5 Favorites for February 2024: Things to keep you smiling through winter

“5 Favorites” is a new feature here at Pixelvania Publishing. On the last Friday of every month, I’ll be posting 5 FAVORITE THINGS I’ve recently (or not-so-recently) enjoyed, in case you’re looking for something neat to experience.

When the days get windy and cold, I prefer to stay in. But you gotta keep your brain busy! Here’s 5 things that have kept my mind occupied and happy during the season of brrrrrr!

🍿 Good Night Oppy

(Movie: PG, Prime Video. IMDB)
A fascinating and strangely touching documentary about the Mars Rovers “Opportunity” (AKA “Oppy”) and “Spirit”, whose missions were only expected to last 90 days…but the ‘bots themselves lasted for YEARS. CGI by ILM mix with interviews with team members to create a mind-expanding watch.

🎮 Tiny Island

(Game: Free browser game on Itch.io)
Simple to pick up, difficult to master…and by master, I mean, “get a high score.” I recommend loading up on trees and houses. Hate sailboats.

🎮 Cursed Treasure 2 Remastered

(Game: Steam or free browser game on Kongregate) One of the most satisfying tower defense games ever made. Great sounds, graphics, gameplay, kinda funny. I…have sunk many an hour into this game.

📺 King of the Hill

(TV Series: TV-14, Hulu)
The OG. One of my all-time favorite TV shows. Like, when I talk about these characters, I talk about them as though they were my real neighbors. A great watch on Hulu. (P.S. Dale Gribble was right!)

📱 Weather Kitty

(Phone app) I’m not one for paying apps, but my hubby decided to go for it and it was some of the best money we ever spent. Cute kitties help you check the weather!! Pay for the app, and you can pick themes per season (the Halloween set was a big hoot last year!).

5 Favorites for January 2024

5 Favorites is a new feature here at Pixelvania Publishing. On the last Friday of every month, I’ll be posting 5 FAVORITE THINGS I’ve recently (or not-so-recently) enjoyed, in case you’re looking for something neat to experience.

The Proclamations of Progress will still be posted Februaries and Septembers. 🙂

With that, here’s my latest 5 Favorites!

📻 MANHATTAN SKYLINE by A-Ha

First, I saw this meme about Aphex Twin (which is another artist I like)

Which is originally from THIS meme

Which is referencing this song and it’s a TRUE BANGER!!!! I didn’t know A-HA went this hard!

🎮 TUNIC (Game: Switch, Steam, and other systems)

I ADORE this game. To give you an idea of how much I adore it, I had it for exactly two weeks in 2023 and it became my Game of the Year. GOTY. Yes.

Don’t be fooled by the isometric perspective: It’s the spiritual successor to HOLLOW KNIGHT, rewarding you for nosing around every nook and cranny, rocking your face off with an amazing chill soundtrack, exploring a world full of light and darkness…It’s absolutely terrific. I went in blind and was glad I did, so I don’t want to say much more–except I love that the game rewards you for using items…with more items! Otherwise I would just hoard bombs until the end sceen.

📖 Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst

A really magical book full of great characters, based around racing dangerous monsters, but about way more than that.  It’s the kind of book I’d love to write some day, and I’m super glad I got to read it!!! I give this MY VERY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION, if you’re an epic fantasy fan.

▶️ ONE HIT WONDERLAND: “Macarena” by Los del Rio

A twenty-five minute documentary about the Macarena. You’re welcome.

🍿 Jerry and Marge Go Large (Movie, Paramount+)

A heartwarming, feel-good movie starring Bryan Cranston, based on a true story of a retired couple who found a loophole in the lottery and helped out their town. Don’t know if you need to know much more than that!