Evercade?!

[128bytes]

From what I've seen on Funstock's site, there is no possibility of simultaneous two-player gaming with the Evercade, correct?

[bmadgames]

12 hours ago, 128bytes said:

From what I've seen on Funstock's site, there is no possibility of simultaneous two-player gaming with the Evercade, correct?

Not on the current handheld. Two player support is built into the carts and they will be backwards compatible with the upcoming tv console that will support two players.

[Video]

I always wondered about that, many games are 2 player, but as near as I can tell, the evercade has no controller port, not that there's an additional controller anyways (that I've seen) BUT, all the boxes depict the cart going into a console. 

[Steven Pendleton]

I wonder if it would be possible to make a cart with a second controller port on it. Sure, it would look like the 3DO controller and increase the price probably by a whole lot, but it might work if they designed the thing right.

 

I know this is not a practical solution, most likely, and I'm sure someone's going to call me an idiot for even suggesting this, but maybe it's possible.

[bmadgames]

Two player is only enabled on the upcoming TV console... It won't work on the handheld

[Atariboy]

Out of curiosity, where did you hear about an Evercade console? I've gone searching but not found any details. 

 

That could be interesting if they release some arcade compilations like they're apparently planning to do. 

[8th lutz]

3 hours ago, Atariboy said:

Out of curiosity, where did you hear about an Evercade console? I've gone searching but not found any details. 

 

That could be interesting if they release some arcade compilations like they're apparently planning to do. 

The makers of Evercade mentioned it during at least 2 different question and answer secessions on their facebook page. I am referring to last month and this month. They did not give out any details on the console though outside of being able to play two player games. They are not guaranteeing that console is going to happen though.

 

I know the arcade compilations are going to start next year. All I know is they are going to do a Namco arcade compilation and a Data East arcade compilation at least next year. 

[8th lutz]

Blaze announced today that Evercade will be releasing The Oliver Twins Collection during the 3rd quarter of this year. All the profits will be going to the National Videogame Museum charity. 

 

It has the following games:

• Treasure Island Dizzy
• BMX Simulator
• Fantastic Dizzy
• Super Robin Hood
• Go! Dizzy Go!
• Dizzy The Adventurer 
• Panic Dizzy
• DreamWorld Pogie
• FireHawk
• Wonderland Dizzy
• Mystery World Dizzy

Edited June 11, 2020 by 8th lutz

[DavidD]

Given that these guys are doing the work to get licensed multipacks from relatively less common systems, I rather wish they'd also release compilations on other platforms as well (like the Atari Flashback release for the Switch).  I'd pay for a Atari Lynx compilation on my Nintendo Switch.

[Video]

I never even heard of evercade, anywhere. It's just something that poped up on amazon back in February when searching for other stuff. I liked the idea so I ordered it.

 

Most the stuff came up as "shipped" this week, still with a delivery estimate of the 22nd. Today I went and checked the mail before going to work, and one of the carts has arrived. Most humorous thing? The first piece I get, was the last one I managed to pre-order. Lol, that's right, Namco collection 1 is he first item I've received.

 

without being able to play it, I can say so far I'm impressed. The cart is about the size of a game boy cart (little shorter) it comes with a color manual, which has  info about the company and games, tips, and other available games. But the box? Wow, I was expecting something cheap and shitty like gamegear, or worse, game.com boxes. No, it's a clamshell, so it'll be a good place to keep games not in use. About 3\4" thick, 5 .5" high and 4" wide .in f

 

anyhow, the stuff is officially being shipped, all you guys who preordered, keep an eye out for it.

[roots.genoa]

8 hours ago, Video said:

Namco collection 1 is he first item I've received

Isn't this one included with the system? ?

[Hwlngmad]

On 6/10/2020 at 7:36 PM, 8th lutz said:

Blaze announced today that Evercade will be releasing The Oliver Twins Collection during the 3rd quarter of this year. All the profits will be going to the National Videogame Museum charity. 

 

It has the following games:

• Treasure Island Dizzy
• BMX Simulator
• Fantastic Dizzy
• Super Robin Hood
• Go! Dizzy Go!
• Dizzy The Adventurer 
• Panic Dizzy
• DreamWorld Pogie
• FireHawk
• Wonderland Dizzy
• Mystery World Dizzy

It's a nice little addition.  More collections like this one and I might just have to get this along with a few carts.

[Video]

On 6/12/2020 at 1:58 AM, roots.genoa said:

Isn't this one included with the system? ?

Depends on which system you get. Being amazon, I didn't have access to all the "combos" but the one I got was the Atari collection. The rest of the carts I bought separate. I think initially there was several with one game included, and one with three games included, but I don't remember what they all were, probably Namco was one though.

 

If you bought direct from blaze, there's even a combo with all 9 launch carts.

[Tanooki]

I'd like to get some opinions on it.  I see mixed reviews from good to crap online, junk about buttons, emulation, whatever.

 

Anyone here want to throw their two cents in about it about the honest good to bad about the thing?  I'm not persay wanting to dive into yet another handheld, but honestly, some of the carts I find fascinating like that Technos one among a few others.  I just still wonder how long it'll last or if this will be some big push of this year with all the funkiness going on and then fade into obscurity.

[DavidD]

I'm not going to be buying an Evercade (at least, not unless I find a weirdly boxed one sitting on discount somewhere in 5-10 years), but the fact they they licensed and are releasing Lynx compilations interests me.  It would be nice if someone released Lynx compilations on other systems (like, oh, the Nintendo Switch) as well.

