Posting this a day ahead, so get ready for the Evercade second birthday and some new announcements during Blaze's celebratory video event. Head over to rumour central to see what could be on the cards, or come up with your own dream list of carts.  The event goes live 5PM UK time on Tuesday, and don't be late! Any guesses? I wonder if the Intellivision Amico project that has apparently tanked might mean plenty more of that platform's games looking for a home. Then there's the ongoing rumour list to which I'd love to tack on some SNK titles and Hamster's Arcade Archive roster.  Do tweet us with anything you'd like to see. An immersive play environment with sticky carpet and the reek of cigarette smoke? Who knows! 

 With pre-orders going live in May, July will see a nostalgic trip to the arcades a Jaleco 1 and Gaelco 2 bringing another bunch of retro fun for Evercade owners. I'm most looking forward to P-47: The Phantom Fighter from Jaleco and Thunder Hoop 2 from Gaelco.  Mixing in a dash of beat 'em ups, shooters, platform, puzzle and sports games, it looks like a great set of titles, as well as the chance to compare between console and arcade versions of games like E.D.F. Earth Defence Force.  Rod Land The Astyanax Saint Dragon (which some of you guessed from our teaser) 64th Street: A Detective Story E.D.F. Earth Defence Force Avenging Spirit CyBattler P-47: The Phantom Fighter Big Karnak Maniac Square Squash TH Strikes Back: Thunder Hoop 2 Touch and Go World Rally 2

 This was likely to happen thanks to the connectivity of the Evercade VS console. Blaze has just announced that owners can get a game per month over the rest of the year for free, with the collection being available for original Evercade owners at the end of the year as the Indie Heroes Collection 2.  The first game on the list is Tapeworm Disco Puzzle from LowTek, from the press release... "Hot off the heels of the incredibly successful Flea!, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle is a grid-based single-player puzzle game. You play as the titular tapeworm who is a nightclub owner making sure that the customers (the fleas) are having a good time. Going through the grid you will collect the musical notes and keep the party going, whilst also helping the fleas have a little red-coloured refreshment." This along with the hidden games when owners insert two carts and likely a few other tricks down the line, make the Evercade VS all the more fun. This initiative kicks of on April 7th, time to...

 The first new announcement of 2022 hopefully is the start of a busy year for Evercade, but - really - we're happy with whatever comes our way. That said, the Morphcat Games Collection 1, number 25 for those counting, only comes with three 8-bit indie games, which is a bit limp compared to most carts.  Those games, from the German developer, are Micro Mages (with a Second Quest expansion), Böbl and Spacegulls, plus a demo for Super Bat Puncher. On the plus side, they look and sound pretty good for modern NES-style games, but its not exactly what you'd call a variety pack.  Check out the full release list here .  Micro Mages does come with a rare Evercade feature, supporting up to four players, which will be cool for VS owners. At least with only a few games on offer, we get a good look at them in the new trailer.  Morphcat Games Collection 1 will be available from May 31st, 2022, with pre-orders available at the end of March. 

While it makes sense for the Evercade Vs to have a shiny new firmware and interface for use on a big-screen TV, I never really considered it coming to the handheld model. But here it is, bringing many of the improvements to the small screen, with a clearer game view that's easier to sort...  The opportunity to read in detail about each game and jump in at your last save point, which makes it easier to keep that previous high score in view.  There's also an easier overview of the controls for games you are not familiar with, which is vital as more 16-bit and keyboard or mouse-heavy games make the translation to the Evercade's few keys.  Other benefits include in-game display options with interlacing modes, and original, pixel perfect or fullscreen zoom mode to make it easier to enjoy your retro gaming however you fancy. There's also a range of bezel displays and other tweaks in there! All good stuff and a quick update away. Note there's a hotfix 2.0.1 patch to fix a...

 Gremlin Graphics were massive in the home computer age, with many of their games looking great on console. A mixed bag of sport, strategy, arcade and puzzler, across the 8-bit, 16- and 32-bit eras, hopefully Evercade cart no. 24 is only the first from Gremlin, as there are many more games across the company's history I'd love to see.  Zool was blistering bright at the time and the Actua series was a great run across many sports before EA turned up and ruined most series with its licensing clout. The cartridge will be available to pre-order from December 15th and is out on March 31st 2022, with the usual caveat of possible delays.   Hardcore 4*4 could be the most visually taxing game on the Evercade yet, and Utopia will be "interesting" to play on a control pad. Also, Premier Manager could easily eat up as much time as Football Manager did on my PSP. Full list of games: • Zool (SNES) • Actua Soccer (PlayStation)  • Premier Manager 97 (Mega Drive)  • Ha...

