Canada's largest video game expo is back

Round five and it's only getting better. Fresh on the heels of the fourth EGLX las??t October, Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming already has? number five set in stone.

The 2020 Enthusiast Live Gaming Expo will once again take place in downtown Toronto in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Octob??er 16 through October 18. The Destructoid robot will be partying there, and some of your favorite Destructoid editors will be partying there. If you've ever wanted to go to a Destructoid convention, this is as close as it gets. It still blows my mind seeing our robot on the front page of ??the show's official magazine.

EGLX is Canada's largest video game expo, and it just keeps growing. Last year, EGLX brought together 30,000-some attendees and 202 exhibitors. The 2020 version will see the return of the Rising Stars esports competition with a $30,000 prize pool, plenty of panels and talks (like the live interview with Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Desilets that Jordan and I hosted last year), and appearances from the Luminosity Gaming esports team. Also, like any good convention, there will? be a ton of video games to play.

Check out the gallery below if you're looking for a sample of the EGLX vibe. (Also, a Destructoid ?plushie that I couldn't resist throwing in.) If it seems like your scene, be on the loo??kout for tickets to go on sale later this year. We'd love to party with you.

_{[Disclaimer: As previously mentioned, Enthusiast Gaming is Destructoid's parent company.]}

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We almost never had Helen

In today's episode of Impulse, I'm joined once again by my good friend Sam Mui from over at Infinite Backlog to discuss what we took away from the Watch Dogs: Legion developer panel and demo that was showcased at EGLX 2019. From delving into the “play as anyone” hook of th?e game and discussing permadeath to even learning more about the open-world near-future take ??on London.

Note that trailer footage was used for the making of this video and keep in mind everything shown so far is still from an alpha build of the game. Watch Dogs: Legion will be rele??asing in 2020 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia.

The post Today on Impulse, we bre?ak down what we know so far from Watch Dogs: Legion at EGLX 2019 appeared first on Destructoid.

Also check out our badass banner!

It's always a pleasure to do a cospl??ay ?gallery, especially when it's for a show that Destructoid helped host.

That show is none other than EGLX, Canada's biggest gaming convention, which happened this past weekend over in Toronto. Not only did it host esteemed guests like the creator of Assassin's Creed Patrice Désilets, but big players in the esports and financial realms like Enthusiast Gaming ?CEO Adrian Montgomery, who served as president and CEO of Canucks Sports and Enterta?inment.

Oh yeah, cosplay! You can check out those photos in the gallery below thanks to Shana from our cosplay team. For more information on cosplaying at EGLX, as well as the famous cosplayers that have attended the show, check out this page. Not only are there ??cosplay challenges, bu??t multiple workshops as well: just in case you're thinking of going to future shows!

In other news, our banner for the show (which you can check out below, or here, full res) that was the first thing you saw walking into EGLX, ruled. See if you can spot all of the references, as well as logos for our sister sites and the Rising Stars esports competition.

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Live at EGLX

EGLX is underway in Toronto, Canada, and Destructoid managed to snag industry legend Patrice Désilets (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Assassin's Creed) away today for a Q&A panel.

He talked about what led him into the wide world of game development, where he's going with his new studio and project, Ancestors, and a few off the cuff experiences throughout his career. But after being asked if he sees himself stuck as "the Assassin's Creed guy," Désilets&nbs?p;had an incredible answer for us that no one could have predicted.

"I dunno man! Honestly, I don't know," he chuckled, before regaining his composure. "A little bit! If you're going to spend years on something I hope that happens. Breath of the Wild, wow! That was a game where you could do anything, once you finished the first half hour or so. Now, you're?? going to just climb towers and unfog the rest of the map. Sorry...it's my fault..." at which point the crowd erupted in laughter.

For reference, Désilets is the father of the Assassin's Creed series, leaving mid-way through Brotherhood (the third main entry). Although he's very proud of his creation, he knows that his history has impacted where he is today, explaining that he got meetings to found his new studio (Panache Digital Games) "because he's the Assassin's Creed guy." 

Désilets reminds us that he hasn't played an Assassin's Creed game in 10 years because "he just can't do it," but he's made peace with the whole situation and is full steam ahead with his new studio. And he's still sorry f?or ?radio towers.

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EGLX Rising Stars is an esports tournament looking to tread new ground in the industry. The tournament, focusing on Fortnite, Smash Melee, and Smash Ultimate, will focus on the next up-and-coming esports stars. Entrants will compete for a $30,000 prize pool as well as the chance to be sponsored by Luminosity Gaming, one of the worldwide leaders in esports. The Luminosity Gaming sponsorship is an unbelievable opportunity for the Rising Stars winners. It includes entry into three North American tournaments of the winner’s choice, with all flights and accommodations paid for. They’ll even get one-on-one mentorship from the attending influencer in their chosen game: Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma as a Super Smash Bros. Melee mentor, Vikkstar representing Fortnite, and Esam for Smash Ultimate!

Rising Stars also has a bonus event: Friday Night Frenzy! Grab a friend and have at it in doubles or duos at Friday Night Frenzy, which is all about playing in pairs. This is an additional, optional, and exclusive tournament for all Rising Stars compet??itors that is free of charge with small prize pools.

The idea of Rising Stars is a unique one to esports. So much attention is placed on the current powerhouses in gaming, and rightfully so! But now it’s time for the up-and-comers to be seen; it’s time for the rising stars to shine! Be sure to catch the live event at EGLX!

Disclosure: Destructoid's parent company, Enthusiast Gaming, owns EGLX and Luminosity Gaming.

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[This week, Destructoid is brought to you by Xbox. This is a sponsored post.]

Destructoid's mothership, Enthusiast Gaming, is kicking off its annual EGLX event this month. Xbox w??????????????????????????ill be showing off the latest and greatest Xbox Games Pass has to offer, and wants to know which titles you're most excited for. Vote and comment below, as legend has it that Bill Gates himself reads every comment on Destructoid!

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Party with the robot

The Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo is back for round four. Canada's biggest video game c?onvention returns to Toronto this fall. When it's this much fun, you can't just up and quit.

