Evercade?!

[+Intellivision Master]

I tried out the Renovation collection.  I played 3 games on there.  I think it's a good collection so far.

[RREDDWARFF]

5 minutes ago, Intellivision Master said:

I tried out the Renovation collection.  I played 3 games on there.  I think it's a good collection so far.

I'm looking forward to getting mine. If you don't mind me asking, where did you order from?

[+Intellivision Master]

1 minute ago, RREDDWARFF said:

I'm looking forward to getting mine. If you don't mind me asking, where did you order from?

I use Amazon.

[+jgkspsx]

11 minutes ago, Intellivision Master said:

I like the free game of the month deal.  This is awesome.  I'm glad to hear it's exclusive to VS users.  Perhaps it'll be for those who use the handheld as well.  

The handheld does not have wifi, is the problem. Maybe they will eventually launch an updated handheld with L2/R2 buttons and wifi that is more in line with the VS.

[+Intellivision Master]

23 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

The handheld does not have wifi, is the problem. Maybe they will eventually launch an updated handheld with L2/R2 buttons and wifi that is more in line with the VS.

Okay, I didn't know that.  Yeah, it would be nice to have an updated handheld.  There was that purple limited edition they made.  But it was just a new color and I think the screen was brighter on it.  I'm not too sure about that.

Edited April 6, 2022 by Intellivision Master

[RREDDWARFF]

 

6 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

The handheld does not have wifi, is the problem. Maybe they will eventually launch an updated handheld with L2/R2 buttons and wifi that is more in line with the VS.

I think Blaze said that the handheld might be able to get updates by plugging it into the VS, or so I thought, in the future. Perhaps they could extend the game of the month to the handheld that way, but who knows. I am blown away at the fact that they are doing a game of the month in the first place.

Edited April 6, 2022 by RREDDWARFF

[RREDDWARFF]

9 minutes ago, Intellivision Master said:

I use Amazon.

Nice, my order has been delayed until the end of this month.

[Bill Loguidice]

10 hours ago, GoldLeader said:

I never had an Intellivision growing up, though I do have game comps for PS1, and the Intellivision Flashback (Still sealed actually) etc...So,  I've been lightly checking out the Intellivision collection 1 on my Evercade Handheld, mostly the other day as I got a booster shot (COVID) and a Shingles vaccine at the same time,  so had to pass the time in the waiting room.   As expected Shark Shark, SNAFU, and Astrosmash were fun.  But then I hit Night Stalker with great expectations,...And I thought it sucked.  Don't get me wrong;  The graphics were cool, the music & SFX were nicely done, but maybe it just wasn't tuned for the Evercade?  The controls I mean.  I read the manual for the Intellivision version and it appears they've mapped out the 4 firing directions to the 4 buttons along with a D-Pad push* (so far so good),  except that it rarely works like it should.  Firing Left or Right is easy on mine.  Firing Up sometimes works and firing Down almost Never works!  And is there no bullet counter anywhere?  FWIW,  I don't have trouble with any other game.  Anyone else have any problems?

 

<snip>

I have the Intellivision collection as well (and ordered the second volume - I figure I may as well keep ordering each new release so I have a complete set), but like with the Atari Arcade collection and a few others, my expectations going in are extremely low because of the controller limitations. There are just some platforms/games that will never play right without the original controls. In general, I'm OK with that as long as a handful of the games on each collection are playable without compromise. I suppose the Intellivision collection meets that criteria from what I've played of it so far.

Similarly, on the handheld because of the smallish, low resolution screen, I find some games more uncomfortable to play (look at) than I'd like (Worms Collection, for instance). While I have the VS, I hope that one day we'll get a deluxe handheld with at least a 7 inch screen and 720p or 1080p display (and two cartridge ports to match the VS's ability to unlock additional games, as well as increase convenience). I think that would make a huge difference, particularly since I personally reap no particular benefit from something small (from a portability standpoint).

[+jgkspsx]

My carpal tunnel really acts up when I’m holding something heavy and thin like a Switch. My hand goes numb within half an hour. I don’t have that problem with the Evercade, which is one reason I love it.

[+GoldLeader]

11 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

My (short) reviews if you care:

- Astrosmash: this game has clearly a balance problem. I reached 43.745 on my first try, and almost thought I would have to commit suicide to stop playing. The auto-fire makes it really easy, but the real problem to me is gaining a new life every 1.000 points. For a moment (a little above 30.000 iirc) I had no lives but I quickly won 4 again...

