Evercade VS

Last updated
Evercade VS
Evercade VS logo.svg
Evercade vs with 1 gamepad.png
DeveloperBlaze Entertainment
Product familyEvercade Series
Type Video game console
Generation Eighth
Release dateDecember 2021 (2021-12)
AvailabilityCurrently active
Introductory price£89.99/$99 (basic)
£109/$129 (premium)
Media ROM cartridge
Operating system Linux based
System on a chip Rockchip RK3328
CPU ARM Cortex-A53 quad-core processor @ 1.5Ghz
Memory512MB (DRAM DDR3)
Storage4GB
Display1.1kg
Controller inputEvercade VS Licensed Controllers (Supports Evercade as a controller and Wired USB controllers)
CameraNone
TouchpadNone
Connectivity Wi-Fi
Power Micro USB
Current firmwarev3.0.4 (as of Jul 1, 2023)
Backward
compatibility 		Most Evercade cartridges
Predecessor Evercade
SuccessorEvercade EXP
Related Evercade Handheld
Website www.evercade.co.uk

Evercade VS is a video game console developed by UK company Blaze Entertainment. It is an upgraded home console version of the original Evercade handheld that introduces multiplayer functionality. It was released in December 2021 in Europe, and on 25 February 2022 in the United States.

Contents

History

On 26 March 2021, Blaze Entertainment announced that a product known as the Evercade VS would be revealed on 23 April 2021. After much speculation about what the product may be, [1] the company revealed a backwards-compatible home console version of the Evercade handheld with the addition of multiplayer. [2] The Evercade VS was originally scheduled to release on 3 November 2021. [3] However, it was delayed due to the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis. It received a European release in mid-December 2021, [4] [5] while the U.S. release occurred on February 25, 2022. [6]

A Starter Pack retails for £89 or $99, and includes the console, a controller, and one cartridge. A Premium Pack adds an additional controller and cartridge for £109 or $129. [7] [6]

On April 16th 2024, Blaze Entertainment announced that the console would be discontinued and replaced with a cheaper revision called the Evercade VS-R. It will release in July 2024 and retail for £89 or $99. This revision will use the same hardware but includes different games and a differently coloured console. [8]

Hardware

The Evercade VS features an ARM Cortex-A53 [9] 1.5 GHz quad-core processor backed by 512MB of DRAM and 4GB of internal storage. [10] A version of Linux is used as the base for its operating system. [9] The console also features Wi-Fi connectivity exclusively for firmware updates and bug fixes. [7] It is capable of 1080p output via HDMI, [11] compared with the handheld's 720p output. [12] It is powered through a USB plug. [13] [12]

The console introduces multiplayer functionality through four controller ports. [14] Evercade VS controllers use USB plug-ins, [12] [5] and the console also supports third-party USB controllers, including wireless ones. [5] [15] [7] In addition, the Evercade handheld can be connected to the console and used as a controller, with the use of a special cable. [12] [7] Unlike the handheld, the VS controller features two additional shoulder buttons and a menu button. [15]

The console contains two cartridge slots, [16] allowing for the game libraries of two cartridges to be shown onscreen simultaneously for faster selection. [6] The cartridge slot is covered by a small flap, resembling the design of the Nintendo Entertainment System. [17] [12]

Games

The Evercade VS is backwards-compatible with all Evercade cartridges except Namco Collections 1 and 2 because those collections were only licensed for handheld use. [18] [19] Blaze hopes to expand the license to achieve full compatibility soon. [16] All future games will be compatible between both Evercade consoles. [7] Games can be sorted by title, release date, or number of players on the main console menu. [7] [20] [15] Games offer save states, allowing players to resume where they left off. [17] [12] The console has several aspect ratios, and screen options such as scanlines. [6] [13] [7]

Reception

The Evercade VS received generally positive reviews. [20] [5] [15] [21] Steven Petite of GameSpot called it "a wonderful little retro console" with a "great" design and a large game library. [12] Andrew Webster of The Verge praised the addition of multiplayer, and wrote that like the original Evercade, the VS is "still niche and aimed at a very specific audience — and still does its job very well". [13]