Enthusiast Gaming (Destructoid's parent company) is hosting EGLX again this year in downtown Toronto from October 18 through October 20. This is the closest thing there is to a Destructoid convention, tens of thousands of people all gathered together because of their love of games. Check out the sizzle reel halfway down this page for a preview of the kind of madne?ss you can expect?.

We've made some memories in the handful of past EGLX shows we've attended. There was the time Jordan and I did a live interview with the Cuphead developers in front of a packed room. There was the time we got our own branded coffee. And, because you know I'm not getting through this post without mentioning it, there's the time we went to an aquarium.

Come make memories with us. The robot will be in Toronto in late October, and we hope you'll be there too. Tickets go on? sale in the sum?mer. Let's party.

_{[Disclaimer: As previously mentioned, Enthusiast Gaming is Destructoid's parent company.]}

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Toronto doesn't disappoint

You don't necessarily flock to a video game convention expecting to see fish, but if someone makes the offhand suggestion to hit up a nearby aquarium and the pitch has time to simmer, before you know it, you're committed to spending $35 per person to see some real good fish (but not an extra $2 between ??three people to get a brochure with tantalizing fish facts). This week, a few of us at Destructoid found our way to Toronto, home of tasty food, friendly faces, decked-out gaming bars, a certain towering concrete monument that mesmerizes out-of-towners, and the Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo.

When we noticed there was an aquarium right next door to EGLX, Chris, Brett, and I knew we had to drop in before the weekend was up. When I saw it was specifically Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, I had a secret side mission: to also check out some little mum?mies and various dubious-at-best artifacts.

We saw a lotta cool animals on the excursion and you better believe I found my mummies. Video games and aquatic life? An unexpectedly great pairing. Sometimes silly ideas escalate before you fully think them through a??nd you just have to roll with 'em. With that in mind, here are Destructoid's favorite fish.

It's fis??h like these that make me anxious about haphazardly setting foot in th??e ocean.

We tend to overly assign human characteristics to objects and animals, but c'mon. Look at that face!

No one else really took? notice of this fish, but I'd go to bat for i??t any day of the week.

Thi??s outlandish fish right here is why we go to aquariums.

As soon as we saw lobsters, Brett wondered if there was a blue one. Yep, there was a blue one.

Your eyes will be drawn to the Big Boy, but do not ?neglect the Lil Guy nicely perched nearby.

I wasn't so sure we'd be able to spot an octopus. Even thi??s ?side of it was wild to see in person.

Chris said this looked like something outta Dark Souls.

The aquarium had no shortage of rays.

Som??e fish just pull off that effortless don't-eff-with-me look.

Nature's classic "you probably don't want to touch?? me" pattern.

I respect any animal that doesn't want to b??e photo??????????????????????????genic.

Check out this absolute lad.

My Nicolas Winding Refn moment.

The most ?huggable creature in the whole dang ??place.

It goes without saying, but kids sure do love these Pi?xar-popularized species.

One of the best parts of the Toronto aq?uarium was a winding tunnel that lets you fishgaze to your left, right, and even above you. The layout allowe??d for some dramatic angles and memorable moments.

Here's one example!

And another!

Meanwhi?le, the resident sea turtle ?just wanted to chill.

You can't really have an aquarium without seaho??rses.

Brett did the honors by to??uching the tingly "electric eel" simulation.

...I don't think he was amused.

The flamboyant cuttlefish is an all-time gre?at. They're surprisingly tiny, and while it was hard to capture their beauty inside a tank, they're so dang precious. I was beyond excited to see them in real life?.

This guy is decidedly on-brand for Ripley's.

This feels like a cursed image.

Spider-Octopus is my contractually-obligated loosely-rela?ted gaming tie-in for this article.

The veritable treasure you'd need to afford aquarium-themed merchandise. Bless the person who came up with the idea of always putting the exit on the other side of the shop so kids have to walk through.

Two genuine, bona-fide?, electrified ceiling mummies. The boys doubted me, but I knew th??ey existed.

_{[Disclosure: EGLX is hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.] [Additional reporting by Brett Makedonski.] [Very good idea to visit an aquarium suggested by Chris Carter.]}

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'It's about 90% done'

One Finger Death Punch garnered a lot of goodwill when it arrived back in 2013. It's currently sitting high with a 10/10 overall rating on Steam with over 10,000 reviews. If you've never played it before, think of those stick man Flash videos (?you know the ones), but highly stylized to fit into the schema of a rhythm-like fighter. It's all due to the love and care of Silver Dollar Games: ran on the backs of the Flook brothers, Jon and David.

They've low key been making games for roughly a decade now, giving a lot of love to the Xbox Live Indie scene, but for the past five years they've been branching out to pretty much every platform they can get their hands on. One Finger Death Punch 2 follow??s that same modern mantra of accessibility, but it brings a lot of Silver Dollar's history along with it.

Thanks to a tip from our own Kevin Mersereau, I learned that One Finger Death Punch 2 was being shown at EGLX this weekend. I quickly made a point to speak to the Flook brothers about how they were progressing with the sequel and what to?? expect from it. The most interesting tidbit from our informal Q&A -- it's going to have some quirky secrets.

"We have some real awesome stuff in there for our old fans. Our first game is hidden in One Finger Death Punch 2, as is our most recent canceled project," Jon Flook told me. "We don't even care if peop??le find them! It's perfectly okay," he clarified. He also hinted at more potential secrets that no one may ever ?discover.

Flook says One Finger Death Punch 2 is "pretty much 9?0% done," with a PC release date set for April. "Maybe" a month or so after that Xbox and Switch will follow, with PS4 at some point in the future. When asked a?bout specifics on the delayed timing, Flook mentioned that limited resources played a factor: "we can't get it on everything that quickly with a team of our size."

_{[Disclaimer: EGLX is ran by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX) is happening this weekend in Toronto, and is set to unleash a whole host of events throughout the weekend (Destructoid versus Escapist, eSports tournaments, panels) among special guests like Naomi Kyle, God of War gameplay director Jeet Shroff and T??oronto Maple Leaf pla??yer Mitch Marner.

