E3 Updates – LD@E3 2019

June 12th, 2019 2:00pm

Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Sequel Announced For Switch

More images to come from the show floor!

—

June 11th, 2019 11:00am

Nintendo Direct E3 2019’s presentation focused entirely on brand new software and titles coming in 2019. No news regarding the rumored new console – so far.

Nintendo’s 2019 lineup includes Super Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Astral Chain, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age — Definitive Edition, Animal Crossing for Nintendo Switch, Daemon X Machina, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword and Shield, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

Photo’s below – from the Nintendo presentation area. Credit: R.Mohagen

More to Come! Stay tuned to this blog post, which we will update throughout the conference.

Waka Waka: Classic Video Games and Consoles Are Back!

Classic video games and retro consoles are all the rage once again — think Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Brothers. So what’s the appeal?

Gen-Xers were the first generation of kids to grow up with video games in their homes. What used to be a special trip to the arcade or pizza joint became a fun, daily habit. Now that these kids are middle aged, video games are no longer seen as just kids’ stuff; they’re just another fun way to relax, like watching Netflix or doing puzzles. (Cut to 30 years from now, and we’ll likely see game consoles in seniors’ homes!)

These ’70s kids are now running big electronic and tech companies, and they are reliving their childhoods by reviving their favourite old video games and consoles, and designing retro-style games for modern systems.

Why Classic Video Games Have Made a Comeback

1. They’re Akin to Art

You read To Kill a Mockingbird in school, right? Your parents probably did, too. Over time, quality art and media endure and are enjoyed by generation after generation. So why not video games? Many people now see a well-designed video game as a legitimate piece of art. Think of Pac-Man as the video game equivalent of The Great Gatsby.

2. They’re Easy to Play

While most popular modern games have a steep learning curve with their complicated controls and multi-layered plots, older video games are tailor-made for bite-size gaming sessions.

In modern games, you spend a lot of time just learning which button does what, scrolling through multiple functions and views, managing a huge weapons arsenal, or stopping to search through a massive inventory. In a retro game, all you really need to learn is how to go up, down, forward, backward, and jump. Maybe throw in an A or a B button if you want to get really fancy.

3. They Bring Higher Stakes

Modern gaming systems have loads of memory, so there is room for saving game checkpoints. If your character dies, you can just go back to a checkpoint and keep playing pretty much where you left off.

Retro games didn’t have that capacity for saving, so players only had a few chances to complete the game. Blow those chances and you’re forced to go back to the beginning. With higher stakes, bragging rights about levelling up are about skill and endurance, which appeals to many gamers’ competitive sides.

4. They’re Oh-So Nostalgic

Nostalgia is another strong appeal for retro video games. Sure, getting the newest, hottest game on the market is fun, but there’s nothing like re-living that feeling of being in your pyjamas on the carpet in front of the TV, eating cereal while battling a barrel-tossing gorilla. Feeling like a kid again can be worth a hundred Fortnite victory dances.

If you’re interested in picking up where you left off 30 years ago, or introducing your kids to your favourite video games, London Drugs has some great gaming options to fuel your nostalgia.

9 Fun Family Game Night Ideas

These days, when nearly everyone seems to have a smart device in their pocket, it can be tough getting the whole family to spend quality time together. But some things never change, and nothing brings families together quite like Games Night!

Happy family playing board games - London Drugs

Need some new ideas for Family Game Night?

Here are nine suggestions in three categories to get you started.

The Classics – with a twist!

Monopoly Deal: A twist on arguably the best known board game of all. Some would say a needed twist. Monopoly, after all, takes a while to play and has lots of pieces to keep track of. Monopoly Deal offers a brand new, streamlined experience. It’s fast, about 20 minutes, but delivers all the financial ups-and-downs and excitement you’d expect.

Star Wars Operation: We all know Operation, the classic game of carefully removing bones from a patient. That zzzz-zap sound still brings back memories, and now you can introduce the fun to a new generation. Star Wars Operation lets you repair Rey’s adorable companion, BB-8.

Ages: 6+ / Players: 1 or more

HedBanz – Act Out!: Charades, arguably the world’s oldest still-popular party game, dates back to at least the 1700s in France. Your whole family will love this modern twist that sees players acting like the clue cards on each other’s provided headbands. Get ready for LOLs galore, IRL! It’s perfect for birthday parties, too.

Ages: 8+ / Players: 2-6

Board Games: The Next Generation

Ticket to Ride: Released to award-winning acclaim in 2004, this game sold 4 million copies by 2014. So it has laid more than enough track by now to be considered a true modern classic. Players race to establish train routes between major transit hubs, and to connect their own tracks onward in unbroken chains. Strategy. Secrecy. Subterfuge. This game has it all.

