// pushing_pixels

// Meet Pixel the Pug...

2006-11-10T13:01:00.000Z

Moved into our new apartment now got the basics, a bed, the internet, a sofa and a dog.

His name is Pixel (of course) his mortal enemy is leaves and he hates peoples shoes, he's total chaos but we love him all the same.

At the moment he is just 12 weeks old and cute as hell...

// Curently playing - Kingdom Hearts II

2006-10-13T23:31:00.000+01:00

Since my US Playstation 2 is sitting waiting for us to arrive in Switzerland meaning I can't play my US copy of Okami, I grabbed a copy of Kingdom Hearts II to while away the hours before the big move. I didn't expect much, not a massive fan of the original game or particularaly fond of Disney for that matter but I'm really enjoying it. Some people have complained that it takes 5 hours before you even see a Disney character but I was happily smashing heartless in the face with my big key while my sidekicks Donald and Goofy picked up the strays by the 3 1/2 hour mark.

As you would expect production values are thru the roof, I love the menus and logos that appear as you visit each new world. The games starts off in a more Final Fantasy inspired world which will confuse Disney fans, before Donald and Goofy turn up you'll do some odd jobs, take part in a fighting tournament and battle with all kinds of floaty manga style dudes with gravity defying hair.

Anyway I'm loving it so far and it's make me eager to see what Squarenix can do with Final Fantasy XII when it comes out in October.

Visit the Kingdom Hearts II website here

// PSP - Official Guidebook - illustration

2006-10-13T23:21:00.000+01:00

I have some published artwork on the cover of a free retro gaming book that comes with the latest issue of PSP - The Official Guidebook. It's a small illustration of some old retro arcade games, see it by clicking on the image below.

// moving to lugano

2006-10-13T22:54:00.000+01:00

On October 26th my wife and I will fly out to Milan then travel to Lugano in Switzerland where we plan to spend a year. My wife Debby is originally from Lugano and after 3 years dealing with London life we have decided to give Lugano life a try. We already have a place to stay you can see the view from our balcony under this post, a bit different from the view from our previous flat which normally consisted of drunk teenagers smashing up the bus stop.

// welcome to pushing pixels

2006-10-13T21:48:00.000+01:00

Pushing Pixels is the blog of London born, Switzerland based, videogame obsessed artist Gary J Lucken. Working from his Computer surrounded by Japanese toys and piles of old 2D videogames Gary produces a unique brand of colourful artwork heavily influenced by the videogames, toys and pop culture he loves so much.