EGLX has grown quite a bit in the past several years, going from a b?ar event with several hundred people to numbering in the 1000s, to the roughly 20,000 strong event this past March, to over 30,000 in downtown Toronto. As you'd expect it has all of the bells and whistles a lot of other big conventions have, like a dealer room, plenty of free play areas (both c?onsoles and PCs) and lots of talented artists.

We're also selling exclusive Mr. Destructoid branded coffee at the 8-Bit Beans booth, located as you enter the showfloor t?o the right. Look for Mr. Des??tructoid himself roaming around the showfloor, as well as myself, Jordan, Brett and Niero!

_{[Disclaimer: EGLX is ran by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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The fish on stilts nightmare might never end!

Today we're achieving what no other video game news show on the internet has achieved: the first show to ever prop up the news on stilts to combat the fear of stilts in its host! Which today, includes the following:

• Red Dead Redemption 2 is a big boy in terms of file size!
• Days Gone has been delayed!
• The VR dream could be over for Oculus!

I've already done the math on who will win at the main stage of EGLX this weekend in Toronto. I even created an incredibly accurate and scientific flowch?art to showcase my findings. But I fear displaying that on the internet, for everyone to see, was a mistake. With EGLX closer on the horizon, we've been preparing Lyle for that slippery fedora hat-wearing individual by having Lyle overcome his wor??st nightmares within the realm of virtual reality.

It's been a long process, but, discovering the nightmares contained within our yellsman has been... ??surprising. One nightmare in particular, with a fish on stilts, has been extra problematic. However, if we could harness these raw emotions of vengeance from the stilt-fish and imbue them into Lyle -- that punctuationless fool won't stand a chance and my scientific calculations will be vindicated!

Discharged question of the week: What's the worst nightmare you've ever had?

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The battle that could end video games as we know it!

That's right! T??wo men (and maybe a Sex T-Rex)! One stage! Only one survivor! As well as toda?y's video game news you need in all the right places:

• KFC Gaming is just another sign we're in the worst timeline!
• The Quiet Man still looks completely absurd!
• Gooigi could be an eldritch horror and more!

Challengers to the throne come and go all the time, and this crude??ly drawn individual will be no different! What chance does this "Yahtzee" have against our own sleep-deprived and caffeine-addicted yellsman? Well, thankfully, I've done the math! I know Yahtzee's tricks! That silly Australian upside-down fighting te??chnique won't mean a damn thing in the correct time zone!

In any other form of competition, one could argue there is a 50/50 chance of whoever winning. But, Lyle ain't normal! You've got a 25% chance at best of beating him, then you add caffeine and pop-punk to the mix, and those chances drastically go down! On the main stage at EGLX, with the potential of the Sex T-Rex getting involve??d, you've normally got a 33 1/??3% chance of winning.

Fact is, though, Lyle has a 66.7% chances of winning because the Sex T-Rex already knows he can't win against L??yle. So, Yahtzee, you can take your 33% 1/3 chance of winning, minus Lyle's 25% chance, and you've got a 8.1% chance of winning at EGLX (if you?'re lucky). But, then you take Lyle's 75% chance of winning (if this truly is one-on-one), and then add 66 and 2/3 percents chance of winning -- Lyle now has 141% and 2/3 (+tax) chance of winning!

The numbers?? don't lie Yahtzee and they spell?? disaster for you at EGLX!

Discharged Question of the week

What was your favorite crossover in video games?

The post In today’s episode of Pregame Discharge: EGLX will have the showdown of the century! appeared first on Destructoid.

Cards so tough you'll get more than just a papercut!

Back at March's EGLX show, local hero CJ Andriessen and I got to sit down with Uncaged: World Fighters, a mixed martial arts-based card game where two people use various fighting styles to attack and defend until one person is beaten into submission. CJ and I were relative strangers before that fateful day, but came away fast friends after using boxing, kung fu, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai to beat each other down using?? the game's colorful hand-drawn cards.

Creators ZeMind Games have just announced they're heading to Kickstarter to add professional wrestling and taekwondo to t??he mix for even more fighting disciplines. And man, I'm really looking forward to it.

Uncaged: World Fighters is currently a relatively small production, available online and in local shops i??n the Toronto area where the studio is located. The team wants to expand not only the roster of fighting styles with the taekwondo and pro wrestling sets, but also the production of the game by producing bigger quantities to get in stores around the world.

I got a chance to talk to Charlie Barangan, the Digital Outreach Specialist for ZeMind Games and creator of Uncaged, about what goe??s into making?? a card game as an indie studio.

D: How'd the base game do both in sales and reception, and how did that influence your decision to go to Kickstarter for this expansion set?

CB: The reception to the card game has been overwhelmingly positive, and our sales reflect that. You'd be very surprised to find out how many MMA fans are total gaming nerds and how many gaming nerds want to live a martial arts influenced life. The Venn Diagram of those two groups is closer to a single circle than you might think. It's why we keep the game going at all! Additionally, while we ??enjoyed our time on our current publisher, we really wanted to step our game up and Kickstarter was a great way to do that.

D: What kind of hustle do you guys do not only as an indie game dev, but an indie card game dev, and how do you think that's different from the journey of a video game dev?

CB: Haha, OOOH BOY. That's a doozy of?? a question. As an indie mobile studio, we're very used to the grind of coding, testing, and repairing when it comes to the games. It unto itself, is a pretty crazy experience (as anyone who makes digital titles will tell you). What we've learned from doing the card game development thing is the idea that there are no do-overs. Once a card is printed and released, THAT'S IT! No taking it back, no repairing its code; that's it, and it's out. The sense of permanence each card has is kind of a big deal, especially in the unforgiving nature of physical gaming. One wrong word can change everything. It REALLY pushes the importance of language, and while no card game has ever gone without errors, it's definitely somet?hing you try and keep to a minimum.

D: How has showing a card game at shows primarily dedicated to video games affected the development of your game, or how you present yourselves?

CB: Gamers are gamers are gamers. Let's be real. You played it, and you like games of all types! Sure, the fact that we market a tangible tabletop game at conventions largely dominated by digital titles makes us stand out *achoo* EGLX *achoo*, but it's almost always in a positive sense. We LIKE standing out. It's often pitched to gamers as, "A competitive fighting game without frame data." Novelty aside, Uncaged brings a lot to the table that its digital fighting game counterparts do as well. We have, on occasion made convention specific collectible cards, because if gamers love anything it's a solid collection, but it rarely (if at all) affects the mechanics of Uncaged: World Fighters or any of its expansions. We present ourselves as a bunch of people who really like making games, aspects of making games, and bei??ng huge nerds. That's what we are, and we'll always be true to that.

