Evercade VS is a home retro console for collectors.

Between 2016 and 2019, retro gaming had a second. I imply another second. A really particular one the place gaming’s best all launched “mini” variations of their most iconic consoles. NES? Yep. SNES? Sure. Genesis? You bet. And, in fact, Sony, SNK, Konami and even Commodore (sorta) received in on the development too.

Then there was Evercade in 2020 — a refreshingly totally different tackle the new-but-old console concept. As an alternative of a “mini” model of classic {hardware}, it was a brand new handheld that took cartridges. Every cartridge contained a set of basic video games from totally different builders. I loved it after I reviewed it.

The concept of probably limitless video games by way of precise cartridges was each intelligent and courageous. (Retro players aren’t so identified for paying for titles, particularly the lesser-known “gems” that Evercade was in a position to license.) Both means, the thought should have caught on as the corporate quickly revealed plans for a extra conventional home console version. It’s lastly right here and it brings a couple of fascinating perks over its handheld sibling.

The Evercade VS (because the $99 system known as) shares the identical cartridge format as the hand-held, so that you gained’t have to re-buy something. The truth is, you may play on one, save your sport and choose it up on the opposite (identical to you’d hope, to be truthful). It’s value mentioning that two titles (each Namco collections) are solely suitable with the hand-held attributable to licensing points.

There are different perks to the home-based console, too. Most notably help for multiplayer (as much as 4 gamers the place video games help it), WiFi for over-the-air updates and a jazzy new interface. Oh, and the VS can maintain two cartridges at a time, which means you will be engaged on one sport and depart it there when you play one other, or just simply have extra video games to select from on your private home display at anyone time — helpful given that each single cartridge Evercade provides is a multicart. The carts are even hot-swappable so that you don’t have to restart the system, simply slot a brand new one proper in and away you go.

As is custom with this new wave of retro house consoles, the VS is small and light-weight. So gentle, you’ll positively wish to make sure that your HDMI cable has some slack in it, else it’ll raise the VS off the bottom or pull it again behind your TV. The excellent news is that nearly any USB port will energy it. My not-very-good seven-year-old LG TV can simply energy the VS by way of its USB ports, which means I don’t should occupy one other outlet.

The VS appears to be like like a direct relative of the unique Evercade with the identical classic white and purple decals and a splash of grey right here and there for buttons. One good little contact is the NES-style “flap” that covers the cartridge slots. This does imply you don’t get the old-school vibes of getting a cartridge poking out the highest, however not less than your video games are safely hidden from the weather. However homages to previous consoles like that appear to matter to followers of the classics. It weirdly matters a lot. Even when that’s the laborious ritual of getting to get off the sofa to vary the video games or energy it down. Nostalgia isn’t all the time concerning the good issues.

Hearth the VS up and also you’ll be offered with a Netflix-like menu of all of the titles on no matter cartridges are inserted. The hand held, with its restricted display measurement, had you flip by way of every title one after the other. Right here, they’re specified by rows with full cowl artwork. Click on by way of and also you’ll be offered a bit extra information concerning the sport and its controls together with the choice to play it (naturally) or choose up the place you left off along with your most up-to-date save.

Evercade has tried to strike a steadiness between trendy options and retro authenticity. Save states are one trendy concession however most different issues — resembling cheat codes or in-game recording — are absent. The identical goes for the visible feel and look. Underneath the settings menu, you’ve gotten three show choices: Unique Ratio, Pixel Excellent and Full Display. It’s all the time good to have choices as trendy TVs are very totally different to what you may need plugged the unique {hardware} into.

You possibly can, in fact, add scanlines (if you happen to should). There are additionally some choices for various themes and backgrounds, etcetera. However all instructed, the menu is easy and clear and all the higher for it.

When the hand-held launched, the library of cartridges and video games was respectable however modest. There have been collections from mainstays like Atari, Namco and Interaction. These held some classics like Pac-Man, Earthworm Jim and Crystal Castles. Then there have been bundles from newer builders which have scooped up varied IPs through the years. These have a tendency to carry extra “hidden gems” like Piko’s Dragon View (a stable RPG first printed by Kemco). The truth is, the VS comes bundled with two of those collections to get you going (one from Data East and one from Technos).

Together with these well- and lesser-known golden oldies are some collections of recent 8- and 16-bit video games. The web result’s that the Evercade had the foundations to grow to be one thing of an all-inclusive retro expertise with new and previous titles aspect by aspect. Now, with the Evercade VS, the corporate has added a brand new line of arcade-first collections denoted by their purple (quite than purple) packaging. Right here you’ll discover button-mashers like Double Dragon 2 and Unhealthy Dudes vs DragonNinja to additional spherical out the library.

One intriguing possibility within the menu is “Secret.” Right here you’ll be requested to enter a code. What the code/s is/are, properly, a secret, however one can presume it unlocks some further video games or content material. Alongside the identical theme, there are hidden video games on the console itself a-la Snail Maze on the Sega Grasp System.

And… there are extra issues to unlock, too. Evercade has hinted that sure cartridge combos, when inserted collectively, will unlock hidden titles. I used to be capable of finding two such secret video games with the cartridges I’ve right here, and there are positively extra. I gained’t spoil issues by saying precisely how you discover them, however the UI will let you realize. It’s refined, although.

Every cartridge says what number of video games are within the assortment on the entrance, so if each have 10, the UI would possibly say 21. Then you definately may need to examine the again of the field to search out which sport that’s now in your listing isn’t formally talked about on both cartridge’s field. Because of the VS’s WiFi connection, that is theoretically one thing that may be expanded over time, too. A pleasant, enjoyable contact nonetheless — particularly for collectors.

One minor nitpick may be the controller: Your mileage could range attributable to totally different physiology, however it isn’t my favourite. The overall design is ok and comfy, however it doesn’t really feel fairly as ergonomic as the hand-held or different controllers to me. Additionally the in-game menu button doubles because the pause button, which generally is a little complicated if, like me, you end up reaching for Begin.

On the plus aspect, there at the moment are 4 shoulder buttons as an alternative of the hand-held’s two and the cables are loads lengthy sufficient to achieve throughout most residing rooms. You possibly can, in fact, use the hand-held as an additional controller, however it wants a specific cable — I attempted the USB cable that got here within the field and, no cube. That cable is about $10, whereas an extra controller is about $20, so it’s value weighing up the profit earlier than deciding which option to go. The VS additionally helps principally any commonplace USB controller, so if in case you have one mendacity round that you simply like, you should use that on the expense of retro authenticity.

All in all, the Evercade VS is a nice shock. The cartridge-based mannequin will all the time be interesting to some and a deterrent to others. However for many who love rarities and a very good dollop of nostalgia, the Evercade ecosystem is shaping as much as be greater than only a gimmick. With the current wave of recent indie video games additionally making it to the platform it might discover itself being a vibrant platform for brand spanking new video games, too. One the place indie builders cannot solely take pleasure in seeing their video games have a bodily launch, however discover new audiences, and that’s by no means a nasty factor.