- Buzz Bombers: interesting take on Space Invaders. Quite strategic since you can (but shouldn't) destroy the honey. The collision detection is not very forgiving though, and this damn bees are hard to hit but I suspect it gets easier when you're used to the timing.

- Frog Bog: Speaking of timing... Each time I thought I had it right, the other frog stole me the bug anyway. Lost 90 to 180. Didn't understand how I was supposed to restart a new game. The type of Game & Watch-like game that would work better as a mini-game from Mario Party.

- Night Stalker: Interesting take on Pac-Man, having to grab your gun first and being able to hide in the bunker instead of ghosts. The robot is trigger happy so you almost always have to hide just after you shoot at it before it hits you back, which conveys the game a "stalk and gun" vibe like a proto-Crack Down. The "music" is just a pulse but it clearly gives it a nice mood like the OG Space Invaders imho. That being said, it's obviously very basic and sorely needs different levels.

- Pinball: Pleasantly surprising. The screen format is not very convenient for that kind of game but it plays really well and I managed to send my ball to a different table, while I usually suck at that kind of game. It's obviously not the best pinball video game I've ever played, but it's quite decent given the hardware.

- Princess Quest: a famous 2014 homebrew game from Nanochess, which is basically a Ghosts 'n Goblins clone, but way easier. You start with 10 points of health and probably 10 lives too, and when you lose one you restart at the current screen (and bosses don't get their health back). That being said, enemies can be tedious because they can swarm next to you but most importantly, they tend to fly just above your head so you need to jump before shooting or get the triple shot to hit them. Worst, some fly slightly below you (when you're on elevated ground) and you can't kneel. If that game had been released at the time, it would have crushed the competition (I think it was released first on ColecoVision though, not sure about that).

- Shark! Shark!: I can understand how little kids can enjoy it, but it can be very frustrating when the shark appears just when you try to eat a small fish at the edge of the screen. You're supposed to be able to bite its tail, but it's impossible to predict when he'll make an instant U-turn unfortunately.

- Slap Shot Super Pro Hockey: it's ironic Intellivision was supposed to beat the VCS with "more realistic" sports games, with this one being some kind of not fun, slow version of Pong. I used a handicap to make my team the best possible and the opposing one the worst possible, but it managed to beat my ass, mainly because the AI-controlled players seem to move faster than the one you control. I guess it's way more interesting with a second player, though.

- Snafu: The real snafu is figuring out you're the blue player (the rightest one, which is unusual) and the 16 game variations (combinations of 2 or 4 players, obstacles or not, dead players remaining or not, diagonal movement or not, having to trap your opponents or bite their tail to win). The AI is dumb but can turn perfectly though. Obviously more interesting with 3 other human players.

- Thin Ice: Once I understood the goal of the game (to be fair, you just have to watch the opening animation ), it's quite a nice game but that seal can be a real mofo. Fortunately, it can't swim even if it's not very realistic.

- Thunder Castle: Took me a lot of time, even with the manual, to understand what I was supposed to do, and it took me also a while to grab a single item since they disappear quickly and you move slowly. But when I understood, I beat the first level (three dragons to kill) very quickly while I had no life left. I even killed two dragons in a row because the new one appeared on my way while I was still "energized" by a magical bat. The second level is very different (two wizards instead of one big dragon, just one magical mouse instead of two bats), so it seems to offer good variety compared to Night Stalker.

- Word Rockets: A shooter in which you must shoot vowels between pair of consonants to form 3-letter words. It's not that easy though because you have to grab vowels first and there are only 4 available at a time, and some words fly very fast. The game stops after 50 words anyway. I got 25.

 

I'm impressed you had the time and prescience to put down all of your thoughts on these...Of course money for me is extremely tight these days so I might as well make these games last...No need to burn through all of them in one sitting.   What helped me out was reading the instructions for the original Intellivision releases, and with that original controller (blecch!) they do seem a bit wonky.  But if the keypad is needed, you push the L/R buttons on the Evercade then select a key (A to confirm I think), so certain things do fall into place.   Oh, and the manuals that are in the box, which I keep forgetting about mainly because I didn't have the box with me that first time I played them, 

 

While I'm sure Intellivision was great back in the day (for people who owned one),  I didn't like their Anti-Atari ads, so I skipped straight to the Mighty ColecoVision after Atari...I kinda wish they'd put out a Coleco Comp, if they could get stuff like Omega Race, Gateway to Apshai, Mr. Do!,  and some Awesome homebrews (Like Sydney Hunter type games etc.)...Dare to Dream Right?