Check out Uncaged: World Fighters' Kickstarter for the new expansion sets. Going to EGLX this October? The team will be? there demoing their game and bringing new fighters into t??he mix.

Maybe if you're lucky, they'll make you a?? sweet custom card like they d?id for me. I've got a +4 to my armbar as we speak, baby.

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Live from EGLX

StudioMDHR just recently announced that Cuphead has gone triple platinum. Three million sales is no easy feat, but nothing about Cuphead is ever easy. It's always earned, and oh boy -- StudioMDHR sure earned those sales.

Earlier this year, Jordan and I went to Toronto to chat with StudioMDHR's Chad and Maja Moldenhauer. And that chat was in front of a sizable group ??of eavesdroppers. And we were talking into microphones. And then some p??eople from the crowd started asking questions.

Okay, maybe it was more of a live Q&A session than anything else -- a pretty damn fun one at that. This was part of the EGLX festivities, which is the Canadian convention our parent company hosts. We already gave you some highlights to read, but we thought some of you might enjoy the full, uncut interview.&n?bsp;

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Whoa Canada

I’m not entirely sure an early weekend in March, the weekend where daylight saving begins and we all lose an hour of sleep on Sunday, is the best time to hold a video game convention. I don’t remember a point during the five days I was in Canada where it wasn’t below freezing, my lips becoming more and more chapped with every sudden ice flurry that battered my face. It was downright dreary on the frozen streets of Mississauga, but inside the convention doors of the Intern?ational Centre, I quickly warmed myself with the genial hospitality of the Enthusiast Gaming crew and the general atmosphere of the thousands in attendance.

EGLX was my very first gaming convention. Though I’ve been writing for this site for roughly four years this week, I’ve never had the chance to go to E3 or PA?X or even Gaymer X. It was never in the cards for me, so when I was invited by Dest??ructoid to cover the show in Canada, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. A $200 passport fee and a five-hour flight later, I’d made it to a show I really didn’t have any faith in.

Destructoid was purchased by Enthusiast Gaming last year after E3 and since then I didn’t know what to expect from our new owners. Not much changed with the site, so when I found out they were putting on their own gaming convention, I honestly thought it would be some chintzy event that would leave us all embarrassed to be there. I’m a cynical guy so I didn’t expect much. I didn’t expect four massive stages for competitive gaming. I didn’t expect three days’ worth of educational panels. I didn’t even realize I was sitting on a panel until the day before. I didn’t expect to meet the developers of Cuphead or see some truly amazing cosplay or have a long conversation about games with a complete stranger while playing Halo on Xbox One.

Having never been to a gaming show I didn’t know where exactly to set the bar. A week out from the show that bar is no??w set extraordinarily high as EGLX introduced me to the gaming community in a way no other event had before.

The opening day of EGLX was relatively quiet. Walking shoulder to shoulder with the Destructoid crew -- including my new BFF Wes -- we took a look at the show floor to see what we would be dealing with. We were there for fun, sure, but also work. This wasn’t a vacation but a business trip. Though the hall of the International Centre was confined to only 100,000 square feet, Enthusiast Gaming sure crammed a ton of shit in there. Indie and student game booths, several VR setups, rows and rows of PCs for PUBG, Rocket League, and Fortnite, an entire section devoted to Hearthstone, tournaments for Smash, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Street Fighter, and more, garbage cans, tons of merchants and independent artists selling memorabilia I wish I had money for, and so much more. Nintendo of Canada set up shop in style with Switch systems playing everything from Doom to Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime. My favorite section was dedicated to classic arcade cabinets and had I?? known I wouldn’t get much of a chance to play them on the second and third days of the show, I would have spent more time with them on the first.

The layout of EGLX was a bit deceptive. The main stage faced the entrance to the convention hall and it wasn’t until my second day there, fresh off interviewing one of the developers of King of the Hat, that I realized there were three more stages dedicated to competitive gaming. As I sat and watched two players duke it out in Melee, the commentators jabbering on in their little booth just to the side of the stage, I turned my head to the ceiling and took everything?? in.

The sights, the sounds, the not-off-putting smells; this is what I’d always wished gaming was for me. Because it’s not?? just a hobby to me like it is for most of my friends, it’s a passion. I’ve been at this for 26 years. I have hundreds of games under my belt and hundreds more I still have left to beat. I’ve poured thousands of hours of my life into enjoying as much of the medium as I possibly can, so what a kick to the nards it was to realize I waited until I was 32 years old to discover how righteous gaming conventions are. What the ??hell CJ?!

And I wasn’t just there attending and meeting small developers. I was part of the show too. Sitting on the panel the first day of the show was surreal. Sure, we didn’t attract a Cuphead size crowd, but there were people who wanted to see us, to listen to what we had to say, and to hesitan??tly ask us questions only after they were goaded with free Mr. Destructoid decals. I’m the Features Editor here, sure, but I honestly didn’t feel I belonged on that stage. What do I have to offer? I’m not worthy of representing Destructoid. I’m just a dumb guy who used to write dumb jokes.

The second and third days of the show were wall-to-wall people. I held the door for competitive gamers as they trucked in their computers for competitive Counter-Strike. I waited in line for my chance to play old-school Street Fighter II. I spoke with student developers who were passionate about projects that may never see the light of day. I spoke with our Canadian overlords as they shot out ideas for making the site better than it is today. I shared an elevator with a guy from Normal Boots. Above all else, I got to meet jbsgame.community members CelicaCrazed, Flameboy84, and Singapore Sling. Shaking hands with dedicated Destructoiders actually made the whole trip worth it. Outside of meeting Steven Hansen a? few times, I’d never met anyone from Destructoid in person before, staff or otherwise. But after EGLX, I now feel closer to this family than I ever have before.