Ages: 8+ / Players: 2-5

Pandemic: The family that saves humanity together, games together (or something like that). Released in 2007, this game is spreading virally toward legendary tabletop status. Players assume the roles of globetrotting scientists, medics, and logistics experts, working together to stop not one global pandemic…but four. Finished it? Don’t worry, expansions are available to continue the story and the fun.

Ages: 10+ / Players: 4

Dixit: Want a game to set your imagination soaring and help develop your family’s storytelling skills, look no further than this fantastic game. Designed in France in 2008, it has since won multiple international games awards, and the hearts of players around the world. Basically, players take turns creatively describing a famous story and the others try to guess it using the cards in their hands.

Ages: 8+ / Players: 4-6

Video Games…Can’t beat ’em? Join ’em

Just Dance 2018: The latest edition in a beloved series, it’s available on seven gaming systems. So if your family likes music, movement, or generally having fun: this one’s for you. It has variable difficulty settings, too. So even those with the freshest moves around can play with the rest of us. It’s also a great way to add some exercise to games night.

Rating: E10+ / System: Ps4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch, WiiU, PS3, XBox 360, Wii

Splatoon 2: The follow up to the silly-but-serious WiiU stand-out, players race to splatter turf in ink of their team’s colour. Players also don sweet, swaggy street gear and use a variety of inky weapons and marvelous moves. Families can also play together over long distances with online play.

Really, this is just one of several great family games for the Nintendo Switch, probably the best bet overall current console for family game night.

Rating: E10+ / System: Nintendo Switch

NHL 2018: Take to the ice as your favourite team (or try out life as a member of the new expansion team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights). Play locally with family, or expand your competition to online play. You might be surprised at how much Mom enjoys throwing a check.

Rating: Pending / Systems: PS4, XBox One

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids (and Parents)

We’ve got just over a month until Christmas. Time to get your shopping sorted!

Starting with last week’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Home Cook, we’re posting gift guides every week until Christmas. Each will be aimed at different groups and include gift ideas from stocking stuffers to show stoppers.

This week, our guide has gift suggestions for all the kids in your life that parents won’t mind playing with either! Whether you’re a parent yourself, or you’re buying presents for other kids and parents in your life, London Drugs has plenty of ideas and options.

Board Games are Big Again

Board games have gotten incredibly popular over the last few years. Board game cafes and bars in Calgary and Vancouver can attest to their popularity! Board games are tried and true, and (actually) fun for the whole family. They make great gifts, but choosing between the hundreds of games available can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help!

Modern board games range from serious strategy games like Ticket to Ride or Settlers of Catan to classics with a twist like NHL-OPOLY. Strategy games tend to be better for older kids, but Dixit is good for kids three and up while still being super fun. Pandemic is a cooperative game, teaching valuable lessons about collaboration while players work together to save the world. Kids and parents alike will appreciate learning new games.

Or, you can give the parents in your life some classics from their childhood to share with their own kids, like Twister or Battleship. Monopoly Deal is a great new version of an old classic that is quick to play and won’t cause any family feuds!

Tech Toys

While board games are great, video games are really the modern classic. This year’s ultimate gift is the Nintendo Switch, especially bundled with Super Mario Odyssey. The Switch can be a home gaming system, or a portable device kids can continue playing on for those long car rides.

Gift Guide for Kids - Super Mario Odyssey

Image via Nintendo.com

If the kid on your list is into computers, teach them the basics of programming with this cool programmable robot.

Gift Guide for Kids - WowWee programmable robot

Image via WowWee.com

iPads are incredibly versatile techie gifts, good for young and older kids alike. They’ve got YouTube and Netflix for watching kids shows, tons of easy-to-learn games, and they make it easier to connect with family through FaceTime. There’s nothing better for grandparents, aunts, and uncles than a video chat with excited kids on Christmas morning!

Kid Crafts

For families wanting less screen time, crafty gifts are endlessly fun. Scientifically minded kids will be into these Cool Science Experiments, ranging from invisible ink to lava lamps to hoverboards.

Those who love to draw will appreciate a fresh set of pencil crayons. Pair them with a sketchbook to make a complete drawing kit.

Colouring books are always fun and relaxing. Give them a colouring book with their favourite movie characters (be it Minions or Spider-Man) or opt for beautiful shapes or animals and let the recipient tell their own stories with colour.

Lego

As frustrating as stepping on those tiny pieces can be, Lego is a classic toy for a reason. Get fancy sets for older kids, like this Star Wars Resistance X-Wing, or go back to basics with a classic creativity set. You can make anything with Lego.

Personalized Presents

Personalized presents are great for kids—they love seeing pictures of themselves and their family! The PhotoLab can put your family photos on just about anything, but some particularly good gifts are personalized mugs, ornaments, and puzzles.

For more gift-giving advice for the kids (and parents) on your list, speak to an LD Expert today. To make a purchase, visit London Drugs in-store and online.

We’ll be back soon with a top gift guide for techies. See you then!

