Evercade VS

Lore & Background

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

The console features an ARM Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 512MB of DRAM, and 4GB of internal storage. A version of Linux is used as the base for its operating system. Wi-Fi connectivity is included exclusively for firmware updates and bug fixes. The console is capable of 1080p output via HDMI and is powered through a USB plug. It introduces multiplayer functionality through four controller ports; controllers use USB plug-ins, and the console supports third-party USB controllers, including wireless ones. The Evercade handheld can be connected to the console and used as a controller with a special cable. The VS controller features two additional shoulder buttons and a menu button compared to the handheld. The console contains two cartridge slots, allowing game libraries from two cartridges to be shown onscreen simultaneously. The cartridge slot is covered by a small flap, resembling the design of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

On April 16, 2024, Blaze Entertainment announced that the console would be discontinued and replaced with a cheaper revision called the Evercade VS-R, released in July 2024. This revision uses the same hardware but includes different games and a differently coloured console, and received different colour variants in 2025.

Reader's Guide

The Evercade VS is backwards-compatible with all Evercade cartridges except for Namco Museum Collections 1 and 2, which were only licensed for handheld use; Blaze hopes to expand the license to achieve full compatibility. Games can be sorted by title, release date, or number of players on the main console menu, and offer save states. The console has several aspect ratios and screen options such as scanlines. 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. The Evercade VS received generally positive reviews. Steven Petite of GameSpot called it 'a wonderful little retro console' with a 'great' design and a large game library. Andrew Webster of The Verge praised the addition of multiplayer, writing that like the original Evercade, the VS is 'still niche and aimed at a very specific audience — and still does its job very well'. 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', and found the console 'exceptionally light, to the extent that it feels cheaply made'. Other reviewers were critical of the controllers: Matthew Adler of IGN wrote that the plastic build quality 'is on par with a child's toy,' stating they feel 'completely hollow when held'. Mike Fahey of Kotaku 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'. 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'.

Did You Know?

• The Evercade VS was originally scheduled for release on 3 November 2021 but was delayed due to the global supply chain crisis.
• The Evercade VS was discontinued in April 2024 and replaced by the Evercade VS-R revision in July 2024.