The highlight of the weekend for me came from a gentleman whose name I cannot remember. On the third day of the show, I made my way to the free play section of the show where console from throughout gaming history had been set up for anyone to play. The only system open when I got there was the Xbox One with Halo playing on it. Not long after I sat down I was joined by a young man who took up the second player controller and together we made our way through the first two levels of the game. For 45 minutes, he grilled me on my gaming history. Do I like Halo? What’s my favorite first-person shooter? Which Battlefield do I play? What other genres do I play?

I laughed about it afterward, but on the Monday after the show, as irate Air Canada passengers verbally assaulted employees due to canceled and pushed back flights, I realized my conversation with this gentleman was the highlight of the show. Because that’s what gaming should be for all of us: a shared hobby for strangers of all different backgrounds to bond over. I may never see this guy again, but for those 45 minutes, I had a better conversation about gaming than I’ve ever ha?d with any of my actual friends.

I come away from EGLX a more focused person. I look at what I do here and know it’s not eno?ugh. Though soft-spoken and impossible to not get along with, Papa Niero showed me what actual passion looks like. His dedication to Destructoid is only rivaled by Enthusiast Gaming’s dedication to making the best damn convention Canada has ever seen. I still do?n’t know what it is I offer Destructoid, but after my weekend at EGLX, I won’t stop looking until I figure it out.

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Live from EGLX

Even when it was kicking my ass and pushing me close to my breaking point, Cuphead was an absolute highlight last year. After dutifully following its development for years, the run-and-gun game lived up to sky-high expectations. It was gorgeous. It sounded fantastic. It played like a dream.

This weekend at EGLX, Brett and I had the pleasure of hosting a live interview with Cuphead co-creator Chad Moldenhauer and artist and producer Maja Moldenhauer of Studio MDHR during a panel. We wanted to learn everything we could about the making of Cuphead -- and, based on how many hands shot up during the Q&?amp;A portion, so did most of the audience. It was a packed house.

We're planning to? share the full recorded interview, but until then, here are some highlights.

One topic we touched on was Cuphead's origin, and whether the a??rt or gameplay came toge??ther first.

"I'd say the gameplay was [set] from the get-go, but the art style came secondary," said Maja. "Lots of different sketch books and different aesthetics. But we sat ?down and said if we were going to be working on this as a passion project, let's do something we love. We love cartoons from that era, and after we saw it we couldn't unsee it."

"Before we landed on that, we were scared to replicate the '30s style just due to the sheer amount of work," Chad added. "So we tried to replicate the early concept art from Final Fantasy VII, and Jared [Moldenhauer]?? had this idea where the game started in elementary school, and the game would progress as yo?u went on. We had crayons and a hand turkey that eventually evolved into the Slime Bus if you can believe that. Once we landed on the '30s look, the rest was history."

As for the timeline, Maja and Chad wanted to ??set the record straight.

"We've been talking about making a game since 2010, but we didn't actually start prototyping a run-and-gun game until 2013, [on] weekends," Chad stated. At this point, it was "part time, three to four hours a week." Things didn't really kick off until the ??end of 2014. "Our team grew to about six," Chad explained. "After E3 2015, we decided to make the leap and go all in. We hired a bunch more people, and scaled the team up to 16. M??id-2015 is when development started."

Asked about the decision to keep Si??mple Mode players from seeing all of the bosses, Chad explained that "this comes from our childhood. A lot of the good games we p??layed growing up would close off certain things."

In games like Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, "you could try six? or seven out of fourteen levels and y?ou'd get a different ending. In this style of retro game you feel like you completed something if you put in the full effort. So the choice in our minds...yes, we wanted people to earn it. It felt much better than just playing it on simple mode and saying 'oh yeah I beat it.'"

Much has been said about Cuphead's development and how the team pulled it off. It's an inspiring example, one people want to look to and learn from. Juicy headlines about the production looke??d good at first glance, but according to Maja, there's a tendency for important details to be glossed over.

"One of the things I would say and? it's a common theme I'm seeing a lot in the press reading the last year or so, people like to romance the idea that we quit our day jobs and mortgage our homes," she said. "We did those things, but there were checks and balances along the way."

"We wouldn't have done [all] that in 2014. But after E3, it grew more and more. There were these pulse checks along the way before ??we took the next steps. I would strongly discourage people from quitting their day jobs or re-mortgage in the same day. We knew exactly what we wanted and we were going to have that and make that, and nothing anyone said would di?stract us."

Chad elaborated, sharing some advice. "The things people don't see from the outside is that a good rule is [t] make a lot of small games and finish those. Cuphead looks like we started one massive game but when we started, we were doing small prototypes that we could consider separate games. So we'd finish that and see what we like and scrap it, then choose a few options to take to the next prototype. So even though we worked on one game, it looked like 10 games when we finally finished Cuphead."

"Everyone that wants to get in the game industry should play a ton of games, and it shouldn't just be the most modern or expensive games," Chad advised. "You should [also] play garbage games, so you understand what clicks and why certain ?? things work and certain things don't work."

The biggest question on everyone's mind has to be "what comes next?" We loved Cuphead from top to bottom. We want more! While Studio MDHR couldn't share anything concrete about what the next game will be like, Chad did confirm the team will need to grow. "It'll be a six-year development process if we keep it the same," he said. "We'll have to scale up but we like everyone having their hand in everything. Even for Jared and I to oversee the game it starts getting out of hand??."

"They're control freaks," Maja laughed.

_{[This interv??iew was held at EGLX, hosted by Destr?uctoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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Lots and lots of combo breakers

I'm not popular enough to have any actual friends to play board or card games, which is why something like EGLX is a great opportunity to expand one's horizons and try things they might otherwise miss out on. Uncaged: World Fighters is an experience I'm glad I got to have.

Our good pal CJ and I had ?a chance to check out this MMA-centric card game at this weekend's show. We were sat down with an introductory round to explain the mechanics and let loose, and luckily had a good enough time to complete a single game.

Uncaged works within the ebb and flow of a typical MMA match, except players take turns being on offense and defense within each round. One player uses the attack cards to set up punch and kick combos in standing stance, with additional cards providing grappling moves should the action move to the mat. The player on defense uses several defensive maneuvers and counters to try to block or d?eflect damage, and can end the opposing player's attack combo early with combo breakers (which CJ and I apparently excelled at). Each round ends after two offensive opportunities each, and the game?? is over when you finally whittle one player's health down to zero.

