Evercade is a promising handheld system for retro enthusiasts

The Evercade is a retro handheld which looks to solve a lot of the issues that systems of its type have suffered from in the past. Pre-orders are set to go live next week, and – from what I’ve seen – it seems to be a solid option for retro enthusiasts.

Whereas a lot of retro handhelds are held back by their inability to play more than the games they come pre-installed with, the Evercade’s cartridge-based library allows you to expand your collection well beyond the 9 cartridges available at launch.

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Interestingly, the Evercade also won’t be limited to playing the games of the past, as it’s already partnered with indie developer Mega Cat Studios (Log Jammers, Almost Hero) to bring some all-new games to the system. You can expect to hear more about these indie partnerships in the near future.

After looking at some product shots, I was originally a little concerned that it’d be a bit on the small side. In reality, though, it boasts a 4.3” screen – roughly the size of the original PSP. That’s not bad at all for most of these older games. 

One huge plus for me is that it offers full HDMI connectivity, with HD up-scaling on all games. This basically means you can easily play your collection on your TV at home. There’s also a dedicated save button, meaning you can save your game at any point and pick up where you left off with minimal fuss. And you won't need to worry about burning through a silly number of AAAs, as it comes with a built-in rechargeable battery which lasts for up to 4 hours.

Each cartridge will feature between 6 and 20 games. For the collectors out there, they’ll also all come in numbered cases. Some of these include Atari (Asteroids, Centipede, and Pong), Interplay (Earthworm Jim and Clayfighter), and Namco Museum (Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, and Galaxian). There are currently over 100 games confirmed for the system, and you can check out the full list here.

It sounds less like a novelty device and more like a long-term, reliable home for your favourite retro classics. If you’re interested in finding out more, you can make a quick trip to the Evercade’s official site. Pre-orders go live on September 6th, and it’ll be priced at £59.99 or your regional equivalent, with cartridges costing £14.99 each.