Edited April 6, 2022 by GoldLeader
Edited due to my sometimes extreme tiredness...Which causes me to leave out the obvious until later (heh)

[+Intellivision Master]

20 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

My carpal tunnel really acts up when I’m holding something heavy and thin like a Switch.

Have you tried the Switch Lite?  It's thin but wouldn't be as heavy and it's smaller.  

[+Intellivision Master]

19 hours ago, GoldLeader said:

I kinda wish they'd put out a Coleco Comp, if they could get stuff like Omega Race, Gateway to Apshai, Mr. Do!,  and some Awesome homebrews (Like Sydney Hunter type games etc.)...Dare to Dream Right?

That would be great.  

[8th lutz]

On 4/2/2022 at 4:01 PM, Reaperman said:

So I finally got my Evercade Renovation Collection in the mail yesterday, popped it in and wow, it's not great. Exile's almost unplayable due to the accept and cancel buttons almost feeling like they're on turbo-fire. Way too easy to miss dialogue or use menus.

 

I've got to be one of the last people to get their preorder (amazon), so it's weird all this stuff hasn't all been identified and ironed out. 

 

this is on the latest vs firmware, had to update that again today to see if it handles HDMI differently/better, which it doesn't.

handheld confirmation was done on somewhat older firmware before the vs changes.

 

 

The issue with Exile and Beast Wrestler has been fixed on the VS. It is part of the firmware update that also included Tapeworm: Disco Puzzle, and a new secret game. What I know is the Evercade VS system that I use was updated today.

Edited April 9, 2022 by 8th lutz

[8th lutz]

The Secrets I know are in the spoilers in terms of how to get the secret games.

Spoiler

The first secret game is you have to put in 2 game cartridges.

 

It does not include Renovation collection or Gremlin Collection 2.

 

You need to put in Piko Interactive Collection 1 and Gaelco arcade 1 in the Evercade VS.

 

I just discovered a 2nd secret game for Evercade VS on youtube. 

Spoiler

You need to press the grey square button on the Evercade VS controller without a game cartridge. I think you have to press the grey square multiple times.  It is a steam/pc game.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by 8th lutz

[+Intellivision Master]

I did the firmware update and played the free game.  It's fun.  I got a few levels in.  There's 100 levels.

[Reaperman]

13 hours ago, 8th lutz said:

The issue with Exile and Beast Wrestler has been fixed on the VS. It is part of the firmware update that also included Tapeworm: Disco Puzzle, and a new secret game. What I know is the Evercade VS system that I use was updated today.

 

Yeah, but if there's a problem so severe within the first 10 seconds of gameplay, I'd still be an idiot to put any serious time into it.  Who knows what surprises await those going a few hours in.

I had an exceptional amount of enthusiasm going into this cart, but that's largely gone, and I haven't even opened the gremlin one.

 

I do wonder if the update fixes the cart itself, since from what I understand they indeed writable like an SD card. Then at least I wouldn't need to go through the hassle up updating the handheld, just the VS.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Reaperman

[Tanooki]

Amazon being utter bungholes selling stuff they don't actually have, then not giving a date I still lack the Renovation cart. >:[

 

I wonder if they'll update the handheld firmware by then so I don't have the laggy impact.  Exile is a really nice game other than this late game bs puzzle maze of doors action area I never figured out.  The wrestling game no idea if it's fun or garbage so I'm not too worried about that one.  I'm looking to probably just force an amazon refund and get the game elsewhere, but I dislike having to pay more since they were $20 shipped, and people like Songbird want an unreasonable $8 shipping on 1 game.  Castlemania doesn't have it, best buy never got it, and funstock costs more too and ships overseas.

[+Intellivision Master]

I got my Renovation cart from Amazon.  I had it pre-ordered.  Sorry to hear that you're having trouble Tanooki.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Intellivision Master

[Tanooki]

Thanks...now I'm more pissed they pulled it.  It was in stock, it was in stock when I paid for it, then a day later or two it didn't ship and they revised it to where it sits now "temporary out of stock" for like the last 10 days I think by now.

