PixelJunk in the Trunk: Contest Winners (Part 1)

Hey everyone,

I’m back on the blog to thank all of you who answered our call for your PixelJunk Monsters + Encore co-op stories.

We love that the PixelJunk love is spreading and bringing gamers and non-gamers together. It sounds like many of you are clearly not alone in your PixelJunk Monsters addiction, and now we’re actually debating whether or not we need to form a support group on this very blog for some of you. Sure, we know what it’s like to duke it out over which tower to place on which tree. (Typical conversation between myself and Associate Producer Matt Morton: “No, not that one…THAT one!”)

And yeah, we know what it’s like to forget to call your significant other/friend/family member when the clock is already way past 2 am. (“OK so I’m this late already…why not just play ANOTHER round and get that rainbow, right?”). Go ahead…you can blame us. We’ll just turn around and blame Dylan Cuthbert and Q-Games. Trust us…we’re been there, we’ve done that, and we’re paying the price, too. And loving it.

So all that said, we just want to say thanks for your support and your stories. We love hearing from you so keep ‘em coming.

We received dozens of stories from the PixelJunkies out there, and the following won shirts for delivering the first 5 entries:

• Russ, Illinois (pictured)
• Aaron, Tennessee
• Christian, Oregon
• Kris, Tennessee
• Trevor, California

Narrowing down the stories we wanted to share… that was the tough part. So here are our favorite PixelJunk Co-op stories (and pics!) Thanks to all of you that shared your experiences.

My name is Patrick and I’m 33 years old. My daughter, Lauren, is 3 years old. She loves watching her daddy play video games. When I played PJM, she would love to warn me what kind of monsters were coming next, and tell me to “build more arrows for the spiders, daddy!”. I completed the first edition by myself, and then had a great idea: why not let her try and help with the co-op? She can use a PS3 controller, so I thought, why not?

She has been having a blast. Her job is to “dance the towers” and “not collect anything” because that’s daddy’s job. It has been a real help, having her levelling up the important towers and building the odd arrow here and there. We have now completed the entire game (both islands) with rainbows using co-op.

Thanks PixelJunk, for making a game so wonderful and simple my 3-year old daughter can play!

-Patrick, Ohio

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When my boyfriend was applying for a new job, he kept making a comment that confused me.

“If I get this job, I’m buying a PlayStation 3. I’m doing it”.

I looked around our apartment, with it’s three computers, Wii, Nintendo DS, HDTV, and Tivo. Why would he need something else to divert his attention from me?

“But it can play Blu-Ray discs!”

As someone who still cherishes her ten year old copy of Newsies on VHS, I wasn’t impressed. But I encouraged him to get it anyway. New job, right? So the PS3 arrived so after, and along with it, Grand Theft Auto IV. Niko and I took an immediate disliking of each other.

“Baby, how is that cab driver going to feed his poor family? His children will end up thugs now.”

My developing dislike of the PS3 was inversely proportional to my boyfriend’s obsession with it. Seeing his two loves at odds, my boyfriend had the brilliant idea of introducing me to PixelJunk Monsters.

“What is it?” I was suspicious.

“Look! It’s cute! They dance! And it’s two players!”

I gave it a shot. At least we’d be playing together, right? And I fell in love. I felt mighty, like a god, protecting the adorable stupid village people who refused to stay safely in their hut. It was a spiritual thing, I think. The PS3 and I have achieved an unlikely friendship thanks to PixelJunk Monsters. Now if they would only get Newsies on Blu-Ray…

-Julia, Texas

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I have two boys, age 9 and 10. We’ve been gaming together for the last five years. We play multiplayer games on our own PCs, such as Team Fortress 2, Battle for Middle Earth, etc. We never really played console games together until I got PixelJunk Monsters.

The first time we all got together in front of the TV and played it was a magical experience. We all sat on the couch together, huddled in front of the TV, playing this amazing game. We’d pass the controllers back and forth, taking turns on alternate levels, laughing, getting frustrated, and high fiving when we finally rainbowed a new level.

It never sunk in how much the game meant until Valentine’s day.

Being newly divorced, Valentine’s Day was difficult for me. I was pretty depressed until my younger son came home from school and gave me an envelope. It was on a day when my ex was going to have the kids for the next three days.

I opened the envelope and there was a hand-made valentine inside. It said:

“Dad, I miss you and can’t wait to play PixelJunk Monsters with you on Monday. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Kyle”

-Brian, Michigan

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My wife and I are huuuuge PixelJunk fans. My wife isn’t a “gamer” but she does enjoy games like Zuma, The Sims 2, and Peggle but her all-time favorite game (she said this to me the other day) is PixelJunk Monsters! We had been planning to buy a small dog around the time of the release of PJM and one day while we were playing the name “Pixel” jumped into my mind as the name we would give our future dog. Well we got the dog and she is now named “Pixel.” We play PixelJunk Monsters religiously. In the beginning I would tell my wife where to build and what to do, but now she is the one telling me what to do! She even plays when I’m not home and has almost completed the single-player campaign by herself. Overall PixelJunk Monsters is our favorite game to play together and we will continue to play it. We will never forget this game (we have a constant reminder running around our house everyday) and we hope that you guys enjoyed our story.

-Patrick, Connecticut

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OK, that’s it for Part 1. Look for more PixelJunk pics and stories soon!

Still spreading the PixelJunk Love,

Deb Mars