QuickTake: Evercade Nexus handheld announced with a Banjo-Kazooie double pack, and I'm tempted
Pre-orders open April 1, available in October
Blaze Entertainment has announced a new handheld for its Evercade retro console lineup that features a bright 5.89-inch screen, dual analogue sticks, along with a Banjo-Kazooie double pack cartridge - and for the first time, I'm tempted.
Available from October, you can pre-order it from April 1 for $199.99 / £169.99 / €199.99. Instead of the Game Boy-inspired design we've seen from Evercade before, the Nexus looks like a mix between a Nintendo 64 and a Sony PS Vita. Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie have been modified to take advantage of the bigger screen, too, with widescreen support and the ability to control the camera with the dual analogue sticks.
The Nexus also features a brand new sharing/local multiplayer feature, called EverSync. Players can wirelessly beam a game from their Nexus to another Nexus with just one cartridge, and play local multiplayer. This doesn't require a Wi-Fi or internet connection.
Despite Banjo-Kazooie already being available via the Rare Edition Super Pocket handheld, this double-pack features heavily updated versions of both titles to take advantage of the Nexus, with Banjo-Tooie as an extra treat.
But that's not all. A Funstock Evercade Nexus 64 Edition is now available to pre-order from Funstock.co.uk and Funstockusa.com for $229.99 / £189.99 / €229.99, and it's limited to 2000 units. The design is reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 console with its red and green buttons, as well as a hard shell case, a screen protector, and a collectible box with a numbered certificate.
Evercade also says that the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge will be available separately later this year.
I've been a fan of Evercade for a few years now. Having released a bunch of consoles and handhelds that use its own proprietary cartridges, Blaze has been pushing game preservation via Evercade in impressive ways. You can buy collections featuring Duke Nukem, Legacy of Kain, Tomb Raider, and more.
Admittedly, I've been waiting for an Evercade handheld that features a better screen. Having watched plenty of videos of games like Tomb Raider: Chronicles and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver being played, it felt like a bigger screen on the go would have been more alluring to players of old and new - myself included.
So the Evercade Nexus feels like a wish being fulfilled. Its 5.89-inch 840×512 IPS high-resolution screen will be brighter than the Evercade EXP-R, but time will tell if the Nexus’ display will be sharper. than TATE button, which can flip games into portrait mode, is a smart idea and looks great here. EverSync also sounds interesting, though Blaze hasn't revealed if this will be coming to other Evercade products down the line.
At the moment, though, the Evercade Nexus seems like the handheld that fans have been waiting for. It looks modern and feels as if it's a statement of what Blaze has taken on board from its fans, such as the screen, form factor, and more. But with a six-month wait until the Nexus is available, I'm curious as to how Blaze will keep up the momentum across the year.
Specs
Evercade Nexus - W215mm x H111mm x D34mm – 410g
Colour - Black
Controls - Dual Analogue Sticks, D-Pad and Face Buttons, Rear Bumper and Trigger buttons, Texture Grip on Rear for Comfort
Screen - 5.89-inch 840×512 IPS high resolution screen with 500+ nit brightness
Processor - Quad Core 1.5Ghz
Memory - 4GB EMMC RAM
Connectivity - Wireless headphone support
WiFi - WiFi 6 5Ghz/2.4Ghz for console updates
Battery - 5+ hour 5000mAh battery
Charging - USB-C (cable included). 5v 2a required for charging (mains adaptor not included)
Cartridge - Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack included, featuring Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie
Local Multiplayer - EverSync connectivity (Another Evercade Nexus required)
Extras - Customisable RGB Light-up Logo, TATE Mode for vertical screen gaming