However, Chris Scullion of Video Games Chronicle wrote that the console's main issue "is that it only really appeals to a very particular niche and is unlikely to ever see mass appeal as a result". He also found the console to be "exceptionally light, to the extent that it feels cheaply made". [6] Other reviewers were critical of the controllers. [17] [7] [20] [21] Matthew Adler of IGN wrote that the plastic build quality of the controllers "is on par with a child’s toy," stating that they feel "completely hollow when held". [7] Mike Fahey of Kotaku also referred to the controllers as "lightweight plastic, like children’s toys", writing, "The buttons are crisp and responsive, but the overall hollow feel keeps putting me off". [21] James Trew of Engadget stated, "The general design is fine and comfortable, but it doesn’t feel quite as ergonomic as the handheld or other controllers". [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Boy Advance</span> Handheld game console by Nintendo

The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2001, and in mainland China as iQue Game Boy Advance on June 8, 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handheld game console</span> Portable self-contained video game console

A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the console, screen, speakers, and controls in one unit, allowing players to carry them and play them at any time or place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video game console</span> Computer system for running video games

A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a television or other display devices and controlled with a separate game controller, or handheld consoles, which include their own display unit and controller functions built into the unit and which can be played anywhere. Hybrid consoles combine elements of both home and handheld consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home video game console</span> Stationary video game console

A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. While initial consoles were dedicated units with only a few games fixed into the electronic circuits of the system, most consoles since support the use of swappable game media, either through game cartridges, optical discs, or through digital distribution to internal storage.

In video gaming, famiclone is a term used to refer to a hardware clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known in Japan as the Family Computer or Famicom. They are designed to replicate the workings of, and play games designed for the NES and Famicom. Hundreds of unauthorized clones and unlicensed game copies have been made available since the height of the NES popularity in the late 1980s. The technology employed in such clones has evolved over the years: while the earliest clones feature a printed circuit board containing custom or third party integrated circuits (ICs), more recent (post-1996) clones utilize single-chip designs, with a custom ASIC which simulates the functionality of the original hardware, and often includes one or more on-board games. Most devices originate in China and Taiwan, and less commonly South Korea. Outside China and Taiwan, they are mostly widespread across emerging markets of developing countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ROM cartridge</span> Replaceable device used for the distribution and storage of video games

A ROM cartridge, usually referred to in context simply as a cartridge, cart, or card, is a replaceable part designed to be connected to a consumer electronics device such as a home computer, video game console or, to a lesser extent, electronic musical instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retro Duo</span> Handheld game console

The Retro Duo is a handheld game console developed by Retro-Bit and distributed by Innex, Inc. It plays game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It plays North American, European and Japanese games and has the highest compatibility of any other clone system. S-video is compatible when playing SNES games. The console is not licensed by Nintendo and it's not fully compatible with every game released for the two game systems, but the majority of games function properly. While it has only been released in Canada and the United States, it can still be used in Europe and Japan with a power plug adapter. The console is compatible with official and third party SNES controllers.

The eighth generation of video game consoles began in 2012, and consists of four home video game consoles: the Wii U released in 2012, the PlayStation 4 family in 2013, the Xbox One family in 2013, and the Nintendo Switch family in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Gadget</span> Open source handheld game console

The Game Gadget is an open source gaming handheld that supports music and video playback, open game development, and some e-reader features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo Geo X</span> Handheld game console

The Neo Geo X (NGX) is a hybrid video game console manufactured by Tommo, licensed by SNK Playmore. Information about the Neo Geo X was first reported in January 2012 and later confirmed in March. It is the first Neo Geo system to be released since the discontinuation of the brand in 2004 and the third Neo Geo handheld console, following the 1999 release of the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which was supported until 2001.

RetroN is a series of video game consoles created and developed by Hyperkin which allows users to play video games from consoles such as the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super NES. Since the release of the RetroN 5, they have been connected via HDMI. The latest in the series, RetroN Sq, was released in 2021.

The Analogue Nt Mini is a video game console designed and manufactured by Analogue It was designed to play games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Famicom, like the original Analogue Nt. Unlike the former, the Nt Mini uses an FPGA for processing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari VCS (2021 console)</span> Video game console developed by Atari

The Atari VCS is a home video game console produced by Atari, Inc. While its exterior encasing design is intended to pay homage to the Atari 2600, the new Atari VCS plays modern games and streaming entertainment via a Linux-based operating system called AtariOS that will allow users to download and install other compatible games, including those compatible with Windows 10. The system shares a name with Atari, Inc.'s 1977 Video Computer System, usually shortened to VCS, which was renamed to the Atari 2600 in late 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Nt</span> Home video game console by Analogue

The Analogue Super Nt is an FPGA-based home video game console designed and manufactured by Analogue It is designed to be compatible with games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Analogue Pocket</span> Handheld game console developed by Analogue, Inc.

