What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPixels
Chris Columbus · Film · 2015
If you loved Pixels, start with Future Man (Ariel Shaffir, 2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Pixels across media.
If the retro-fueled chaos of Pixels hooked you, you will love these stories where unlikely heroes confront high-stakes threats through a gaming lens.
Books on the same thread
Ready Player One: A Novel
Ernest Cline · Book · 2017
Shares a thread with Pixels: Nostalgia.
Like Pixels, this story leans heavily into 1980s pop culture nostalgia. You will appreciate how it turns virtual gaming competition into a desperate struggle for the survival of humanity.
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
If Pixels made you root for an underdog team fighting an alien invasion, you will connect with this tale of gifted youth forced into a high-stakes military defense scenario.
The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece
Tom Hanks · Book
Explores: creative process, interconnected narratives, historical influence.
Pixels centers on the intersection of gaming and real-world stakes, and this book mirrors that meta-fictional energy by exploring how popular media influences and shapes our actual historical reality.
Series on the same thread
Dragon Ball Z
Series · 1989
Explores: Good vs Evil, Protecting Earth, Transformations.
Much like the alien invaders in Pixels, the extraterrestrial threats here require a powerful champion to defend the planet, providing the same scale of action and heroic combat you enjoyed.
Gargoyles
Series · 1994
Shares a thread with Pixels: Fish Out of Water.
The fish-out-of-water trope that defines the protagonists in Pixels is central here, as ancient protectors navigate the confusing culture and modern landscape of present-day New York City streets.
Future Man
Ariel Shaffir · Series · 2017
Shares 2 threads with Pixels: fish out of water, Sci-Fi Comedy.
This series perfectly captures the spirit of Pixels by elevating a dedicated gamer into a world-saving hero, blending sci-fi comedy with the frantic pressure of preventing a global apocalypse.
Assassination Classroom
Series · 2015
Explores: Assassination, Underdog Story, Teacher-Student Relationship.
If the misfit team dynamic in Pixels appealed to you, you will enjoy watching these underestimated students tackle an existential threat while managing a bizarre, high-pressure teacher-student relationship.
Podcasts on the same thread
PietCast
Podcast
Shares a thread with Pixels: Nostalgia.
Pixels celebrates the culture of gaming, and this podcast offers the same casual, humorous atmosphere for fans who want to immerse themselves in deep conversations about their favorite hobby.
NerdCast
Jovem Nerd · Podcast
Explores: humor, satire, current events commentary.
Just as Pixels uses satire and pop culture to entertain, this podcast provides a sharp, humorous lens on current events that will satisfy your appetite for clever cultural commentary.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary premise of Pixels?
In Pixels, video game experts are recruited by the military to defend New York. They are tasked with fighting 1980s-era video game characters that have launched an attack on the city.
Who directed the movie Pixels?
The movie Pixels was directed by Chris Columbus. It features a narrative where military officials enlist professional gamers to neutralize a threat posed by iconic 1980s video game characters.
Is Pixels based on a military conflict?
No, Pixels is not based on a real military conflict. The film depicts a fictional scenario where the military recruits video game experts to combat hostile 1980s-era video game characters attacking New York.
What type of antagonists appear in Pixels?
The antagonists in Pixels consist of 1980s-era video game characters. These characters become a physical threat to New York, forcing the military to seek assistance from video game experts to stop the invasion.