Evercade?!

[+Intellivision Master]

On 4/16/2024 at 9:08 AM, Bill Loguidice said:

Well, I was way off. I guess they did just introduce a new console and handheld. No clue what's different yet, though. I read that they may go on sale on Funstock with a limited edition 2,000 units a bit later today. If they're the same hardware, just cheaper, that's a hard pass.

 

 

I like the color scheme of the new consoles.  It reminds me of the 2DS XL with the black/turquoise.  Maybe at some point Blaze can come out with a console that has an analog stick and the D-pad.  Or just the analog stick.  I like both but I prefer having an analog stick.  Especially on the handheld.  So, perhaps if an EXP2 comes out, it'll have that.

[Ninjabba]

Asking the experts.. 

I was thinking to get the EXP soon with the Capcom collection on the device but now they announced the EXP-R with Tomb Raider. 

 

EXP-R will not have the HDMI output nor access to the Capcom game, but would be a little cheaper. Is there any other difference to take into account? I believe the chipsets are pretty much the same? Tomb Raider will be on a cartridge so could be played on the EXP?

 

Feels unnecessarily fractured from what I could understand.

Edited April 17 by Ninjabba

[+madman]

9 hours ago, Intellivision Master said:

I like the color scheme of the new consoles.  It reminds me of the 2DS XL with the black/turquoise.  Maybe at some point Blaze can come out with a console that has an analog stick and the D-pad.  Or just the analog stick.  I like both but I prefer having an analog stick.  Especially on the handheld.  So, perhaps if an EXP2 comes out, it'll have that.

Which games would benefit from an analog stick? The vast majority of the library comes from systems that had digital controls. 

1 hour ago, Ninjabba said:

Asking the experts.. 

I was thinking to get the EXP soon with the Capcom collection on the device but now they announced the EXP-R with Tomb Raider. 

 

EXP-R will not have the HDMI output nor access to the Capcom game, but would be a little cheaper. Is there any other difference to take into account? I believe the chipsets are pretty much the same? Tomb Raider will be on a cartridge so could be played on the EXP?

 

Feels unnecessarily fractured from what I could understand.

They'll all play all the Evercade carts, even the Super Pocket will play Tomb Raider. The newer EXP-R will have a more efficient chip and they expect better battery life, though the battery is the same. More info here: https://evercade.co.uk/evercade-2024-faq

[7800Knight]

 

So this is what we are getting thanks to the advanced tech of the Giga Cart.

 

I probably won't buy this as I already own all three of those Tomb Raider titles for PS1.  But I do think this is a good move for Evercade.  Maybe the Giga Carts will give us Neo Geo games in the future like King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, etc.

 

 

[+GoldLeader]

Also as a cost saving deal I'm sure,  it looks like the new VS doesn't have the cool color-changing LEDs...But I'm just going off of what it looks like.

[+madman]

5 hours ago, 7800Knight said:

 

So this is what we are getting thanks to the advanced tech of the Giga Cart.

 

I probably won't buy this as I already own all three of those Tomb Raider titles for PS1.  But I do think this is a good move for Evercade.  Maybe the Giga Carts will give us Neo Geo games in the future like King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, etc.

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not, but the "advanced tech" of the giga cart is just a larger flash chip on the cart instead of a 128m or 512m chip. 

[roots.genoa]

9 hours ago, Ninjabba said:

Feels unnecessarily fractured from what I could understand.

I think the main reason behind the EXP-R is that the deal with Capcom expired, simple as that. But instead of keeping on releasing the exact same system minus the games, they thought it would be less confusing to make it more "different" - hence the new color and the removal of the HDMI port that was not used very much (I myself only used it once for my review).

 

1 hour ago, madman said:

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not, but the "advanced tech" of the giga cart is just a larger flash chip on the cart instead of a 128m or 512m chip. 

Absolutely. I don't know if it had been said here already, but Evercade carts are just SD cards in a fancy shell. That's why the Giga Carts don't cost that much more.