[Tanooki]

I have to admit the Lynx angle intrigues me and I should read up on that to see what's on offer for those considering I keep considering one of those handhelds due to the fairly consistent quality library and generally (>100) size of it too.  This would be a nice licensed alternative on far better hardware and screen most definitely.

[negative1]

Recent review:

 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/06/evercades-retro-portable-made-me-fall-out-of-love-with-game-cartridges/

 

"Gamers of a certain age will always have a special place in their hearts for the humble video game cartridge. There's something about sliding a thick piece of plastic into a slot before playing that evokes the simple joy of gaming as it was when we were kids. Optical discs, flash-based cards, and game downloads may have won the technological battle in the end, but the nostalgic appeal of cartridges has never faded for some.

 

That appeal seems to be central to the idea of the Evercade, a portable system from the UK's Blaze Entertainment. Besides the portable form factor—and the ability to emulate multiple classic consoles out of the box—the $80 Evercade differentiates itself from other recent plug-and-play retro devices in its expandability through various $20 cartridges. Each proprietary cartridge carries anywhere from six to 20 games, grouped by developer and licensed from companies like Namco, Atari, Interplay, Technos, and Data East, with more to come.

 

I've spent the last few weeks tinkering with the Evercade, swapping through dozens of well-known and obscure games on its initial selection of 10 cartridges. In that time, though, I've found my annoyance at the inconvenience of swapping those cartridges has overwhelmed my nostalgia. At this point, I think I'm finally ready to leave my nostalgia behind and keep cartridges in the dustbin of gaming history."

 

later

-1

Edited June 19, 2020 by negative1

[Video]

Well, orders say the rest should be here Monday.

 

Hopefully it'll be here, and awesome, but I'm not necessarily expecting it to be above average, I just like things like this, and it makes WAY more sense than pnp consoles (imo)

 

I'm a hardcore fan of handhelds, tbh I play handheld more often than consoles, and always have, even back in the day. Partially, I liked not being tied to the tv, but I think mostly it was being a generation of two behind consoles often netted more refined, often better versions of older games. It was also amusing to see how people tried stuffing things in there that probably didn't actually belong. Granted, not being a "real" console (considered by both developers, AND most gamers) often netted a lot of crap too.

 

As for reviews, heh, not sure how good id be at that. My knowledge of emulation is mostly from pnp, which usually I'll give a pass because it more of less looks like the game I want, and I've never been hardcore enough to know every single pixel on, say, Pac man anyways. As long as it doesn't just out and out blow, it'll probably be fine for me.

[DavidD]

On 6/18/2020 at 8:12 PM, Tanooki said:

I have to admit the Lynx angle intrigues me and I should read up on that to see what's on offer for those considering I keep considering one of those handhelds due to the fairly consistent quality library and generally (>100) size of it too.  This would be a nice licensed alternative on far better hardware and screen most definitely.

I'm just wondering if anyone other than these guys have considered rereleasing Lynx games... if not, perhaps the next Atari Flashback Switch/Xbox/PS release can get them!

[Atariboy]

AtGames has abandoned their short lived console initiative, so I wouldn't hope for that.

[DavidD]

9 hours ago, Atariboy said:

AtGames has abandoned their short lived console initiative, so I wouldn't hope for that.

What was their connection to the Atari published "Atari Flashback" for the console systems, and how badly did it do?  (I assume that's what we're talking about.)

[Atariboy]

I'm not clear on the exact arrangement between Atari SA and AtGames, but my impression is that they fronted a substantial part of the development cost for Code Mystics to put it together and acted as de facto publisher for it (i.e., Atari SA "officially" was publisher, but it was all sub-contracted out to AtGames to handle the work to actually publish it) in exchange for a significant slice of the pie.

 

As for sales, that's tough to say for us outsiders. Volume 1 & 2 for the XB1 and PS4 were common in bargain bins at my local Walmarts for quite a while, so I assume they received a very respectable print run and while it took a while, supply has now largely dried up. Volume 3 though was a GameStop exclusive and it seems as if each store location only received a single copy, so it's likely just about the rarest physical release for those systems outside of Limited Run Games releases and such. The all-in-on Switch release also seemed to get a small print run (I think this too was a GameStop exclusive).

 

Per discussion around here from an AtGames representative, it appeared that the plan at one time was to make this an annual event with grand plans from AtGames for follow-up console compilations. Following on the heels of Atari Flashback Classics Volume 1 and 2 on the PS4/XB1, volume 3 was to be their 2017 effort and likely the last Atari focused collection with their eye on other classic properties afterwards. That ended up slipping and didn't come out until late 2018. And of course 2019 came and went with nothing and 2020 is confirmed as having nothing.

 

So it would appear they've sadly retreated from this market, which is a shame since the Atari Flashback Classics releases are well put together collections. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Atariboy

[Giles N]

I’ve ordered my Evercade with 10

game-carts.

 

It’s scheduled for arrival in my mailbox 7th of July.

 

It’ll be interesting to see if it holds up...

 

 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Giles N

[TrekMD]

Mine has arrived!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tanooki]

Seems so far there are 2 Lynx packages, less games but perhaps better quality ones on the 2nd.  I'm like mixed on it, there are some good titles there, and that's crazy enough that it covers 1/3 of the total released library of the period.  Shame is that some of its most amazing games were the non-Atari arcade/console games which it lacks, and no Gauntlet which is weird.  I still feel the game prices are very worth it at $20, perfect budget level on such things.  I wonder if they'll continue with more from the handheld as it wouldn't be hard if licensing were made right to do the whole library over probably 6 carts.