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[Agent X]

Blaze Entertainment has announced that the Evercade EXP system will include 18 Capcom games built into the system.

The full games list is:

• 1942 (Arcade version)
• 1943 (Arcade version)
• 1944 : The Loop Master (Arcade version)
• Bionic Commando™ (Arcade version)
• Captain Commando™ (Arcade version)
• Commando™ (Arcade version)
• Final Fight™ (Arcade version)
• Forgotten Worlds™ (Arcade version)
• Ghouls ‘n Ghosts™ (Arcade version)
• Legendary Wings™ (Arcade version)
• MERCS (Arcade version)
• Street Fighter II’: Hyper Fighting (Arcade version)
• Strider (Arcade version)
• Vulgus™ (Arcade version)
• Mega Man (8-bit)
• Mega Man 2 (8-bit)
• Mega Man X (16-bit)
• Breath of Fire (16-bit)

Utilizing the new Evercade EXP TATE feature, many vertical games will be playable the way they should be played, including scrolling shooters like 1942 and 1943 and vertical run and gun games like Commando and MERCS.

The games will all be able to use the same great features as everything else on Evercade so you’ll be able to use save states, bezels, and scanlines – just like any other Evercade game. You’ll also be able to play them on your TV via the mini HDMI out at 720p.

As the games are builtin, there is no physical cartridge for this collection, but a physical manual for the collection will be included in the box.

More information can be found at the following blog post from the official Evercade site:

CAPCOM IS COMING BUILT-IN TO EVERCADE EXP! - Evercade

That’s right – 18 amazing games from the legendary publisher have been revealed as the bonus content for the new Evercade EXP handheld console. It’s time to insert your coins,...

evercade.co.uk

 

[West Texas CEO]

 

[TLZ]

No cartridge goes against what they do.

 

[Lone Wolf]

No cartridge goes against what they do.

Agreed. I have the Evercade console and all the cartridges. Digital only is disappointing.

 

[Agent X]

No cartridge goes against what they do.

Agreed. I have the Evercade console and all the cartridges. Digital only is disappointing.

I generally agree, also. Technically, this is a physical release...it's just that they built a whole system to contain it.

I own the original Evercade handheld, and I would have also liked to be able to purchase this collection as a cartridge. It's clear they're using this as an incentive to sell the Evercade EXP. By building the games into the system (rather than having a bundled cartridge), the purchaser of the system would lose the ability to resell the cartridge to another user.

My guess is that these games will remain exclusive to the Evercade EXP for a period of time, but that eventually they will offer one or more cartridges containing these games, so that users of the original handheld or the Evercade VS could get in on the action. There are several games on here that have multiplayer modes. I'm sure a lot of Evercade VS users would like to be able to enjoy those modes, especially considering that the original handheld and the EXP don't have multiplayer capabilities. If that does happen, I predict that they'll spread these games on at least two separate cartridges, and toss in some additional Capcom games to bulk up the collections some more (and also give EXP users an incentive to purchase the cartridges).

Speaking of releasing Evercade games digitally, Blaze has already done this with their "Game of the Month" program for the Evercade VS. They've also stated that those games will later be compiled and released on an "Indie Heroes Collection 2" cartridge. That's why I have some hope that these Capcom games will also be sold separately on cartridges at a later time.

 

[MrMephistoX]

Tbh steam deck seems like the safer route to ensure continued future proofing. I’m not even taking emulators (thought that’s a bonus) but things like the Capcom Arcade Collection, Fighting Collection, TMNT and others you can buy legitimately on steam sale…Switch too but I trust Nintendo a lot less given how shitty long term support has been on BC and their eShop.

 

[00_Zer0]

I wish there were future physical releases planned for those games. They could release them in 2 or 3 volumes. That way they would be available for Evercsde VS too. They should not keep these games locked to the EXP.

The Tate mode games could be played on the VS. All they would have to do is update the VS. software to support Tate mode games right from the OS. I'm not playing Tate games on that small of a screen.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

This feels like landfill of the not very distant future.

 

[West Texas CEO]

This feels like landfill of the not very distant future.

I don't know about that, let's be reasonable here..

 

[Stamps1646]

Looks at my Steam Deck and Switch.
I think I'm good.

 

[Agent X]

I wish there were future physical releases planned for those games. They could release them in 2 or 3 volumes. That way they would be available for Evercsde VS too. They should not keep these games locked to the EXP.

I agree, and I also speculated on something similar above.

I believe that Blaze could publish these games on one or more cartridges, and probably will at some point in the future. However, even if that is the plan, Blaze won't make any such announcement anytime soon, because that would take the impact out of this announcement for the Evercade EXP. They want to keep this shrouded in mystery. They want people to believe (for now) that the only way to play these games in the Evercade ecosystem is to purchase the Evercade EXP If owners of other Evercade systems know that they'll be able to get these games later, then they might put off the purchase of an EXP.

