When Blaze Entertainment first revealed the updated Evercade EXP-R and VS-R, I’ll admit I was sceptical. I already own the 2022 black collector’s edition EXP, the one with the Capcom games pre-installed and a handy TV-out port, so when I saw the new model had lost both, it felt, at first glance, like a step backwards. But after spending time with both the redesigned EXP-R and its living-room counterpart, the VS-R, I’ve come to realise Blaze hasn’t fundamentally taken anything away, it’s simply refined its vision.
The EXP-R is a little lighter than the original EXP, making it feel a little easier in the hand. The grey shell with its black and red face buttons feels like it wandered out of the mid-’90s, a lost prototype somewhere between a Super Nintendo and the first PlayStation. The matte finish and tighter form factor make it feel like a genuine piece of retro tech rather than a pastiche of one, certainly deserving of a spot among the best retro game consoles.
There’s a tactile honesty to its design. The D-pad has that familiar click of resistance that reminds me of old pads from Sega (though why we can't have Neo Geo's microswitches in 2025 is a crime), and the triggers rest comfortably under the fingers rather than jutting out like afterthoughts. It’s not luxurious, but it’s functional in the way good handheld design should be, built for play, not display.
The new colourway says a lot about Blaze’s confidence. Gone is the stark black collector’s look of the 2022 model; in its place is something that feels warmer and more nostalgic. There is a black model with cyan buttons and accents, but the SNES-alike colourway is my pick. It feels familiar, ticks a little memory box, but the lines and curves of the console are all its own.
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 era when everything else seems to cost more, says something about the company’s approach, pairing back unnecessary tech to preserve access.
The comfort of a cart click
The Evercade EXP-R and VS-R aren’t perfect, but they don’t need to be. They’re tactile, deliberate, and, most importantly, fun. In a world of constant patches, digital logins, and streaming subscriptions, something is refreshing about a cartridge click and a start-up chime.
They remind me that the future of retro gaming isn’t just about remastering and remaking, emulation and recreation (the excellent 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.
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