Neopets 26th Birthday Celebration

[Pickles]

We've hit the time frame for Neopets birthday again.

Here's an article on over on the portal page with details.
Key takeaway section:

26th Birthday Celebration: 12 - 22 November
Neopia turns 26, and the party is in full swing! For ten days, enjoy exclusive events, rewards, and more on Neopets.com:
Birthday Treasure Map Hunt: Collect map pieces through the Wheel of Celebration, Random Events, and a new mystery game. Complete your map for a random goodie bag and a birthday-themed petpet.
Wheel of Celebration: Daily free spins with refreshed prizes, including new stamps, weapons, NC items, and a chance at retired avatars.
Exclusive Colours: 25th anniversary colours released for Techo, Grundo, Cybunny, Draik, Varwolf, and Jubjub, plus select petpets.
Gifts for All: Free 260 NC, a bonus NC item, and a special goodie bags available in the NC Mall.
Welcome Back & Loyalty Rewards:
Returning players (not logged in for over a year) are invited to return to claim a special pack containing Basic Power Negg, Bag of Healing Dust, Bag of Space Dust, and Kreludan Home Decorating (book)
Active Players (active for at least a year) get a limited-time trophies for their user lookup.
NeoPass Quest Log Updates: More valuable prizes, item rewards for NP quests, and double NP bonus for completing all quests.
Mobile App Events: Look out for special login rewards in Faerie Fragments and Tales of Dacardia.
Extra Notes for Savvy Shoppers:
NC Mall discount codes are split into two 25 NC codes (for 500 NC spends each), valid only on purchased NC and expiring in a month.
The 260 NC birthday giveaway must be claimed between November 12–22.
Don’t miss the festivities, log in daily to spin, hunt, and celebrate with the Neopets community!

This is also on the news tab on the website:

Join the fun by spinning the Wheel of Celebration every day for a chance at rare rewards. Drop by the NC Mall to check out the 26th Birthday Mystery Capsule and claim your free Celebration Goodie Bag starting on Nov 13! While you’re exploring the site, keep your eyes out for random events, you might be able to snag a few Birthday Map pieces!

And this as well:

Don’t miss our Weekly NC Mall Sales!
This month, every Friday-Sunday, 3 items will go on sale. Enjoy exclusive discounts on some of your favourite NC items — up to 50% off in the NC Mall’s, check out <Popular Items >Now!

Remember the following special things about this month:

*Buried Treasure is half off all month and free on the 15th.
*Likely, November 13-17 you can send 5 scores per flash game instead of 3 times
*Spin the Wheel of Celebration every day between the 12th and 22nd (2nd time may require watching an ad to spin)
On the 15th:
*Most likely some free NC on the main page (has been the last couple of years - but it often delays in awarding, so don't panic if it doesn't show up right away)
*Free training at Swashbuckling Academy
*Visit the New Features for the Happy Birthday! Avatar if you don't already have it.
*There will be a higher chance of good results at Coltzan's Shrine and more tickets at the Ticket Booth.
*Everyone will have the Birthday Site Theme active, increasing the chances of REs.

Keep in mind that there are usually some decent Black Friday sales at the NC Mall, so it's likely that FQFC's will be only 50NC, in case you want to spend some of the free NC on them.
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Commentary:
Whyyyyy they decided to do such an awkward amount of NC, I will never know. Someone probably thought it would be "cute" and went with it, forgetting that there's nothing worthwhile for 10NC in the mall.

First day spins:
Spin 1: 25k
Spin 2: 25k

From what I have seen, there are at least 5 retired avatars that I don't have (out of a whopping 12 retired avatars that I don't have...which that in of itself is pretty crazy that they actually picked ones that I don't actually have). But of course....2x 25k. Sigh.

MLP DID get a retired avatar....but has no idea which one because she can't view her avatars since she's under 13.

....but cannot get the ad to load so she can spin a second time. (Neither can LLP. BLP hasn't gotten done with school yet to try.)

[Blue]

Thanks Pickles! Good timing. I was about to bail on everything for the day...

Day 1 Stuff
26th wheel of celebration
spin 1 - Chicken Filets with Fancy Sauce
spin 2 - Snot Helmet
26th Birthday trophy
260 NC

cool.

[Siniri]

Spin 1: 25k
Spin 2: Tales from the Heart (a R101 book)
I got the trophy, plus the event pop-up and the page pop-up for the NC, but I can't remember how much I already had to confirm. I'm just going to assume I got it.

Where's the mystery game? I'm not seeing it...

[Pickles]

Spin 1: Defence+10 (to non-battle pet, and not even my back-up battle pet, because I forgot to switch actives first. Ah, well. Still better than 25k!)
Spin 2: Diet Big Gulp Neocola (at least it's gone back up in price since it was in Quest Log?)

Still no clue on the mystery game.

Looks like you can only complete the Birthday map once. Just be aware!

[Siniri]

Day 2:
Spin 1: 26th Birthday Party Map Piece
Spin 2: reward video not available. Will keep trying. But they're not working for any of the other wheels, nor lost in the dark. Maybe they have no sponsors right now? I hope not!

Also, my NC finally got credited.

[Blue]

Spin 1 - Onion and Mustard Pie
Spin 2 - Oooh, what a funtastic prize! You found an avatar! Yay!

But, which avatar? Hmmm... let's see... Merouladen

Cool? Interesting that the name is missing an "e" ? Oh yeah. It is mentioned on the JN site here

Birthday map...? Ah, from REs. Probably will not get any pieces.

The Free Birthday NC Mall Goodie Bag is now in the NC!