The Evercade VS is an exciting entry into the market, with one or two unusual features. It’s due to release later in the year, so we’re still waiting on some details. But, for now, here’s everything you need to know about the Evercade VS retro games console.

Introducing the Evercade VS

Blaze plans to release the Evercade VS on November 3. It cannot be pre-ordered yet, but Evercade’s site has a mailing list for updates. Expect the console to be available for pre-order from May 28.

What’s in the Box

While Blaze hasn’t confirmed full details, we’re expecting the Evercade console to be available in two configurations:

Evercade VS console, one game, one controller ($99) Evercade VS console, two games, two controllers (TBA)

Blaze will announce details of bundled games at a later date. But they have confirmed that they will not include HDMI or power cables.

The Original Evercade Console

The Blaze company has developed several retro products, but the Evercade is their most high-profile. The Evercade name is probably better known now than the company behind the product.

The original Evercade is a handheld device that launched in November 2020. It uses physical cartridges, most of which contain emulated versions of games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.

In April, the company announced a forthcoming upgrade: the Evercade VS. This time around, it’s a home console, with support for up to four players.

Evercade VS Hardware

It looks as if the console will come with two official controllers, but other options are available:

You can use other USB controllers, including the wireless controllers from 8BitDo. The Evercade handheld itself can act as a controller if you buy a link cable.

Games come on physical, proprietary cartridges which is a nice touch for collectors and retro aficionados. These cartridges are, with two exceptions, fully compatible between the VS and the handheld Evercade console.

The Evercade VS boasts two cartridge slots, an unusual feature for a home console. It should result in less swapping. Since Evercade cartridges typically contain 6-20 games, it will provide plenty of choice.

The Shared Evercade Games Library

Evercade represents the late-20th century era of retro gaming. Most of its games cover the second, third, and fourth video game generations. Many of these titles are original Atari games from their 2600, 7800, and Lynx consoles. Others emulate releases from NES, SNES, or Sega Genesis versions.

The library even includes a handful of new games. For example, the smaller Mega Cat studio has released a collection of modern games produced in an 8-bit/16-bit retro style. In theory, Evercade systems could become destinations for retro game developers.

One disappointment is the absence of the two cartridges featuring Namco Museum collections. Blaze has only licensed these titles for the existing Evercade handheld, at present.

This is unfortunate. With classics including Dig Dug, Galaga, and Pac Man, these collections provide some of the best retro gaming Evercade offers. However, Blaze is working on updating this license to make the games playable on the Evercade VS.

Still, you can look forward to playing everything else from the full Evercade library including:

Centipede Burger Time Earthworm Jim Sensible Soccer Treasure Island Dizzy Worms Speedball Battle Chess

As well as this, at the time of writing, Blaze has announced a new range of games; the Evercade arcade collection, featuring arcade-only versions of games (i.e. not games that have since seen themselves on home consoles).

Specs and Comparisons

The home console’s technical specifications are a modest upgrade on the handheld’s. This is unsurprising since the Evercades run games designed for consoles up to forty years old! The display upgrade should at least make menus and other UI elements a bit sharper.

Evercade VS Delivers Multiplayer Retro Gaming

The Evercade VS is a welcome addition to a healthy retro gaming scene. It shares its primary selling point—physical media—with its handheld predecessor. This detail ensures the system should be popular with collectors and fans of nostalgia.

Evercade VS delivers multiplayer gaming and improved video output. But most existing Evercade games are very low resolution, and many are single-player games. The success of this new revision will depend on how well Blaze can update their library. Dedicated retro gaming consoles still need to compete with more affordable, less official alternatives.