See all of our 2017 Holiday Gift Guides here:

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Techies

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the DIYer

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Music Lovers

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the Home Cook

XBox One X

With the launch of the anticipated new Xbox One X, there’s been a lot of talk about the benefits of this new model – but is it really worth the wait, or the price tag? Before investing in Microsoft’s latest, greatest console, be sure it’s going to meet your gaming needs instead of ending up just another expensive block in your game of console cabinet Tetris.

Graphics Processing, HDR and 4K Capability
With the Xbox One X, you get HDR and 4K capability… but you got all that with last year’s Xbox One S, and Playstation 4 Pro offers HDR and 4K upscaling as well. The One X is an upgrade compared to the One S and PS4 Pro, featuring an improved GPU and the newest hardware upgrades, but consider whether an incremental improvement here is really worth shelling out when consoles already on the market offer the great colour and contrast you get with HDR as well as the ability to upscale content to incredibly sharp 4K video imaging. You’ll see fewer dropped frames with the One X, but unless you’re fanatically dedicated to the highest imaging quality in intensive games, it may not be worth the cost at the end of the day – and remember, image quality only goes as far as the least-capable hardware in your gaming setup will let it; if you don’t have a 4K- and HDR-capable TV, simply upgrading your console won’t give you the amazing effects you’re looking for.

Virtual Reality
The Xbox One X, with its cutting-edge technology and engineering, is fully VR-capable as a console… but the actual hardware to allow immersive virtual reality gaming with the One X just isn’t there yet. Microsoft seems to be depending on outside developers coming up with VR applications for this console, and with the recent discontinuation of the Kinect interface throwing doubt on Microsoft’s commitment to furthering innovative interactive technology, there’s no guarantee that you’ll actually ever see VR games for the One X. Sony, on the other hand, already has a proven, well-received virtual reality application available for use with the PS4 in the Playstation VR, with an impressive catalogue of compatible games.

Backwards Compatibility and Exclusive Titles
The One X features great backwards compatibility, as it’s running on the same software as the Xbox One, and will be backwards compatible with over 400 previous generation titles, including all Xbox One titles. However, Microsoft hasn’t been clear on whether any exclusive releases are planned for this console – while some new titles will be optimized for use on the One X, it currently looks like all new titles will continue to be playable on the Xbox One and Xbox One S as well, meaning you don’t now, and may not ever need to upgrade to the One X to play the newest Xbox exclusives, such as future offerings from the Gears of War, Forza, and Halo franchises.

Portability and Gaming On the Go
If you’re planning on taking your gaming on the road, you may be better off with the Nintendo Switch for the ultimate in console-to-portable functionality. The Xbox One X doesn’t really add any additional options for on-the-go gaming to the existing Xbox lineup – which continues to be strikingly bare of portable options, especially given that competitors Sony and Nintendo have both offered portable options for years.

To Buy or Not to Buy?
At the end of the day, the question of whether to buy into the new Xbox One X boils down to this: Will you really benefit from the improved graphic capabilities of this console?

For the hardcore gamer intent on maintaining the highest frame-rate possible at 4K resolution, the answer may be yes. But if your priorities lie more along the lines of experiencing your games in the most immersive fashion possible, we recommend sticking with the Playstation 4 Pro for its proven VR capabilities and existing catalogue of games. If you’re more into party games, portability, and family-friendly content, you really can’t go wrong with the Nintendo Switch. And if Xbox One-exclusive titles are must-haves, but you just want to get down to business and play your games, it may be advisable to stick with the One S for now, until it’s clear whether you’ll get more than just a boost to graphics with the One X.

View Consoles and more here

October 2017 New Game Releases

October is upon us! A ton of new games are coming out in anticipation of the holiday season and there isn’t a moment to lose so let’s dive right in!

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for Nintendo 3DS

The evil Beanish witch Cackletta has stolen the voice of Princess Peah! Mario and Luigi have to go on an adventure to the Beanbeen Kingdom to get it back! In this update to the classic GameBoy Advance game you’ll get to revisit the story you love with updated graphics and audio, as well as a whole new story that follows Captain Goomba as he gathers minions and rescues Bowser!

Join Mario & Luigi on this classic adventure again on 6th October!

Pre-order your copy now!

September 2017 New Game Releases

Greetings gamers! Rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. September kicks off the back to school season, the start of the sports game season, and the lead in to the holidays. That means a whole bunch of new titles are coming up soon. Let’s take a look!

Lego Worlds for Nintendo Switch

The hit game based on the hit complex interlocking brick system is coming to the Switch! Lego Worlds lets you build in Lego in a variety of procedurally generated worlds. Each world unlocks new quests and bricks to help you get to the next world in the game. Already available on other platforms since this past spring the game will land on the Switch on September 5th.
Pre-Order your copy at LondonDrugs.com!

E3 Updates – LD@E3 2019

Waka Waka: Classic Video Games and Consoles Are Back!