🎮 July 8 – Video Game Day: Press “Start” on a Pixelated Party! 🕹️
Hey there, fellow gamer! It’s July 8—time to celebrate Video Game Day. Whether you’re loading up retro cartridges or diving into VR worlds, this day gives us a legit excuse to embrace our controller obsession in full glory. Ready? Let’s button-mash our way through the origin, quirky fun facts, and tons of playful ways to mark the occasion!
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Just so you know, this post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click through and buy something, I might earn a tiny commission—enough to keep the lights on and maybe snag a celebratory cupcake. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, pinky promise.
🧠 Origin Story (Insert Nerd Goggles Here)
No single person or company gets sole credit for Video Game Day, but July 8 was officially dedicated to celebrating video games in 2015 by gaming communities. Think of it as the day we collectively say, “Thank you, pixels!” while wearing fuzzy headsets and sipping pixelated punch.
🎉 Fun & Quirky Facts
The first video game—Tennis for Two—was played on July 18, 1958. Close enough, right?
Over 2.7 billion gamers exist worldwide—more than half the planet!
The most expensive game ever made? Red Dead Redemption 2, racking up costs of over $500 million.
The loudest sound recorded in a video game? The police siren in GTA V, apparently loud enough to set off car alarms IRL.
The world’s largest Super Mario cake? A 1,250 lb confection shaped like Mario’s head—completed in 2014!
🥳 10 Delightfully Offbeat Ways to Celebrate Video Game Day
Retro Revival – Dig out your old NES/SNES/Genesis and relive Metroid or Sonic. Bonus points for CRT display nostalgia.
Speedrun Showdown – Challenge friends to complete your fave game in record time via Twitch or Discord.
DIY Pixel Art Party – Grab perler beads or graph paper and craft your own Mario mushrooms or Link’s shield.
Costume Quest IRL – Dress as your favorite character. Princess Zelda in the grocery store? Yes, please.
Gameathon Fundraiser – Host a marathon livestream and donate proceeds to charity between boss fights.
Create a Custom Skin – Many PC games allow mods—design your own character outfit or weapon skin.
Board Game Mash-Up – Invite friends over for Potion Explosion or Boss Monster. Tabletop gaming counts too!
Fam Jam Retro Night – Introduce grandparents or younger cousins to Tetris or Pac‑Man.
Make “Gamey” Snacks – Think Pac-Man pancakes, pixel cookies, or coin-shaped pizza bites.
Write a Tribute – Blog or tweet about your top 5 video games of all time and why they defined your gamer soul.
🎮 Video Game Day Dinner Theme: “Level Up Your Dinner” 🎮
Tonight, it’s time to power-up your plate! Think pixel-perfect comfort food with bold flavors, vibrant colors, and maybe a few geeky nods to your favorite franchises. Serve it up with side quests and extra hearts.
🍔 Main Dish: “Power-Up Burgers” with Mushroom & Swiss or Spicy Fire Flower Sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or plant-based alternative
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to season
Sliced Swiss cheese (or your fave)
Sautéed mushrooms (for the Mario mushroom power-up vibe)
Optional spicy Fire Flower Sauce: sriracha + mayo + lemon juice
Toasted buns
Lettuce, tomato, pickles (build your character)
Instructions:
Form patties and season them like a true boss fight prep. Cook in a skillet or grill to your level of doneness. Top with Swiss and mushrooms (or the fiery sauce). Assemble your burger and get ready to press “Start” on dinner.
🍟 Side Quest: Triforce Sweet Potato Fries
Cut sweet potatoes into triangles, season with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and bake until crispy. Serve in Triforce clusters because aesthetic is half the battle.
🧃 Drink: “Mana Potion” Blue Raspberry Lemonade (Mocktail or Cocktail)
Ingredients:
Blue raspberry syrup or juice
Lemonade
Sparkling water
Optional: splash of vodka or gin for adult players
Lemon slice + mint for garnish
Instructions:
Mix equal parts blue raspberry and lemonade, top with sparkling water. Pour over ice and serve in a glass flask or jar like you’re about to face the final boss.
🍫 Bonus Treat: Pixel Brownies
Cut brownies into square “pixels” and dust with powdered sugar game icons (use a stencil!). Think hearts, mushrooms, rupees—you’re the snack master now.
Set the table like a loading screen: placemats as game controllers, coasters as old-school cartridges. And don’t forget a background chiptune playlist.
Achievement Unlocked: Dinner Master 🏆
🍄 Elementary Idea: "Create-a-Character Coding Quest"
🎯 Objective: Blend storytelling, art, and early computer science by having students invent their own video game character and guide it through a simple digital quest.
