 donuts and now find myself in the middle of dozens of questlines which will definitely keep me busy during the current lockdown and probably until christmas 🙂
So, thanks again for making me aware of something I should have done long ago.
Happy tapping from germany, Martina
As Alissa frequently says, the difference in cost for those outside of the U.S. does not come from EA…it comes from the app store. That said, I’m not sure why app stores charge more for users outside of the U.S., but a pure guess would be that currency conversion costs Apple and Google money to do?
Has to do with VAT in various countries.
Oh, yeah…forgot about VAT! Thanks for clarifying that (again)!
Everyone over in the UK knows Google pay less tax than a little independent Mom+Pop Store !!
$9.99 = £7.54 right now, or just swap the $ for a £ and bank the extra $3+ !!
I quickly spent my free token. Usually I let my daughter hit the button for luck, but not this time. There were 47 items in the box, most with characters and buildings. What do I get, one of the only 2 items I didn’t want… The Radish Station and the Radiant B.S. Station (which is the one I got). Mildly bummed. Would have been happy with anything but those 2.
Thanks for your efforts, Alissa. Happy Thanksgiving.
Only Gold Mystery Boxes for me. 3 CostMo and 2 Lard Lad Donut factories (don’t need the donuts). Only one game had items other then those 2, 3 other items: Notre Dame, Tween Lit, and New Bedlam Rest Home. I am surprised the game has lasted so long. Could use some more land to separate areas of town.
Well they got me. I have wanted Catfish lake since I started playing this game. I even stated years ago on here that I would pay money for it. Here I am. I’m pretty happy.
Very happy the prize track is all new items!! I bought 12 donuts and the 1 token ( in Canadian) got the 5 free tokens from the prize track and my gold box had 6 items in it!!! Very happy about that!!! Vicki was in there. I have been waiting for her to come back around! So far I’m pretty happy with this Thanksgiving event. I know it’s the same as the last couple years but I didn’t have to spend a lot in real cash to get the stuff I wanted so it’s a win to me! Happy Day Friends and Happy Tappin!!
If I have no mystery boxes, does that mean I already have everything?
Woohoo, another event!
I’d happily spend hundreds on donuts to fill out my missing buildings, as I used to do.
But I still can’t expand my land because I have no more Free Land Tokens.
Now a new event and still no realty building or land tokens.
Argh, I truly miss decorating my town in it’s entirety.
Although I’m too busy at work to stay logged into TSTO, all relevant Characters are already working on obtaining Event Currency for Prize. I appreciate what that small dedicated Staff at EA did! 😀👍🏻
I did spend that ‘Free Token’ on the Golden Mystery Box (and obtained Groundskeeper Seamus w/Notre Dame of Springfield). I spent 60 🍩’s at the Hidden Agenda Mystery Box to grab the only Prize available for me (Moe’s Express w/the 2 Barflies). I’ve now completed School Workers & Barflies Character Collections (thanks EA!) 😀👍🏻
Yay 🍩 farming (fyi if you are having technical difficulties purchasing 🍩’s w/Gold Tokens, it’s a good idea to start with EA Help so that they can fix this).
From just a cursory glance I agree with Alissa that the items from the Silver box on down seem to be much the same as last year. For Tappers who don’t want to wait for the post, you can put Black Friday 2019 in the search box and go to Mystery Box Breakdown for links to items.
I’m only interested in the Gold Box as anything in the other boxes, I’ve already passed up before. I have 12 items in my Gold Box so I planned to get the Truckload of donuts. I’m dismayed to see that won’t earn me Catfish Lake. My Dad’s house has a big catfish pond behind it with a little wooden pier. It’s perfect, but I can’t justify spending an extra $30 just for that. Hopefully it comes back soon in another mystery box. The truckload does seem worth it. It’ll net me 9 buildings (1 that earns donuts), a Lego and a movie set, biodome, Ice cave, a satellite and what looks to be 5 characters and 3 skins. Plus my free token just got me the Summer Games director and condos. And of course, I’ll have the satisfaction of helping to keep my favorite game solvent. Happy Tapping Everyone!