Moves vary in style from boxing, kung fu, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai, and each card has a cool illustration and description to help add some flavor to th??e action. The four starter hero characters have varied styles and special moves to set them apart from one another.

As someone who doesn't ??play a ton of card games, one of the most appealing features is how easy it is to get into and underst?and. In our 25-minute session, we were able to move from a guided tour of the action to forming our own basic ideas and strategies. I don't watch MMA but wrestled in high school, so the flow of the match got on well with my experience in the sport. Your mileage may vary, of course, but even someone with little knowledge of the sport should be able to understand the game after a few rounds.

Even though CJ (barely) beat me, Uncaged: World Fighters is an entertaining? and unique card game that I had a reall?y good time playing. I guess it's time to make some friends.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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The trashiest outfits on the show floor

This month will mark my fourth year writing for the main page of Destructoid. It's been an amazing ride and I've been able to have a lot of fun meeting developers and publishers from around the world to talk about a hobby we all love. But until this weekend there was one aspect of this job I'd never been able to do before. EGLX marks my first gaming convention and it's been a bit of an eye-opener. So many games, so much merch, so many diffe??rent and foreign smells.

It's great to see so much passion for this industry. From developers to fans, everyone was excited about video games and nobody put their love? of the medium on display more than cosplayers. There are so many cosplayers around the convention hall from all different game genres. I saw a Nathan Drake, a 2B, a Zero Suit Samus -- a??ll exquisitely done. So many great costumes, but hands-down the most popular character to cosplay as this year was the garbage can.

Everywhere I looked around the convention hall I saw another person cosplaying a??s a garbage can.  Big and small, there was just so much love for the refuse bin that I had to sna?p some photos to show you the sexiest garbage cans from EGLX.

This desi?gn was all over the EGLX convention floor, basically the Junko Enoshima of garbage cans. A basic design, sure, but I have to give the cosplayer props for using actual garbage for the design. Not many others had that kind of dedication to their art.

This was another popular design at EGLX as many garbage can fans wanted to show t?heir support for green causes by adding recycling and compost elements to their costume. Of all the simi??lar outfits, this went for that extra effort by actually breaking part of their headpiece as a way to stand above the competition. Bravo... bravo.

I only saw this cosplayer a couple times at the convention and always in the restroom. I have a feeling they were a bit shy about the quality of their costume, but reall??y the square design absolutely stood out in a sea of rounded tops. It's a niche garbage can for sure, but cosplaying is all about embracing the character but you have to go that extra mile to set yourself apart and that's exactly what they did.

This was one of my original favorites, but as I thou??ght about it I realized it's a bit unfair to dress as your favorite garbage can with a full cover over it. It's like they're hiding the fact they used Canada's biggest video game convention to dress up as a garbage can. Hopefully next year they'll really embrace it and remove that cover.

Cosplaying is mostly known as an adult activity, but actually, there were many kids dressing up for the event. There wasn't many garbage can kid??s at EGLX, but the ones I saw were absolutely amazing. Though I think this kid?? got some help from his parents on the design.

A lot of great garbage cans througho??ut the weekend, but clearly this was the absolute best. Simple minded people criticize cosplaying as just an excuse for hot girls to dress scantily, but really it's an art form for people of all sizes. Nobody showcases this more than the wonderful dumpster I found hanging out in the fighting game section. This cosplayer absolutely blew away the competition and is easily the best in show.

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A crushing good time

The best party games are the ones you're able to pick-up quickly. It's what makes Mario Party or Towerfall or WarioWare: Smooth Moves the go-to games for get-togethers with friends and drinking buddies. These are the types of games anyone can understand and can lead to hours of fun and competitiveness that run long into the night. In 2019, King of the Hat may join?? those titles as a must-play game for parties.

I almost missed it as I walked the floor at EGLX. With the crowds on Saturday, it was easy to overlook. But I was told I had to play it. So I made my way over and watched as a group of four laughed and battled in this extremely simple looking four-player brawler. The idea is simple: jump on your opponent's hat to kill them in a Smash Bros.-like platform stage. Your hat is your lifeblood; if it gets smashed, you're dead. You can throw your hat in different directions to avoid a smash and also to knock your opponents' hat off. Those are the b??asics of the game, combining into a complete package that greatly rewards players who take significant risks.

It took me just a minute with the game, using knock-off GameCube controllers, to figure out what I needed to do. When I finally got three others to join me, I absolutely destroyed them through the first two-out-of-five wins before they got the hang of it. There was a handful of characters to choose from in t??he demo, but I went with a sentient washing machine, that can't walk for shit, but can triple-jump and has a devastating drop. After those first two wins, the other players gave me a run for my money. That's just how easy it is to pick this game up. A few rounds later, another player and I were tied up at four wins apiece, when I managed to crush her and seal my victory.

I had such a great time with the game I had to pull the developer aside for a quick interview. Socrates Sotos -- yes, that is his real name -- is one of three members of Hyroglyphik, though they're thinking of changing their name to Visual Sandwich. Sotos, along with Chris Day and Benjamin Palevsky, started King of the Hat last year as part of a game jam.

"The idea wasn't 'We're gonna make a game about hats.' We started with a game jam,?? and the game jam was just jumping on the guy's head to win," Sotos explained. "We thought it was awesome and so genius. We played it at the jam and a lot of people were hyped about it. We came back to it a week later and thought 'This game su?cks.' But there was something to it. Any person, gamer or non-gamer, could get the concept of jumping on somebody's head."

From that concept, Sotos and his co-developers made incremental changes to the initial idea, adding more simple elements to give the game its clever depth. One of the changes they tried was to make?? the hat fall off if you run too fast but it w??as met with a poor response.

"After that, we were like 'What if you choose when your hat falls off?'" Sotos said. "That's when we thought players could throw it or use it as an attack. People liked that better, but they didn't understand why you'd want to throw your hat. We then thought yo??u should throw your hat to knock your opponent's off, so you can stomp it while also ??making sure they can't easily crush yours, and that's when we knew this was the game."

