Multiple cabinet manufacturers have tried to solve the space and boredom concerns by becoming arcade platforms.
Today, there are multiple iterations of the handheld as well as a home console.
If you’re familiar with Arcade1Up’s countercades, the Alpha has a similar size profile.
Despite its relatively small form factor, the Alpha is an eye-catching piece of tech.
I tested the Mega Man edition, while my colleague Tamoor Hussain checked out the Street Fighter model.
Both models feature artwork inspired by their original full-size counterparts.
The control deck and bezel are brushed with a streaky mix of blue and white.
Taking cues from the Street Fighter model, you’ll also find lovely little character panels flanking the screen.
Each model has a light-up marquee featuring the same artwork from the original release.
It probably won’t take too long for Evercade enthusiasts to start printing their own designs.
But that’s not the case here, and it starts with the really impressive eight-inch HD IPS display.
The picture is considerably more vibrant and rich than the Arcade1Up countercades I’ve used.
The cabinet comes pre-assembled and carefully cradled by form-fitting foam inserts to protect the wood.
Protective film needs to be removed from the screen and marquee before playing for the first time.
I had to loosen the screws to safely remove some of the film.
While somewhat of an annoying introduction to the Alpha, the end result is all that really matters.
Even more impressive than the beautiful display is the premium control deck.
Both machines have identical layouts, just with different button colors and labels.
From a technical perspective, marketing the Alpha with “competition-grade arcade controls” doesn’t really mean much.
But if I didn’t know that beforehand, I would’ve guessed these were made by Sanwa.
The stick and buttons feel better than any other home arcade cabinets I own.
Not only does that make it feel cheaply made, but that looseness can cause inaccurate inputs.
The Alpha’s stick is fast and tight, with a satisfying click marking each input.
I haven’t had any issues with false diagonals or latency.
The Alpha has six convex face buttons split into two rows of three.
Above the face buttons are three smaller buttons: start, select or insert coin, and menu.
One really interesting design choice is the slightly textured, matte finish on the control deck.
Even standing home arcade cabinets can feel like a squeeze for multiplayer on the same control deck.
The Alpha takes a different, more versatile approach to multiplayer.
Two USB ports flank the volume rocker, right below the cartridge slots.
With certain Bluetooth receivers, it’s possible for you to establish a wireless connection.
As for even cheaper, wired options,Hori’s $50 Fighting Stick Miniworked well for me.
There’s also theMayflash F101for $45 orF300for $60.
Multiplayer is where the IPS display’s wider viewing angles offer the most practical benefit.
Including two USB ports was a good move.
That problem was solved when we switched to USB fighting sticks and controllers.
Controller support is a huge boon for the Alpha beyond multiplayer, too.
It’s a handy feature that exemplifies Evercade’s pick-up-and-play mentality.
Cartridge games populate in a separate menu.
If you insert a cartridge containing 12 games, 12 individual tiles will appear within a few seconds.
The Game of the Month is directly above a collection of nine hidden games.
These are unlocked through various methods such as entering secret codes and inputting specific button combinations.
Alternate borders such as the game’s cover art can replace the black bars.
you’re free to alter the display mode to Pixel Perfect to spruce up dull or muddied pixels.
Some people like this, others, like me, don’t really care for it.
you’re free to also force full-screen mode if you don’t mind stretched pixels.
If you love scanlines, you could add subtle or strong lines to mimic a CRT TV.
This could have become a design flaw, but the speakers efficiently disperse crisp, clear audio.
As usual, headphones can provide an even better audio experience.
As a longtime Evercade user with dozens of cartridges, the six preloaded games were merely a bonus.
Those who are new to the platform may view the preloaded games as the deciding factor.
One cool thing is that they support co-op, which I had more fun with than solo runs.
But the novelty of its existence might be precisely why longtime Mega Man fans pick it up.
And maybe that’s all you want out of this.
And if that’s you, this is your moment.
For comparison, it costs $100 more than the most recent Arcade1Up countercades with three preloaded games.
The Alpha has six preloaded games and supports over 500 overall.
Beyond the superb build quality, expandability is the Alpha’s biggest strength.
The Evercade Alpha is the best bartop arcade machine I’ve used by a wide margin.
The Evercade library
Each Evercade cartridge retails for $20-$25.
Based on current totals, the average is eight.
All cartridges come in chunky, retro-style boxes with instruction booklets.
Initially, the catalog consisted mainly of publisher-themed carts such asAtari,Namco Museum,Data East, andInterplay.
The contemporary throwbacks have become a compelling fixture.
A second collection of Duke Nukem games moved Evercade into the world of 32-bit games for the first time.
I tried both of thenew Data EastandToaplan cartsthat are releasing alongside the Alpha.
Like previous Toaplan carts, if you like retro shooters, it doesn’t disappoint.
The vertically scrolling shmups Truxton II and Vimana are awesome.
I’ve also enjoyed my time with the vertically scrolling run-and-gun games Out Zone and its spiritual successor FixEight.
I had never played these games, which to me is part of the joy of Evercade carts.
Evercade Arcade Series Cartridge Collections:
A decent chunk of Evercade games aren’t available on other contemporary devices.
That’s part of the charm: the revival of games that have largely been lost to history.
At this time, the Evercade library is heavily weighted toward console, handheld, and modern retro games.
Technically, these are the NES versions, but they are virtually identical to the original arcade releases.
No, and neither did you, but it held up better than I expected.
All Evercade devices share the same library of games and run on the same easy-to-use operating system.
The Evercade VS home console is otherwise identical to the original white model released in 2021.
The VS has been hard to find in the US for well over a year at this point.
Like the Alpha, it has two cartridge slots.
It connects to your TV or monitor via HDMI and displays in 1080p.
The aforementioned 18 Capcom freebies found on the EXP are also gone.
The Super Pocket line expanded last month withAtari (50 games)andTechnos models (15 games).
These legitimately pocketable handhelds have 2.8-inch IPS displays and more colorful themes.
Every cartridge in the Evercade library is compatible with the Alpha, EXP, and Super Pocket.
The Evercade VS supports every cartridge except for the two Namco Museum collections.
Disclosure: Blaze Entertainment provided GameSpot with review samples of both Evercade Alpha models to test for this review.
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