I hope you’re having a FAB summer!  I spent the first part sick all day and all night, but thankfully, it’s pretty much over (except the occasional bouts of nausea).  Earlier this year we purchased a Nintendo Wii Entertainment System.  I’ve primarily used it with the Wii Fit to lose weight up until I got pregnant with our second baby.  However, there are soooo many fun games I’d love to get for our family.  And I’m a total Mario addict (have been ever since my parents bought me Super Mario Bros as a child).

If you have children, then you know that it can be a struggle to find things to do in the summer (particularly when we’re all concerned about the recession).  While I don’t believe children should sit playing video games all day, I do believe they can be a fun, educational form of entertainment.  Where do you go to get games?  I usually look online.  However…I was recently re-introduced to GameStop, a family-friendly source for entertainment.  The store has family-friendly games for every entertainment system imaginable and I love the fact that they offer pre-owned titles at affordable prices.

GameStop recognizes that many of us are struggling financially, so they have declared every Tuesday Night from June 23 through September 1 Family Night In.  Any family who makes a purchase on a Tuesday will receive an extra 20% trade-in credit on pre-owned games good towards the reserve or purchase of select Family Night In video game titles, coupons for $3 off any Baskin-Robbins cake purchase of $15 or more, and the opportunity to enter the Family Night In sweeps (ten families each week will be awarded a $25 gift card redeemable at a food vendor or restaurant of their choice for dinner and a Brownie a la Mode cake for dessert, courtesy of Baskin-Robbins).

We went in and purchased 30 Family Party:  30 Great Games for the Wii (with a gift card given to us by the company).  I like that up to four players can play (which is great for encouraging the entire family to play together). Some of the games include track and field and playground games.  It’s very interactive and a fun way to “compete.”  And it doesn’t only feature “physical” games but those that challenge your mind.  I may be old, but it took me just a bit to get used to using the control the way it’s supposed to be used to manipulate the character.

Overall, our experience at GameStop was favorable.  The store we visited provided us with excellent customer service by greeting us when we arrived and assisting us in choosing a family-friendly title.  Be sure to visit your local store all summer long.