It's a lot like the arguments we've seen here about timed exclusives on different console platforms, except this is actually occurring within a single company's product line.

The Tate mode games could be played on the VS. All they would have to do is update the VS. software to support Tate mode games right from the OS. I'm not playing Tate games on that small of a screen.

The original Evercade handheld could theoretically play games in TATE mode, too, just like many handhelds going all the way back to the Lynx. The reasons why the TATE mode is being promoted on the EXP are:

1. They have an extra set of action buttons positioned right next to the D-pad, so they are all accessible on the lower side of the system when it is rotated. By comparison, on most other handhelds (e.g. Lynx, PSP), you have to grasp both the upper and lower sides of the system to access all of the controls.
2. They have a dedicated button on the system to quickly and automatically rotate the screen display for TATE mode. On other systems, this is usually accomplished by activating a menu option.

Their Twitter post about this announcement (as I've linked to in the OP) has also garnered a fair amount of criticism from some longtime fans. Most of their Evercade announcements are almost universally praised, but this time there is a lot of backlash from people who felt that this collection should've been published on cartridge, for many of the same reasons we've discussed in this thread. They could easily mitigate most of the criticism by announcing that they will eventually offer these games on cartridge in the future, but (as I said above) they might not choose to do so at this time.

Here's an interesting scenario to ponder. Suppose Blaze had announced that the Capcom games would be packed in with the Evercade EXP on a cartridge (rather than built into the system itself)...meaning that the cartridge would also be playable on the original Evercade handheld or the Evercade VS...with the caveat that the only way to obtain this cartridge would to purchase the Evercade EXP package, and that the cartridge would not be sold separately (maybe not for a long time...maybe not ever). Would this have been a better alternative?

 

[jaysius]

Really dumb product, in a world where there are far nicer handheld models with all the games you want available this stupid "old school" cartridge thing makes no sense.

This thing is $150 USD! LOL!!!! That's too much for this, you can get things for that price or cheaper.

 

[MrA]

Really dumb product, in a world where there are far nicer handheld models with all the games you want available this stupid "old school" cartridge thing makes no sense.

This thing is $150 USD! LOL!!!! That's too much for this, you can get things for that price or cheaper.

Ok don't buy then and enjoy your powkiddyx16 and a bottle of rum

 

[MrMephistoX]

Looks at my Steam Deck and Switch.
I think I'm good.

I hate to say it but because of proton compatibility Steam Deck has basically put most of these let’s build a retro console with roms and upcharge operations out of business.

 

[MrA]

I hate to say it but because of proton compatibility Steam Deck has basically put most of these let’s build a retro console with roms and upcharge operations out of business.

why? steamdeck is a great product but it fills a different niche. The evercade is for people that want a collectible physical product and a legitimate way to buy games. Plus the evercade isn't expensive, off sale xenocrisis and tanglewood are more expensive on steam than evercade. Plus steamdeck is pretty big, and yeah playing mame is cool but that isn't what the niche of the evercade.

 

[MrMephistoX]

why? steamdeck is a great product but it fills a different niche. The evercade is for people that want a collectible physical product and a legitimate way to buy games. Plus the evercade isn't expensive, off sale xenocrisis and tanglewood are more expensive on steam than evercade. Plus steamdeck is pretty big, and yeah playing mame is cool but that isn't what the niche of the evercade.

Steam Deck IS a great option for LEGAL games on Steam that will continue to be available to download off of the Steam store including Capcom arcade collection which literally has all the games in the collection along with recently released collections like the Capcom Fighting Collection and SF Anniversary Collection. This device may be cool but when the company goes bankrupt and the device breaks buyers will lose access whereas I can play games I bought like 15 years ago on Steamdeck legitimately. Emulation is a bonus.

 

[MrA]

Steam Deck IS a great option for LEGAL games on Steam that will continue to be available to download off of the Steam store including Capcom arcade collection which literally has all the games in the collection along with recently released collections like the Capcom Fighting Collection and SF Anniversary Collection. This device may be cool but when the company goes bankrupt and the device breaks buyers will lose access whereas I can play games I bought like 15 years ago on Steamdeck legitimately. Emulation is a bonus.

steam doesn't have loads of collections on the evercade, yeah it has some of them but not nearly all, plus when the device breaks, even if the company is bankrupt the cartridges will still work on another unit, if valve goes bankrupt and the steamdeck breaks you'll lose your games ( I know valve claims they have a solution in place, but in the unlikely event they do go bankrupt I really doubt it) plus a delisted game on steam is gone, an out of production cartridge can still be legitimately obtained.

 

[nkarafo]

I don't trust these. You never know what kind of emulator they are using, the input lag, etc.

 

[Ozzie666]

Mixed feelings on the games being digital. Part of the charm of the system is physical media. So I get why a lot of people aren't happy about it. Release a cartridge later? that might help. It's a dangerous path to go down.
I have no issue with the games themselves though, enough there to start several volumes of high quality.