Evercade EXP puts 300 classic arcade games at your fingertips

As part of its Evercade line of products, Blaze Entertainment has released the Evercade EXP handheld console, an affordable way to play arcade games on the go legally.

The Evercade EXP Limited Edition - a sleek black variant of the handheld - is now available for pre-order. Enjoy some of the best arcade games with this sleek handheld.

The UK-based retailer Funstock is the only retailer currently accepting pre-orders for the limited edition console, and it is charging £180 (around $227 / AU$315).

Funstock ships internationally, so don't fret if you're not in the UK. Pre-orders for the Evercade EXP's standard edition will open this September, and the device will cost $150 / £130 (around AU$228).

In the standard edition, the black finish is traded for white, and the extra goodies associated with the limited edition aren't included.

The Evercade EXP's specs are also quite impressive. A 4.3-inch IPS display, 4GB of RAM, and micro-HDMI port make the handheld a good match for TVs or monitors if you want to play games at a higher resolution.

Upon glancing at the handheld, you may notice the extra A and B buttons located beneath the large D-pad. For the TATE mode of the console, you can flip the screen 90 degrees to see a vertical display. In the case of vertical shooters, for example, that's extra useful.

Evercade EXP supports bespoke cartridges, each of which is packed with arcade games from different publishers and developers, just like its predecessors Evercade and Evercade VS. 

Evercade's library will include about 300 games by the time the Evercade EXP is released. The Evercade cartridges, however, are sold separately, so if you want to add to your arcade game collection, you'll have to dip into your wallet.

The Limited Edition bundle is certainly worth a look. In addition to a lot of physical goodies, it includes an A3-sized poster, a keyring, and a hard carry case to protect the console from wear and tear.

However, the best part of the bundle is the two-game cartridges that come with it. The two cartridges contain a total of 14 games from leading arcade developers Irem and Toaplan. As a result, you'll be able to play classic arcade hits like R-Type, In The Hunt, and Zero Wing.

Evercade's EXP is a big deal to us for several reasons. One of the biggest problems is that arcade games aren't exactly the most accessible titles out there, outside of emulation.

Custom hardware like Arcade1Up cabinets exist, but these are arguably designed for serious gamers who want to emulate the look and feel of a true arcade experience.

Evercare seems to offer a much more affordable alternative for playing hundreds of classic and obscure arcade titles. 

In addition to the attention to detail here, we also appreciate the fact that each cartridge comes in its box, with a manual.

The Evercare EXP is a project we're all for. In addition to offering a legal and accessible way to play arcade games, it also contributes to game preservation in general. The ports to Evercade must be as close to arcade perfection as possible.