When Blaze Entertainment first revealed the up to date Evercade EXP-R and VS-R, I’ll admit I used to be sceptical. I already personal the 2022 black collector’s version EXP, the one with the Capcom video games pre-installed and a helpful TV-out port, so once I noticed the brand new mannequin had misplaced each, it felt, at first look, like a step backwards. But after spending time with each the redesigned EXP-R and its living-room counterpart, the VS-R, I’ve come to grasp Blaze hasn’t basically taken something away, it’s merely refined its imaginative and prescient.
The EXP-R is a bit of lighter than the unique EXP, making it really feel a bit of simpler within the hand. The gray shell with its black and crimson face buttons feels prefer it wandered out of the mid-’90s, a misplaced prototype someplace between a Super Nintendo and the primary PlayStation. The matte end and tighter type issue make it really feel like a real piece of retro tech moderately than a pastiche of 1, definitely deserving of a spot among the many finest retro sport consoles.
There’s a tactile honesty to its design. The D-pad has that acquainted click on of resistance that jogs my memory of outdated pads from Sega (although why we will not have Neo Geo’s microswitches in 2025 is against the law), and the triggers relaxation comfortably beneath the fingers moderately than jutting out like afterthoughts. It’s not luxurious, but it surely’s purposeful in the best way good handheld design ought to be, constructed for play, not show.
The new colourway says loads about Blaze’s confidence. Gone is the stark black collector’s look of the 2022 mannequin; as an alternative is one thing that feels hotter and extra nostalgic. There is a black mannequin with cyan buttons and accents, however the SNES-alike colourway is my decide. It feels acquainted, ticks a bit of reminiscence field, however the traces and curves of the console are all its personal.
The VS-R completes the picture
The same design language carries through to the VS-R, and together they feel like part of the same console family, something most retro collections can’t claim. The VS-R’s smooth lines and grey chassis give it a presence on the shelf that feels retro-modern, a console that could sit comfortably next to a SNES or a PS5.
I’ve found myself gravitating towards the VS-R for long sessions. The ability to load two cartridges at once means I can jump between, say, Taito Arcade 2 and an Atari collection, giving me some 20 or so games on tap without leaving the sofa. That convenience, paired with proper controllers, squared and angular, like a powered-up NES controller, makes this my preferred way to play.
There’s also something inherently satisfying about the act of swapping cartridges. In an age when most gaming happens in clouds and connected accounts, the Evercade insists on a physical connection. Each cartridge is a curated experience, a collection of classics preserved with context and care (there are even manuals explaining each game’s controls and gameplay). It’s as much about collecting as it is about playing, like crate-digging through vinyl rather than scrolling Spotify for the same songs (thanks a lot, Taylor Swift).
Playing with memories
Carts are a good mix of old classics, rarities, and new indies; a particular addiction right now is Karnov from the functionally named Windjammers, Karnov & Friends. This rare platform shooter was a game I remember fondly on the ZX Spectrum, so to play the arcade original is a joy. (Though, riffing on Rastan and featuring item management as ostrich-riding skeleton warriors attack, it’s one of the hardest and strangest games you’ll ever play.)
The first time I loaded up New Zealand Story on the Taito Arcade 2 cart, I was transported. The bright pixel art, the playful music, the gentle float of the balloon, all of it landed and took me back, but the game’s design remains supremely playable. Maybe it was the controller, maybe it was muscle memory, but for a moment, I was back in the late 1980s seaside arcade, coins stacked on the cabinet, the smell of candy floss, and the draw of a Robocop cabinet just in sight. It’s a reminder of some of the best games of the 80s, preserved in a format that makes them feel alive again.
That’s what the Evercade nails: the ritual of gaming. It’s not just about playing old games; it’s about re-experiencing the way we used to play. From sliding a cartridge into the slot to hearing the tiny click before a splash screen fades in, it’s gaming as tactile memory.
Nostalgia that doesn’t stand still
What Blaze has managed with the EXP-R and VS-R is rare. Many retro consoles try to recreate the past through emulation and nostalgia bait; these instead extend it. They feel like a companion design approach to the innovative ZX GamerCard. The Evercade ecosystem continues to expand with new curated collections and a level of polish that suggests a genuine love for gaming history, not just its aesthetics. That includes collaborations with some of the best indie game developers, ensuring fresh, inventive titles alongside the classics.
Of course, the missing TV-out on the EXP-R is a point of contention. It means the handheld is now truly a handheld, a self-contained, portable nostalgia machine. But that’s also part of Blaze’s strategy: the VS-R now handles all living-room duties, freeing the EXP-R to focus on handheld play. The logic makes sense when you live with both devices. The experience becomes complementary rather than competitive, like owning both a Game Boy and an SNES back in the day.
And the fact that the price hasn’t budged (the EXP-R is $99.99 / £99.99), in an period when all the pieces else appears to price extra, says one thing in regards to the firm’s method, pairing again pointless tech to protect entry.
The consolation of a cart click on
The Evercade EXP-R and VS-R aren’t excellent, however they don’t have to be. They’re tactile, deliberate, and, most significantly, enjoyable. In a world of fixed patches, digital logins, and streaming subscriptions, one thing is refreshing a few cartridge click on and a start-up chime.
They remind me that the way forward for retro gaming isn’t nearly remastering and remaking, emulation and recreation (the wonderful AntStream Arcade does this on modern consoles and PC), it’s about sensation, the feel of holding history in your hands. Blaze’s redesigned retro console duo proves that nostalgia, when treated with respect and craft, isn’t a retreat into the past but a guidepost for a fun future.