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23 hours ago, wolfy62 said:

I ordered issue 3 just in case,although this probably wont happen,it sells out while waiting for issue 1 and 2.

As a collector,just something to consider. 

I'm ok waiting.  I started to read issue one online (they were previously online only for issues one and two) and I'm sold on them.  Sometimes I don't feel like playing a game but reading about them instead so these will be fun.  As someone mentioned already, these are printed as ordered so I don't have to worry about them selling out or anything.

 

Speaking of collecting... I noticed that I never did purchase Interplay Collection 2 yet.  lol  I will have to order that with the first batch of 2022 releases when they come out.  

 

And as for the magazine... they posted on Twitter that the timeline they have for releases is as follows:

 

Issue one in the next two weeks

Issue two in the two weeks following issue one

and Issue four will be hopefully in December

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3 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I'm disappointed in the manuals. Tiny fonts against a dark background with low resolution print quality. I was really hoping for a bit better experience here. I'm also disappointed that there are no summary game instructions on-screen on the cartridge when selecting a game. Just a quick pop-up that shows what each button does what would have gone a long way for me. As it is, if it's a game you're not immediately familiar with, you need to study the manual.

I’m with you on the manuals. The worst part of them is the games that need the most explanation (Metal Marines and WeaponLord, for instance, could really use their own manuals) get a fraction of the space that big name games get (does anybody really need a Pac Man manual?). If they wanted them to be more artbook-like that would be cool too, but the presentation takes away from that aspect too. Plus there are some embarrassing typos. I am still glad they’re there, but they could be so much more.

 

The in-game UI is getting an overhaul in the new year that includes on-device game guides. Looking forward to seeing how that works.

 

For what its worth, the Codemasters tennis game is the same as Pete Sampras but before they added the license. I think it plays well and supports four players.

 

For those looking for back issues of the fanzine, it looks like they’re coming soon…

 

B93778AE-D8EA-4420-A0AE-096A5F801224.thumb.jpeg.4a04d6f84c1dbd82ff9d4234f2148d94.jpeg
 

@King_Salamon Interplay 2 is one of the carts I’ve played the most. Rad Gravity is one of the best games on the Evercade (once you push past the initial learning curve). The Brainies has some presentation blemishes but the core game is one of the most fiendish and fun puzzlers on the system. Claymates is a really fun, awesome looking platformer. Don’t just take my word for it, NintendoComplete loves it too (read the review in the video description).
 

 

And Prehistorik Man is one of the best games Titus ever published. EWJ2 isn’t amazing but it still looks great. C2 is the only total dud on the cartridge.

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5 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I'm also disappointed that there are no summary game instructions on-screen on the cartridge when selecting a game. Just a quick pop-up that shows what each button does what would have gone a long way for me.

Yeah, like we used to see on kiosk demo loading screens, or on magazine discs. Those would really help.

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6 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I'm also disappointed that there are no summary game instructions on-screen on the cartridge when selecting a game. Just a quick pop-up that shows what each button does what would have gone a long way for me. As it is, if it's a game you're not immediately familiar with, you need to study the manual. Not a deal-breaker, just something I was hoping would have been a better experience for a platform designed around multi-carts.

57 minutes ago, Reaperman said:

Yeah, like we used to see on kiosk demo loading screens, or on magazine discs. Those would really help.

 

This is something that's being added in the next firmware update. It's in beta testing right now and it brings the handheld UI in-line with the VS. Should be out in in the next month or so! Can't wait for you guys to see it. It's going to blow you all away!

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9 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

I’m with you on the manuals. The worst part of them is the games that need the most explanation (Metal Marines and WeaponLord, for instance, could really use their own manuals) get a fraction of the space that big name games get (does anybody really need a Pac Man manual?). If they wanted them to be more artbook-like that would be cool too, but the presentation takes away from that aspect too. Plus there are some embarrassing typos. I am still glad they’re there, but they could be so much more.

 

The in-game UI is getting an overhaul in the new year that includes on-device game guides. Looking forward to seeing how that works.

 

For what its worth, the Codemasters tennis game is the same as Pete Sampras but before they added the license. I think it plays well and supports four players.