The demo at the show was limited t??o just one mode, first-to-five contest, however, the final product will have a variety of modes, roughly 20 characters, as ??well as both local and online play. The game is being made in Unity using custom physics.

Hyroglyphik, or Visual Sandwich, or whatever they're going to be called, is aiming to launch King of the Hat for?? PC and all consoles in February of next year. A closed beta is currently planned for this Fall.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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You can surf on a banana, so it's basically GOTY

I like dumb things. Nay, I love dumb things. And there's n??othing on Eart??h dumber than a game where you can surf on a banana and fight evil scientist gorillas in cardboard box suits.

I'm extremely easy to please.

Super Random Heroes is the story of a corporation that sells super powers to regular citizens like you and me. The problem is, they're kind of shitty. The player takes control of a disgruntled customer, unhappy with the company's product, who vows to give the CEO a piece of his mind. It plays out as a tower-based brawler/shooter/barfer/banana-er where each ?floor of the building serves as a different arm of the company. The build at the show featured one floor, the animal research R&D department??, where gorilla scientists and weird two-legged... things... prowl the halls trying to stomp you.

The central gameplay hook inv?olves the titular super random powers that imbue your character with hilarious, varied abilities. Booths scattered throughout each floor offer the player a main attack and main dash ability which?? can be modified further by new booths. For example, picking up the banana attack gives your player a banana boomerang (which I will forever call a bananarang) which you can throw at enemies. Giving it a spicy modifier makes the bananarang burn destructible furniture and flammable enemies. It's quite a sight.

Combining the banana power with your dash ability makes your character drop banana peels upon contact with an enemy, which will then trip anyone (including you) who walks over them. Modifying your bananadash with another banana gives you a?? giant banana t??o surf on, ala the Silver Surfer. But on a banana.

...Bananas are very, very funny to me.

Game Designer for Oddbird Studio, Cory Romphf, guided my playthrough. The game has a simple two-button setup designed to make the game not only accessible, but also perfect for Switch - which they've got in mind as development moves along. It's currently primarily being d??eveloped for PC, but Cory?? mentioned the control setup is suited for detaching the Joy-Con from the system and playing along with a bud in Co-op - another feature the team is working on for the final release of the game.

Super Random Heroes is only about six months into development, but already the premise and tone of the game is enough to draw me in. Oddbird Studio hopes to pitch the game to?? publishers at GDC.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company ??Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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Awesome presence on a bumpin' show floor

Oddbird Studio is a small, student-led indie developer based out of Toronto. Their first game, Arrow Heads, is alre??ady available on Steam, currently eyeing a PS4 and Xbox One release in the near future.

While the playable build of the game at EGLX is based off of the PC architecture, the game's technical designer, Josh Cappelli, p??rovided assurance that the console build will be a direct port of the original game. As the whole affair is designed with a controller in mind anyway, building a picture-perfect port should provide little challenge to? the team, who are excited to have a console build on the horizon.

For those not in the know, Arrow Heads is an isometric arena shooter for up to four players. Each player is a bird with a bow and arrow intent on shooting the other brightly colored birds in the arena. Different arrow types drop in set locations as power-ups, and each level has its own environmental hazards to deal with as the deathmatch ensues. Also included is an arcade mode, where players team up against waves of extremely cute bears who really, really hate the players. It's all cute and vio??lent, and has a really cool vibe as a result.

What really catches my attention is the control scheme. The game controls comparably to classic twin-stick where the left stick controls movement and the right stick shoots, but in order?? to fire an arrow the player has to release the stick, simulating the drawing and pulling of a bow. It takes a bit of time to get used to the controls at first, you point in the direction in which you want to fire and release (so kind of the opposite of an actual bow where you'd pull backward), but once it clicks it's an enjoyable romp.

Currently only the Arena mode (PvP) is eligible for online play across both PC and the inevitable cons??????????????????????????ole releases, but the team is open to working on online components for the PvE Arcade mode if the community clamors for it. I guess it's time to start clamoring!

In addition to the playable PC build, the team also had on display a really colorful and attention-grabbing arcade cabinet of the game. While it's currently just a working prototype, Oddbird hopes to one day be ?able to work the build into a full-fledged release that will be playable at your local arcade (if you're lucky enough to have one nearby).

The setup does its best to emulate a typical controller in that there are two joysticks, with the left controlling movement and the right aiming your shot - the difference here being there's a button on the right stick to fire your shot, as opposed to letting it flick back into place. Two button??s on the left stick handle the jump and dash functions, usually mapped to the shoulder buttons on a pad, giving ?you more or less the same controls as the PC build.

There's both really good and really bad elements to this setup. The really good par?t is it's an absolute blast to play once you've got a handle on it. I spent about twenty minutes at the sticks firing at other players and cute bear enemies before I realized that I had other stuff to do. The caveat to this is that it takes about that long to truly get comfortable and competent with the controls. This was great for me, since play was unlocked and I had the time to learn it, but could be a problem for someone in an arcade setting as several dollars' worth of quarters can go into it before you even have a grasp on the controls.

That said, it's super addictive once you get it down and would be a perfect addition to any arcade setup. If the arcade port doesn't work out, it's at least something the studio would like to consider in the future, in an eff??ort to bring unique and exciting new experiences to the current arcade market.

Oddbird Studio is hoping to launch Arrow Heads on PS4 and Xbox One sometime this summer.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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Check some out below

In case you haven't heard, we're hosting a convention this weekend with our parent company, Enthusiast Gaming!

It's been a pretty great weekend so far and the turnout today was massive, which means a lot of cosplayers are out and about doing their thing. Get a look at some of the most impressive cosplayers in the gallery below, and if you're here, attend one of the many meet and greets the con is hosting throughout the weekend.

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Hands-on at EGLX

The cornucopia of games making up the show floor of EGLX is a mix of old and new, with arcade classic rubbing shoulders with the indie hits of tomorrow. There are a lot of inventive ideas here, but what I'm looking for are games I can play with my family and friends right on the couch. And when I get bored of beating them at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I may have to boot up Fossil Hunters.