[TheClassyGamer]

After a little while with the console now I find that my only gripes with it have to do with button mapping.

 

  It just boggles the mind that they don't allow mapping per game.

 

That may not seem like a big deal to most people, but it really kills some games for me.  I've picked up a lot of indy games on the Switch and many of them wouldn't let me remap buttons and I just end up not playing them when they are backwards to what I am used to.  It's really hard for me to get my brain to change over when things like jump and attack are reversed.

 

Also, I've been playing around with different controllers as well. I've a ps3/4 arcade stick that I like to use and getting that working took a bit of trial and error.  I'm going to try and pick up some controllers that match the systems some of the games were released on. I think that will help me out as well.

 

Other than that, it's been a very solid easy to use system.

[+jgkspsx]

They are supposedly working on mapping per game. I am looking forward to it.

[RREDDWARFF]

11 hours ago, Intellivision Master said:

I did the firmware update and played the free game.  It's fun.  I got a few levels in.  There's 100 levels.

I like it too. I passed on the 1st Indie Heros collection, but I might purchase the 2nd just to play this game.

[RREDDWARFF]

I agree, each individual game badly needs controls that can be reassigned. It's great to hear that this is happening ?

[Hydro Thunder]

12 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Amazon being utter bungholes selling stuff they don't actually have, then not giving a date I still lack the Renovation cart. >:[

 

I wonder if they'll update the handheld firmware by then so I don't have the laggy impact.  Exile is a really nice game other than this late game bs puzzle maze of doors action area I never figured out.  The wrestling game no idea if it's fun or garbage so I'm not too worried about that one.  I'm looking to probably just force an amazon refund and get the game elsewhere, but I dislike having to pay more since they were $20 shipped, and people like Songbird want an unreasonable $8 shipping on 1 game.  Castlemania doesn't have it, best buy never got it, and funstock costs more too and ships overseas.

Since Evercade still isn't fully available everywhere like it ought to be... I will just reiterate the good and the bad luck I have had with vendors.

Songbird has been great when things are in stock; the shipping is high for a single cart, sure, but supporting a small business is worth an extra few $ to me (and it should be to you too, dang it).

On that note, I have had AWFUL luck with Castlemania games, and don't recommend buying anything from them ever.  They don't respond to emails or voicemails, and I shouldn't call them a "they" since they're actually one guy trying to sound like a bigger operation than he is, selling out of his residential garage.  He takes pre-order after pre-order for tons of stuff he may never get in stock, rarely has anything to actually sell immediately since he doesn't buy more than is pre-ordered, and in sum is simply shady in tons of ways (gives first copies of items to YTers who recommend his shop, while not fulfilling paid orders, etc).  Look up google reviews, it's not kind.  A very, very poor example of a small business.

Amazon doesn't know what on earth it is doing with Evercade.

Funstock does a very good job, I have found.  I believe they've still got both Namco carts in stock (maybe not, it's day to day, but the had them as recently as a week ago), and they don't charge too much for overseas shipping to the states.  I got a defective cart from them once and they were super great about sending me a replacement.

And so far Best Buy has been fantastic, I just wish they had a better selection in stock of the cartridges and now the handheld units.

[+GoldLeader]

10 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Thanks...now I'm more pissed they pulled it.  It was in stock, it was in stock when I paid for it, then a day later or two it didn't ship and they revised it to where it sits now "temporary out of stock" for like the last 10 days I think by now.

 

So your luck with Amazon has been better than mine!  Haha!... Because they actually admitted they were Out Of Stock on something (even temporarily)!  Not for Evercade stuff, mind you...But it still sits in my mind, as if it were a recent thing when I ordered a Samurai Champloo Art Box DVD Set from Amazon.  Those were sold out everywhere...And locally I didn't want to go to FYE because they'd just decided that they were going to pull Insane Clown Posse CDs because those make people kill themselves evidently (yeah right,  you dumbF FlatEarthers).   And I don't abide censorship or retarded store policies... Anyhow I was happy to see Amazon had it,...Except they didn't,  and rather than admit they were out of stock, they sent me an email claiming I cancelled my order!   Which I did Not.   I didn't shop there for years after that.   Anyhow I generally think they're better now...But I really like the idea of supporting Songbird.  Maybe someday I'll have money again and buy some more stuff! ...