 

For those looking for back issues of the fanzine, it looks like they’re coming soon…

 

B93778AE-D8EA-4420-A0AE-096A5F801224.thumb.jpeg.4a04d6f84c1dbd82ff9d4234f2148d94.jpeg
 

@King_Salamon Interplay 2 is one of the carts I’ve played the most. Rad Gravity is one of the best games on the Evercade (once you push past the initial learning curve). The Brainies has some presentation blemishes but the core game is one of the most fiendish and fun puzzlers on the system. Claymates is a really fun, awesome looking platformer. Don’t just take my word for it, NintendoComplete loves it too (read the review in the video description).
 

 

And Prehistorik Man is one of the best games Titus ever published. EWJ2 isn’t amazing but it still looks great. C2 is the only total dud on the cartridge.

Those magazines are going to be fun!

 

As for Interplay 2... I'm not 100% sure why I neglected it but here I am about a year and a half into the Evercade and I don't have that release.  lol  It happens I suppose... I do know that I rarely change carts from the system as I start one and explore the titles on the cart.  Next thing I know I've spent a few weeks on the same collection.  Then when I change the cart, I rarely go back to the ones I've played previously.  In fairness, when there's a new release of two collections, I'm still catching up on the previous ones.  To this day, I still have a few carts in the plastic.  At this point, I have enough to keep me occupied until I receive the VS and the six collections!

 

Funny thing though... I'm still excited to hear about the future releases like the 2022 Renovation collection and the next Intellivision collection... apparently in December they are planning on revealing the next collection to release in 2022.  

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I'd love to see some Colecovision collections if the licenses can be acquired. I know AtGames did it around 5 or 6 years back, but the emulation wasn't too great. I bet the Evercade could do a much better job of it. Maybe also with some of the newer homebrews that utilize the Super Game Module.

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For tonight's gaming session, I sat down and did a video on Xeno Crisis, my very favorite Evercade game (so far). I like it so much, that I also have it on Genesis, (Neo Geo), and Dreamcast.

 

The in-game control option UI is slightly reworked from the Genesis version to make it more Evercade-like (mentioning L+R buttons), which I can't recall any other Evercade game doing. Also, the game select menu's gameplay screenshot shows two marines of the same color, rather than player 2 being blue. I doubt it plays that way, but I guess I'll have to wait for the VS's second controller to check that out.

 

 

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Since so many cartridges came at once, I've been trying to sample two a night as I get more comfortable with the system. Last night, it was The Oliver Twins Collection and Technos Collection 1.

 

I think the nice thing with the Evercade is that it lets you sample games you otherwise wouldn't put much time into or otherwise try, particularly things you didn't bother with back in the day. At the same time, though, some of these games have aged REALLY badly. I guess I've been inoculated somewhat in recent years (and then some), as I've been more careful with what I've spent my time on.

 

With the above in mind, while I acknowledge most of The Oliver Twins stuff are classics, they are REALLY hard to get into today. Treasure Island Dizzy, for instance, is one of those classics that's both obtuse and has instant deaths that put you right back to the start. Not much fun in this day and age versus when we were kids and would have both the time and no doubt greater patience to learn every nuance. There are of course some downright dogs on there, like Professional BMX Simulator, which, you could see the promise of a good game, but the execution is atrocious. 

 

I probably had the most fun with Super Robin Hood. It's still frustrating as heck, but it's at least more understandable from a "what you have to do" standpoint, although it still has its fair share of cheap/unnecessary deaths because of weird design or mechanics.

 

The two puzzle games I need to figure out. They weren't immediately obvious how to play.

 

The biggest "holy crap" moment I had was with Firehawk. I never had a chance to play this back in the day. For those who know me, one of my favorite all-time games is Raid on Bungeling Bay (C-64 original is best, but I also play the NES and MSX versions) and I always lamented that there weren't more games like it and/or inspired by it. Well, Firehawk is more than a little inspired by it, but also lacks the same type of polish and compelling gameplay. I guess they were going for a more arcade-like variation of that game, but it just fails to land. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by this personal discovery. If I had known this existed back in the day, I'm sure I would have invested quite a bit of time in it. Now, I'm just frustrated by the limitations and would rather play its vastly superior inspiration. I don't see myself revisiting this collection anytime soon when I swing back around through these all in more depth.