Edited April 18 by roots.genoa

[Ninjabba]

8 hours ago, madman said:

They'll all play all the Evercade carts, even the Super Pocket will play Tomb Raider. The newer EXP-R will have a more efficient chip and they expect better battery life, though the battery is the same. More info here: https://evercade.co.uk/evercade-2024-faq

Thanks for the clarification. So basically I should consider Capcom+ HDMI vs better battery life. Saw a deal for the XPR for 110 euro so I might just go for that

[roots.genoa]

2 hours ago, Ninjabba said:

So basically I should consider Capcom+ HDMI vs better battery life.

Also it's important to remember that the EXP, like the OG Evercade and the NeoGeo Mini, uses mini-HDMI which makes it difficult to connect to a TV unless you happen to own such an uncommon cable these days. I personally prefer handhelds so like I said, I never cared for it, and I assume that most of the gamers that enjoy playing on the TV bought a VS anyway.

Moreover, the (arcade) Capcom games are also included in the Capcom Arcade Stadium compilations available almost everywhere. I like the idea of playing Mercs in TATE mode, though, but I wish the EXP had better battery. I don't think I'll get the EXP-R however, since I tend to play Evercade games on the Super Pocket anyway.

[+Intellivision Master]

13 hours ago, madman said:

Which games would benefit from an analog stick? The vast majority of the library comes from systems that had digital controls. 

Well it would have to be games that used an analog stick.  So, if a collection of games released that required/supported a stick then there you go.  I'm just saying that it would be nice if Blaze came out with a controller/handheld that had a stick.  It's good to have options.  Maybe a firmware update comes out that allows the games to work with one.  

[+madman]

7 hours ago, Intellivision Master said:

Well it would have to be games that used an analog stick.  So, if a collection of games released that required/supported a stick then there you go.  I'm just saying that it would be nice if Blaze came out with a controller/handheld that had a stick.  It's good to have options.  Maybe a firmware update comes out that allows the games to work with one.  

I can't imagine the backlash Blaze would get if they released a cart that required something that you need to buy to play the games and will never work on any of the handheld systems. 

[famicommander]

On 4/17/2024 at 5:29 PM, madman said:

Which games would benefit from an analog stick? The vast majority of the library comes from systems that had digital controls. 

The only ones that come to mind are

Glover (Piko 4)

Centipede, Crystal Castles, Liberator, Millipede, Missile Command, Night Driver, Pong, Super Breakout, and Warlords (Atari Arcade 1)

 

Just goes to show what an absolutely stupid idea it was to release that Atari Arcade cart in the state they did. Most of those games are completely unplayable.

[+madman]

Blaze said something on a FB post about modifying or optimizing the Glover controls for digital. ETA this quote:
 

Quote

We've done extensive work in optimisation to make it work with the Evercade layout. It makes one or two sections a little trickier, but also makes some previously tricky sections a lot easier.

 

And yeah, trackball/spinner games are an exception. So call it maybe 10 games out of 500+ which would benefit...not really a big market there for a new controller. And in any case, that doesn't apply to the handhelds. I think Blaze has bigger fish to fry at this point than a new analog controller. However, there is some good news in their FAQ:
 

Quote

At present, we only sell a wired Evercade VS controller which is available separately. However, we will be looking to release new controllers in 2022 and we also support many third-party controllers.

So, look forward to those new controllers in 2022!

[+jgkspsx]

18 hours ago, Ninjabba said:

Thanks for the clarification. So basically I should consider Capcom+ HDMI vs better battery life. Saw a deal for the XPR for 110 euro so I might just go for that

The Capcom one has a lot of great games. There is a Capcom Super Pocket, but it loses some of my favorites (Vulgus, Commando, Mega Man 2, Mega Man X, Legendary Wings) and one of the few good RPGs Evercade has, Breath of Fire. Also 1942 and 1943 are not very playable on Super Pocket.

 

If you want the Capcom games, I would get it, but otherwise I don't like the EXP that much. The sound is really awful and the battery is iffy. I am hoping the sound improves on the EXP-R, even though the speakers are still downward firing instead of front firing.

 

Also if you want the Lynx collections look sharp as their prices are rapidly shooting up.

