Between 2016 and 2019, retro gaming had a second. I imply one other 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 guess and, after all, Sony, SNK, Konami and even Commodore (sorta) obtained in on the development too.

Then there was Evercade in 2020 — a refreshingly totally different tackle the new-but-old console thought. Instead of a “mini” model of classic {hardware}, it was a brand new handheld that took cartridges. Each cartridge contained a set of traditional video games from totally different builders. I loved it once I reviewed it.

The thought of doubtless limitless video games by precise cartridges was each intelligent and courageous (retro players aren’t so recognized for paying for titles, particularly the lesser-known “gems” that Evercade was in a position to license). Either approach, the thought should have caught on as the corporate quickly revealed plans for a extra conventional house console model. It’s lastly right here and it brings a couple of attention-grabbing perks over its handheld sibling.

The Evercade VS (because the $99 system is named) shares the identical cartridge format as the hand held, so that you received’t must re-buy something. In truth, you may play on one, save your recreation and decide 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 because of licensing points.

There are different perks to the home-based console, too. Most notably assist for multiplayer (as much as 4 gamers the place video games assist 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 may be engaged on one recreation and go away it there when you play one other, or just simply have extra video games to select from on your private home display screen at anyone time — helpful given that each single cartridge Evercade presents is a multicart. The carts are even hot-swappable so that you don’t must 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 lightweight. So mild, you’ll undoubtedly need to make sure that your HDMI cable has some slack in it, else it’ll carry 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 its USB ports which means I don’t must occupy one other outlet.

The VS seems like a direct relative of the unique Evercade with the identical classic white and purple decals with 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. But homages to previous consoles like that appear to matter to followers of the classics. It weirdly issues quite a bit. Even if that’s the laborious ritual of getting to get off the sofa to vary the video games or energy it down. Nostalgia isn’t at all times concerning the good issues.

Fire the VS up and also you’ll be introduced with a Netflix-like menu of all of the titles on no matter cartridges are inserted. The handheld, with its restricted display screen dimension, had you flip by every title one after the other. Here, they’re specified by rows with full cowl artwork. Click by and also you’ll be introduced a bit of extra data concerning the recreation and its controls together with the choice to play it (naturally) or decide up the place you left off together with your most up-to-date save.

Evercade has tried to strike a stability between trendy options and retro authenticity. Save states are one trendy concession however most different issues — reminiscent of cheat codes or in-game recording — are absent. The identical goes for the visible feel and look. Under the settings menu, you could have three show choices: Original Ratio, Pixel Perfect and Full Screen. It’s at all times good to have choices as trendy TVs are very totally different to what you might need plugged the unique {hardware} into.

You can, after all, add scanlines (in the event you should). There are additionally some choices for various themes and backgrounds and so forth. But all-told the menu is straightforward 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 had been collections from mainstays like Atari, Namco and Interplay. These held some classics like Pac-Man, Earthworm Jim and Crystal Castles. Then there have been bundles from newer builders which have scooped up numerous IPs over time. These have a tendency to carry extra “hidden gems” like Piko’s Dragon View (a stable RPG first revealed by Kemco). In truth the VS comes bundled with two of those collections to get you going (one from Data East and one from Technos).

Along with these well-known and lesser-known golden oldies are some collections of recent 8- and 16-bit video games. The internet 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 side-by-side. Now, with the Evercade VS, the corporate has added a brand new line of arcade-first collections denoted by their purple (slightly than purple) packaging. Here you’ll discover button-mashers like Double Dragon 2 and Bad Dudes vs DragonNinja to additional spherical out the library.

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

And… there are extra issues to unlock, too. Evercade has hinted that sure cartridge mixtures, 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 undoubtedly extra. I received’t spoil issues by saying precisely how you discover them, however the UI will let . It’s delicate although.

Each cartridge says what number of video games are within the assortment on the entrance, so if each have 10, the UI may say 21. Then you might need to verify the again of the field to search out which recreation that’s now in your listing isn’t formally talked about on both cartridge’s field. Thanks to 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 is perhaps the controller: Your mileage could fluctuate because of totally different physiology, however it isn’t my favourite. The normal design is okay and cozy, however it doesn’t really feel fairly as ergonomic as the hand held or different controllers to me. Also the in-game menu button doubles because the pause button, which is usually a little complicated if, like me, you end up reaching for Start.

On the plus aspect, there at the moment are 4 shoulder buttons as a substitute of the hand held’s two and the cables are lots lengthy sufficient to succeed in throughout most dwelling rooms. You can, after all, 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 a further 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 when you’ve got one laying round that you simply like, you should use that on the expense of retro authenticity.

All in all, the Evercade VS is a pleasing shock. The cartridge-based mannequin will at all times be interesting to some and a deterrent to others. But for those who love rarities and an excellent 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 new video games, too. One the place indie builders cannot solely get pleasure from seeing their video games have a bodily launch, however discover new audiences, and that’s by no means a nasty factor.