🧩 Materials:
Drawing paper, crayons/markers ✏️🖍️
Blank character template (you can draw a simple body outline or use a printed one)
Access to Scratch Jr on tablets or computers
Storyboard template (3 boxes: Beginning, Middle, End)
Optional: Cardboard, glue, scissors for creating a 3D version of their character 🎨
🎮 Steps:
Character Creation Station:
Students design their own video game hero (or villain!) using the template. Encourage quirky backstories: “Captain Marshmallow is a fearless unicorn who melts enemies with kindness!” 🦄🔥Plot Their Quest:
Using the storyboard, students map out a 3-part adventure (e.g., "Captain Marshmallow escapes the Licorice Labyrinth").Mini-Coding Time:
Using Scratch Jr, students animate their character to move through a simple scene based on their storyboard.Game Trailer Share-Out:
Students present their game concept like a movie trailer to the class. Bonus XP for using voices and sound effects!
🪄 Quirky Tip:
Turn your classroom into a video game world with simple decorations (pixelated signs, “Level 1: Reading Rug,” etc.) and a reward system based on “coins” (stickers or paper tokens).
🕹️ Secondary Idea: "Retro Reboots & Game Design Challenge"
🎯 Objective: Combine critical thinking, digital literacy, and storytelling as students research classic video games and pitch a modern reboot with social impact or educational value.
🧩 Materials:
Devices with internet access
Slide deck template for pitches (or poster supplies)
Access to Google Docs or Canva for team collaboration
Handout: “Game Elements Guide” (includes mechanics, story, style)
Timer for pitch sessions
🎮 Steps:
Pick & Play (Research):
Students choose a classic video game (e.g., Pac-Man, Tetris, Legend of Zelda) and research its history, mechanics, and cultural impact.Modern Mission:
In teams, they imagine a reboot of the game with a twist—maybe it teaches climate action, supports mental health, or promotes teamwork across cultures.Pitch Development:
Teams build a pitch using the slide deck or poster format. Include:Title & tagline
Updated gameplay & characters
Purpose-driven mission or message
Mock-up visuals 🎨
Present & Playtest:
Each team presents their pitch "Shark Tank"-style. For extra fun, let classmates vote on the most creative, most helpful, and most likely-to-succeed ideas.
🪄 Quirky Tip:
Add a “Power-Up” Station with brain snacks (trail mix, fruit snacks) and theme music during work time. Bonus XP for anyone who wears a gamer tee or cosplay!
🎮 Quirky in the Workplace
"Boss Battle: Office Edition"
Reimagine the workplace hierarchy as a video game level-up system. Everyone chooses a classic game character to represent them for the day (think: Sonic in HR, Lara Croft in Legal, Donkey Kong in Data Entry).
Then, set up mini "boss battles" throughout the day:
Stapler Toss Showdown – Who can land a paper ball in the recycling bin from the farthest cubicle?
Spreadsheet Speedrun – Timed data entry with dramatic background music.
Snack Quest – Find the secret stash of snacks hidden somewhere in the office (it’s probably behind the fake plant).
🏆 Winner gets: A pixelated cardboard crown, a “+5 Productivity” potion (a.k.a. a Red Bull), and bragging rights until the next holiday.
Tagline for the day:
“Video Game Day: Because every office needs a final boss—and it might be the printer.”
🎬 Movie recommendation: Ready Player One (2018)
Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One transports us into the virtual reality realm of the OASIS, where players hunt for a legendary Easter egg with boundless creativity, action-packed quests, and tons of video game nostalgia. It’s an immersive thrill ride perfectly in tune with Video Game Day.
📺 TV show recommendation: Side Quest (Apple TV+) – episode spotlight
This anthology series, a spinoff of Mythic Quest, dives into emotional and personal stories connected to gaming. The premiere episode features an art director whose life is deeply affected by a game, exploring why people play and what it means to them.
✨ Bonus Ideas to Level Up the Fun
Indie Dev Shoutout – Spotlight and buy a game from a small indie studio.
Game Soundtrack Dance Party – Queue up music from Undertale, Final Fantasy, Animal Crossing etc.
Pixel Photography – Share quarantine pictures of your gear WFH (& declare which game windows are always open).
🏁 Final Boss Thoughts
Video Game Day isn’t just about chasing high scores—it’s a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and the surprising friendships formed online (or shouting at your roommate when they steal loot). So whether you’re a console cowboy, PC perfectionist, or mobile master—today is your day.
🕹️ Now go forth, game hard, snack hard, and press that reset button only when you’re ready to crit!
📱 Hashtags to Close the Quest
#VideoGameDay #GameOnJuly8 #PressStart #PixelParty #LevelUp 🎉