[+jgkspsx]

On 4/17/2024 at 9:21 AM, Intellivision Master said:

It'd be nice if one day there was a Saturn/Dreamcast collection.  

It is impossible on Evercade. Maybe on Evercade 2. Is there a commercially licensable replacement BIOS for both consoles, though?

[famicommander]

6 hours ago, madman said:

Blaze said something on a FB post about modifying or optimizing the Glover controls for digital. ETA this quote:
 

 

And yeah, trackball/spinner games are an exception. So call it maybe 10 games out of 500+ which would benefit...not really a big market there for a new controller. And in any case, that doesn't apply to the handhelds. I think Blaze has bigger fish to fry at this point than a new analog controller. However, there is some good news in their FAQ:
 

So, look forward to those new controllers in 2022!

Just enabling people to plug in their 8bitdo, Playstation, or Xbox controller and use the analog sticks for those specific games should be more than enough, and easy to accomplish via an update. No reason to get any physical hardware out there or fragment the userbase.

[7800Knight]

Just announced!

 

 

 

Thalamus Collection...not too familiar with this publisher.

 

 

[+Intellivision Master]

15 hours ago, madman said:

I can't imagine the backlash Blaze would get if they released a cart that required something that you need to buy to play the games and will never work on any of the handheld systems. 

Okay.  Maybe not have a cart that requires a certain way to play the games.  But if the games were able to work via an analog stick, then that's good.  Therefore, as I mentioned before, if Blaze had a controller/handheld with a D-pad & a stick, you could play the games with either one.  For instance, if a new handheld came out from them that had both a D-pad and an analog stick, then it gives you 2 ways to play games.  There are many handhelds with analog sticks & a D-pad.  All I'm saying is, why can't Blaze do the same?  Perhaps they don't want to or it's not something that interests them right now.  

[+jgkspsx]

1 hour ago, 7800Knight said:

Just announced!

Thalamus Collection...not too familiar with this publisher.

From This is Pete:
 

Hunter's Moon: multidirectional shoot 'em up
Armalyte: horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up
Hawkeye: run and gun platformer
Snare: top-down action puzzle... thing
Retrograde: part horizontal scrolling Defender-esque shooter, part platformer
Creatures: Platformer with puzzles
Summer Camp: Collectathon platformer
Heatseeker: technically a platformer, but one of the weirdest games you'll ever play
Creatures II: More platform puzzles with a few more minigames
Winter Camp: Multi-genre action/puzzle thing
Nobby the Aardvark: Platformer with some levels that play from different perspectives

 

https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/thalamus-collection-1/

 

Sounds like a good mix! Looking forward to it.

[Ninjabba]

Landed on the XPR, it got discounted to a 100 after I posted on here. I guess  the announcement did the drop in price.

 

Made me regret not getting this device earlier, so far I feel like this has been the nicest experience of playing retro games on a handheld in modern times. I love my analogue to play original carts, but having save states is amazing.

 

Was hoping to find the Pico 1 Collection but looks like I am too late for that one.. only people selling them on ebay for $100-$200  :s

[+madman]

15 hours ago, Ninjabba said:

Made me regret not getting this device earlier, so far I feel like this has been the nicest experience of playing retro games on a handheld in modern times. I love my analogue to play original carts, but having save states is amazing.

Do you mean the Analogue Pocket? It also has save states.

[roots.genoa]

4 hours ago, madman said:

Do you mean the Analogue Pocket? It also has save states.

It depends on the cores, though. But some Evercade games don't have save states either.

[Ninjabba]

4 hours ago, madman said:

Do you mean the Analogue Pocket? It also has save states.

Oh lol I can't believe I missed that. Thought that only worked for the cores

[+madman]

8 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

It depends on the cores, though. But some Evercade games don't have save states either.

AFAIK save states only work on emulated games, not the handful or so of games running natively on the Evercade.

[roots.genoa]

6 hours ago, madman said:

AFAIK save states only work on emulated games, not the handful or so of games running natively on the Evercade.

Yes, Donut Dodo for instance. But they added save states for the Duke Nukem 1&2 remasters though.