The Evercade EXP-R handheld and Evercade VS-R home console are available to preorder now at Amazon for the budget-friendly price of $100 each. Both of the new cartridge-based retro devices release July 31 and are compatible with the existing, and quite expansive, Evercade cartridge library. The EXP-R and VS-R come bundled with the upcoming Tomb Raider Collection cartridge, which compiles iconic heroine Lara Croft’s first three adventures. Existing Evercade owners can preorder Tomb Raider Collection separately for $25. New accessories, including an ergonomic grip for the Evercade EXP and EXP-R and additional VS-R controllers, are available to preorder, too.
Evercade products tend to be popular on Amazon, and stock is typically limited, so we’d recommend preordering the new systems and accessories soon, if interested. This thought also applies to those who only need Tomb Raider Collection, especially since Tomb Raider is such a big name–similar to Duke Nukem Collections 1 and 2, which regularly sell out on Amazon.
The EXP-R is the third Evercade portable–or fourth, if you count the spin-off Super Pockets–and the VS-R is the second home console from Evercade. Both devices have charcoal gray color schemes with turquoise accents.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Evercade family of systems, it’s a retro gaming platform that lets you play over 50 cartridge-based collections. The original Evercade handheld released back in 2020, and Blaze Entertainment has iterated on the Evercade hardware multiple times since, including with the Evercade VS home console, Evercade EXP handheld, and last year’s spin-off $60 handhelds, the Taito and Capcom Super Pockets.
$100
The lower price on the Evercade EXP-R is a pretty enticing part of the refresh, as the existing Evercade EXP costs $150. The Evercade EXP will still be the premier handheld in the Evercade lineup in some respects, but the EXP-R has the same premium design for the most part. The two notable omissions with the EXP-R: You will not get the 18 built-in Capcom games, and the EXP-R drops the HDMI output, which means you cannot connect it to your TV. The EXP-R, however, will add a new textured grip that could make it more comfortable than the original EXP.
Outside of those differences, the EXP-R will have the same integral functionality, including Wi-Fi support for firmware updates and a 4.3-inch IPS screen. The EXP-R supports TATE mode, which lets turn the handheld to the side to play vertical-oriented arcade games in the proper aspect ratio. Evercade is releasing the TATE Grip alongside the handheld to offer better ergonomics while playing vertical-oriented games,. The grip comes in either white (matches the EXP) or black (matches the EXP-R). Current Evercade EXP owners may want to preorder one, as the D-pad and bonus A and B buttons for TATE mode are (understandably) a bit cramped. The grip looks like it will make a big difference in comfort.
$100
The VS-R, meanwhile, is a home console that can connect to your TV and supports 1080p output. The VS-R includes one controller, and additional VS-R controllers can be purchased separately for $25 each. Like the VS, the VS-R has two cartridge slots, and there are exclusive secrets to be found by utilizing this feature on either home console. Outside of the refreshed look, the VS-R is the same console with the same feature set as the original VS.
Side note: It’s worth noting that some third-party controllers work with the VS, and you can even establish a wireless connection. If you’d prefer a wireless connection, one extremely handy device to have is 8BitDo’s Wireless USB Adapter 2. We’ve paired this dongle with the 8BitDo Lite controller, and it worked great. That adapter is good to have in general, as it opens up the ability to use unsupported controllers on a wide variety of consoles, including Xbox wireless controllers on Switch.
Evercade’s library has grown to over 500 retro games across 50 cartridges, so if you’re looking for an official way to play some of the most iconic games of the past few decades, these cartridge-based gadgets are certainly worth considering. We’ve reviewed the Evercade EXP, Evercade VS, and Super Pocket. You can check out those reviews below. You can also head over to Amazon to take a look at existing cartridge compilations, which start at $20.