The Analogue Pocket is a field-programmable gate array-based handheld game console designed and manufactured by Analogue; it was announced on October 16, 2019 and released on December 13, 2021. It is designed to play games for handhelds of the fourth generation of video game consoles and earlier generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evercade</span> Handheld game console

The Evercade is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by UK company Blaze Entertainment. It focuses on retrogaming with ROM cartridges that each contain a number of emulated games. Development began in 2018, and the console was released in May 2020, after a few delays. Upon its launch, the console offered 10 game cartridges with a combined total of 122 games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polymega</span> Home video game console

Polymega is a home video game console developed by American company Playmaji, Inc. It is a retro gaming console offering backwards compatibility with several CD-based platforms: PlayStation, TurboGrafx-CD, Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, and Sega Saturn. It also supports cartridge-based platforms, including Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, Sega 32X, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and Nintendo 64. It includes a built-in CD drive, while separate add-ons known as Element Modules provide support for cartridge-based games.

The Ayn Odin is an Android-based handheld video game console created in China by the company Ayn. A retrogaming emulation and mobile gaming console, it is slightly smaller than the Nintendo Switch. It was released in three models of increasing price, the Lite, Base, and Pro. The product of a successful Indiegogo campaign, it was critically praised at the time of release as one of the most powerful handheld consoles for the price, able to reliably play games from the sixth generation of home consoles. A successor, named the Ayn Odin 2 was released in fall 2023.

The Super Pocket is a handheld game console developed by Hyper Mega Tech!, a brand of UK company Blaze Entertainment. In addition to built-in collections of retro video games, the console features a cartridge slot and is compatible with all of Blaze's Evercade cartridges, despite not being branded as an Evercade device. The console was released on 14 November 2023.

References

  1. ↑ McFerran, Damien. "There's Another Evercade Console In The Works". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ↑ Liszewski, Andrew. "The Evercade VS Console Puts Hundreds of Retro Games on the Big Screen Without the Hassle of Emulation". Gizmodo. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Faulkner, Cameron. "Evercade is making a retro console for your TV called the VS". The Verge. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (12 October 2021). "Evercade VS delayed". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Russell, Graham (28 November 2021). "Review: Evercade VS Brings its Retro Cartridge Library to the Big Screen". Siliconera. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Scullion, Chris (28 February 2022). "Review: The Evercade Vs is a solid retro system but we're not sure who it's for". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Adler, Matthew (5 November 2021). "Evercade VS Review". IGN. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  8. ↑ EVERCADE (2024-04-16). "New hardware, new lower price! Introducing Evercade EXP-R and Evercade VS-R". Evercade. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  9. 1 2 "Evercade Review: Blaze Entertainment Hits the Nostalgia Sweet Spot – Review Geek". www.reviewgeek.com. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  10. ↑ "Can the Evercade VS Fulfill Your Retro Gaming Dreams?". MUO. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Evercade VS Console: Everything You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Petite, Steven (24 January 2022). "Evercade VS Review: Joyous Nostalgia". GameSpot. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 Webster, Andrew (25 November 2021). "Evercade VS is a retro console that turns your living room into an arcade". The Verge. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  14. ↑ Russell, Graham (5 December 2021). "Evercade and Evercade VS Games: What You Should Play". Siliconera. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 McFerran, Damien (22 October 2021). "Hardware: Evercade VS Review - A Low-Cost Gateway To Past Nintendo Classics And Much More Besides". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  16. 1 2 Buckley, Sean. "Evercade VS is a modern retro game console with two cartridge slots". CNET. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 Greenwald, Will (17 November 2021). "Evercade Vs. Premium Pack Review". PCMag. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  18. ↑ Scullion, Chris. "Blaze announces the new Evercade VS home console". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "The new Retro Gamer goes hands-on with the Evercade VS console". GamesRadar. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Trew, James (12 November 2021). "The Evercade VS captures the spirit of retro gaming". Engadget. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  21. 1 2 3 Fahey, Mike (22 November 2021). "The Evercade VS Recaptures That Cartridge Game Magic". Kotaku. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.