From developer Reptoid Games, Fossil Hunters is a co-op action title that's all about assembling dinosaur bones for big profits?. Up to four players can work together to unearth fossils, combine them into crazy skeletons, cash them in for money, and more. Each stage is presented as another f?loor in a massive cavern. The action is easy to pick up with contextual buttons. A single button chips away at the rock and sand to reveal the fossil then wipes the bones clean which helps bring in those bigger cash rewards. When a fossil is clean, all I need to do is put it in the correct position and link it up with other fossils.

While there is a specific fo??ssil shape I have to complete on each stage to advance, it's up to the players to decide what the other assembled skeletons look like. So long as they're complete with no open joints, we can sell them for cash. The more elaborate and clean the subject, the more the game makes it rain with those sweet ass gold coins.

On the EGLX show floor, I had a chance to try Fossil Hunters with a variety of people. Young or old, what I learned is it's easy to pick up. Just seeing it in action is enough to tell you what you have to do in it. With four people it's an absolute blast. In a few of the more memorable moments, the lot of us got ??careless and chipped away at too much of the rock and sand trigge??ring an avalanche that destroyed part of our skeleton-in-progress. We just had to dust ourselves off and start looking again for the randomly generating pieces.

There are a lot of fun moments like that to have, but Fossil Hunters is also a very casual title. Perhaps too casual. There's no time limit though I was told the longer you took the more often cave-ins would trigger. I didn't see that in action, b??ut I will say it is incredibly easy to just assemble the blueprinted skeleton on each level to breeze through the game. There are quests players can take, but it never really adds a sense of urgency that could elevate the game beyond ??a laid-back experience. Not that it necessarily has to be, but I'm sure my friends and I would stick around long enough to complete the more than 30 levels. I can play the game by myself, but it loses something when going through it alone.

Fossil Hunters is available now on Steam for PC and Mac. The build I played at EGLX was running on the N??vidia Shield, giving attendees an idea of how the game will run on Switch, PS4, and Xbox ??One later this year.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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Cute 'n slash

I feel like we take four player co-op games for granted. I know there's a lot to choose from at this point, and there are still plenty in the pipeline, but there's something about a good old fashioned local joint that allows true drop-in, drop-out co-op that gets to me?.

Riverbond from developer Cococucumber, which I ??had a chance to play at EGLX this weekend, seems to be one of thos??e very experiences.

Riverbond doesn't try to overreach -- it aims for a wholesome, arcade hack and slash feel. Up to four players can command various cute creatures, from banana-men to various cameo-laden characters like Juan from Guacamelee, and have at it in a series of linear dungeons.

There's a dodge button, supers (the demo had a giant area-of-effect slam ability), a melee attack, and a twin-stick controlled gun. That's pretty much all you need to wreck shop, and given that the ammo for ranged weapons refills periodically and dashes are plentiful, it ?forgoes a lot of the rote simulation aspects that are creeping their way into a lot of hack and slashes recently.

Where Riverbond immediately grabbed me though was the vibrancy of its art, which looks a lot better in motion. The physics system is fairly impressive, allowing for a good amount of destruction and chaos, as well as plentiful ??loot from said entropy. Rewards have a swift cadence, and d-pad weapon swapping ensures that there's some form of tacti??cal depth (different party members can go for different playstyles that harmonize) rather than just mindless discord.

Another really small but really cool thing -- when entering the final door of the stage a countdown starts that will drag players to the next level, but anyone can simply walk back o?ut of the door to stop it. I don't know why I found this so interesting, but it came in handy after a ??few people playing the demo found a hidden area at the last second and our fourth just popped back out of the end gate.

Again, the drop-in/drop-out angle works to its favor at a tradeshow, but it'll also come in handy during parties. I was told that we should expect Riverbond to last at least ?five hours for the main campaign, and it'll be out later this year on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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Paint the town

"What was that? A snowboard? A skateboard?" Jordan and I recapped our Spectrum Break demo from EGLX later while in the hotel room (truth be told, we're still in the hotel room.) Only one way to find out: Check the Spectrum Break site.

Oh, duh -- it's rainbow boarding. Whatever, Spectrum Break is one of the more pleasant surprises? at EGLX.

Spectrum Break is a level-by-level methodical quest to paint everything. Each of the game's 55 stages is a collection of polygonal platforms, and each of them needs to be touched at some point. Jumping on it turns the shape effervescent, effectively meaning you're good to move onto th?e next one.

Platforming is fast and slippery (as if you're on a snowboard), and getting exactly where you need to be feel??s half skill-based and half good planning. That's where the puzzle part comes in. Every route isn't created equal. Optimal path-finding is what makes a successful run. Every way doesn't necessarily fe??el as if it'll yield positive results.

However, the physics act as both a monkey wrench and a godsend. Touching the shapes sends them floating from the force of your landing. This might very well render your next jump impossible. It's just too far now. But, if those shapes come in contact with an unlit platform, that gets?? lit up and you're a little closer to completing the level.

It's all simple enough, but something tells me the difficulty will ramp up. Developer Jason Hein told us th?at later levels might take upward of a minute to complete -- it sounds short but that's a long time to go without botching everything. At least your f??ailures will be plenty colorful.

Spectrum Break releases on Steam on March 29.

_{[This preview is based on a build from EGLX, hosted by Destructoid's parent company Enthusiast Gaming.]}

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We're here, say hi!

After years of pining for a "Destructoid Convention" in the comments of many a cblog, we finally have the opportunity to help host EGLX in Toronto?? with Enthu??siast Gaming. Papa Niero, our founder is here, as well as myself, Jordan, Brett, Wes, and CJ -- if you see us, come say hi!

In case you haven't been in previous years there's a pretty wide variety of stuff to do at EGLX, from checking out indie games to picking up merch from local vendors, as well as big-ticket convention activities like panels (ours was earlier today, thanks to everyone who attended!), PC free play stations, speedrun competitions, and eSports tournaments. As I was walking into the convention center I overheard someone say "this is more intense than I thought," which I feel adequately explains the scope of everything Enthusiast is trying to accompl?ish.

Check out the gallery below to get a feel for the show, and if we don't see you this weekend, we'll catch you next year! If you are here, you can find us at our two parties.

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