Starbucks’ last pre-COVID-19 promotion was Starland. It launched before the pandemic temporarily closed stores and dramatically changed the way people interacted with the brand. For those who stuck with the contest and earned free entries every day, it was a free star bonanza. Since the contest had a set number of prizes to award, fewer entries meant a higher chance of winning.
Here we are, months into a global pandemic and Starbucks has just introduced the first post-pandemic promotion simply called “Starbucks Summer Game.” While this one does allow you to earn entries without even going to a Starbucks, the contest format is frustrating.
In short, they let you play Plinko.
Maybe you call it Pachinko but the contest focuses around releasing a ball and trying to get it to land in an instant win bucket. If your ball falls to the bottom of the playing field, you get a contest entry.
There are various bumpers, barriers and spinners that will throw your ball around the playing field. I’ve found if your ball ends up on the side of the screen, you’re done. Nothing good happens there.
As you play the game more, you’re able to unlock more of the buckets, increasing your chance of winning an instant prize (but not much). I had 12 entries upon starting and the best I did was earn 10 stars and a bunch of contest entries. Once you get enough contest entries, you start to receive double entries just for being a prolific loser.
I tried to figure out the rules of this contest but eventually gave up. It does seem that the number of prizes is directly related to the number of entries. Apparently, Starbucks learned their lesson from the Starland promo.
Despite the fact that you’ll probably lose all with your free plays, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try with your two free entries every day.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
10 comments
I won twice the first day, not a single win since. Very annoying.
I have the same poor results: 44 entries and 10 stars earned. What a disappointing and uninteresting game!
Very frustrating. Cannot figure out a good strategy to get ball in cup. Star land was much more fun!!
I’ve been playing twice a day since the game started and have not won a single thing! I thought the ball movement was random, can you change how it moves by moving your phone or something? Also, how do you get the different colored backgrounds? Mine’s been the same since day one!
A different colored background means nothing. Still the same horrible game. Read all the rules and there’s no mention of a way to “bump” the machine 🙂
I agree it is a HORRIBLE game. I have played it every single day since it started. The first play, I won 10 stars. I won 25 more for something that I can’t remember. But I have never gotten that ball in a bucket. Frankly, I believe it is impossible. There is no skill, no levels, no getting extra plays (it wouldn’t do any good anyway because even if you did get an extra play, it would yield nothing). Frankly, it is a worthless endeavor.
This was Horrible waste of time. I go to Starbucks almost everyday. Only the first play gave me 25 stars. TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. STARBUCKS YOU DID TERRIBLE! BY YOUR DEDICATED CUSTOMERS
The worst Starbucks game ever.
Did anyone figure out how to unlock those bumpers? I ended up with 75 sweepstake entries, so that shoes how much I played, and never unlocked those or had any indication of how to do so.
uh I had 112!!! I ahve played ALL there games for TEN years I HAVE NEVER WON. THIS GAME STINKJS I THINK IM DONE WITH STARBUCKS!!!!!!!!