Back in the day for some, tips magazines and hotlines were the only way to get past a boss or find a really tricky secret. There's a great story of what it was like to be on the receiving end of those calls during the heady days of the Nintendo Hotline , a time before the massed automated services with premium rate numbers.  Since then, the Internet has made everything so much easier to find, if you can ignore the toxic crap in any comments feed. But, Evercade isn't like that and publisher Blaze has dropped a new phone line to keep fans in the loop.  Folks in the UK can call 0845 561 5601, whilst international fans can call 0044 1462 222016 to access the Evercade Tips Hotline. Calls to the number will cost only 2p per minute plus the service provider's access charge. Callers can get the latest news, tips and secrets (perhaps including codes for the Secrets menu on the Vs model).

Even with physical carts, nothing in our digital world is forever. Evercade signed licensing deals with many producers or publishers, with varying terms and conditions. We already know the Namco carts won't work on the Vs console because they were licensed for portable play only. And now it transpires those licenses expire next June, so both game carts will go out of production.  Also facing a similar fate are Technos Collection 1 and The Oliver Twins Collection, which vanish in March 2022. The rule here is buy them if you don't own them, and then buy a few spares just in case they become highly collectable in years to come. Unlikely, but you never know.  Evercade explained in a blog posts that "while we’ve attempted to re-negotiate and keep things available at every turn, contracts do expire, and our partners do change their licensing strategies which can lead to extensions not being possible. There are also deals that were made for exclusive purposes and were limited-tim...

Since day one, the Evercade has borrowed its colour scheme from Nintendo, and is going a step further with a new limited edition handheld model that borrows a purplish tint from the Game Boy Advance or GameCube.  Available only from Funstock and limited to 1,000 units, with some goodies but no games. It costs only £79.99 until December when it goes up to £99, if there are any left (unlikely). Update, less than 50% stock available. The news comes as the first batches of Evercade VS founder-edition consoles land in the UK for shipment, and the company unleashes a new mascot, Cadey, with the usual range of merch to help hype the Evercade cause.  As the Evercade family continues to grow, available in black, white and purple... who knows what shade will appear next. 

The Evercade VS should have launched today, but most of us are sitting here twiddling our handhelds for another month.  To make the delay a little easier, or the pain a little worse depending on how you look at it, Evercade has a new video of the VS in action to check out, showing off multiplayer games and a bit more of the Evercade lifestyle. 

Despite the delay to December or beyond, I'm still very much looking forward to the Evercade VS edition and the new features on offer. Blaze has a new video up showing off the user interface, improved save features and other goodies for the big-screen version of the console.  Perhaps the most important feature is the Pixel Perfect screen mode to deliver that original arcade experience, along with the CRT scanline filter of your choice. I'm also big on the more readable information and controls image, that were usually rather dinky on the printed manuals.  Starting with the Last Save option is also a good move, helping get to that level players were stuck on rather than wading through the start sequence. The save menu also has screens showing where we had got to, for when we come to back a game after some time away.  There's still plenty more to see, and those full arcade game collections  on the way. Can't wait to find out what's on that Secret menu... 

Bad news for a console launch is never a good thing, although delays are to be expected in the current world supply crisis. However, when you are sat at home playing CJ's Elephant Antics and shooting poodles with peanuts on an OG Evercade, the blow is a little softer.  Still it looks there's a month or so delay for EU orders including the Founders edition, with the US shipments dropping to January. Missing Christmas is probably way more annoying and I feel for those missing out, especially with the game delay too.  On the plus side, new carts are being announced in December and a LE handheld version is on the way too.  The official word is "Many people are aware of the increased pressure that has affected lorry freight, congestion at ports, and the shipping lines to get stock around the world. Like many other companies, we have to rely on this infrastructure to get you your console. Over the past 3 months, this situation has become very challenging and despite the best pl...