 

As for the Technos Collection 1, it's a little more approachable, but obviously has a lot of weaker console ports of better arcade originals. I did have quite a bit of fun with River City Ransom, so that was nice to play again. I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the other titles, although I have played/owned most of those in the past anyway.

 

Tonight I'm going to try the Interplay Collection 2. I'm undecided on the second choice. I suspect at least with the Interplay Collection I'll have a much better overall experience.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

@Bill Loguidice do you think the Oliver Twins stuff falls under the category of "you had to be there?" A lot of UK games hit me that way. Just as Atari, Coleco, Intellivision, or even Nintendo 64 games land with many younger people. 

Yes, and that's a great way to put it. While even 16-bit stuff can be a challenge to get into many times, I'd say that 8-bit stuff, especially of a certain design, is almost universally difficult to get into these days if you don't have specific nostalgia or played it a great deal in the past. I certainly find even stuff that I adored in the past, like classic CRPGs, are much harder to get into these days for me because I'm unable to immerse myself in the same way (not to mention being spoiled by design improvements over the many decades since).

 

I think straight up action games, as long as the design doesn't have weird platform or other limitations, is probably still approachable regardless of vintage. It definitely gets more challenging if there are odd or otherwise non-standard design choices or gameplay elements that are designed to artificially lengthen a game rather than there for a more deliberate purpose.

 

So yeah, I ended grabbing Atari Collection I as my second cartridge for tonight to go with Interplay Collection 2. We'll see if my theory holds. 

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veering off topic: I am weighing whether or not I want to blow sixty bucks on GTA Definitive Edition ... the series isn't really my bag, but "quality of life improvements" are really compelling to me. 

 

But back on topic: yeah, there should be a category for "holds up today?" for old-style games. When games were new and I was young, I'd play for the joy of moving my little character around on the flickering screen. An Atari game with a title screen would be amazing. I'm sure if I were a British teenager with a ZX Spectrum, I would have bought lots of bargain-bin software on cassette tapes because that's what was available. Whatever CRPG Addict puts in his coffee to plow through those old computer role playing games, I don't have it. All my friends say I need to play Chrono Trigger because it's a JRPG that respects your time, which appeals to me a lot. 

 

I'd be very curious in your thoughts about the Atari collections on Evercade as opposed to the Atari Flashback series on Switch/XB1/PS4. 

 

Evercade Vs still coming next month? 

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4 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

veering off topic: I am weighing whether or not I want to blow sixty bucks on GTA Definitive Edition ... the series isn't really my bag, but "quality of life improvements" are really compelling to me. 

 

But back on topic: yeah, there should be a category for "holds up today?" for old-style games. When games were new and I was young, I'd play for the joy of moving my little character around on the flickering screen. An Atari game with a title screen would be amazing. I'm sure if I were a British teenager with a ZX Spectrum, I would have bought lots of bargain-bin software on cassette tapes because that's what was available. Whatever CRPG Addict puts in his coffee to plow through those old computer role playing games, I don't have it. All my friends say I need to play Chrono Trigger because it's a JRPG that respects your time, which appeals to me a lot. 

 

I'd be very curious in your thoughts about the Atari collections on Evercade as opposed to the Atari Flashback series on Switch/XB1/PS4. 

 

Evercade Vs still coming next month? 

I'll probably get GTA Definitive Edition and then not play it like all the other GTA's. Maybe this time will be different? (always the hope)

I think several YouTube channels are starting to do the "does it hold up today?" thing, which I wholeheartedly support. It's easy to appeal to the nostalgic, it's a whole other can of worms to bring in new players. While I fully support Evercade's initiatives and others like it (and obviously work for one of the companies who does similar things), I think we all should acknowledge that some games are just there for "filler." On the Evercade cartridges, there's plenty of filler. With that said, even though I think it's easy to identify the "filler" that's applicable to 90%+ of buyers, there's always going to be the ~10% where that filler is either something they fondly remember or a pleasant surprise. As long as it doesn't crowd out a better game (rarely the case), then I suppose there's nothing wrong with "filler."

My guess is that the Atari collections on the Evercade will pale in comparison to the Atari Flashback software series, simply because there are more control options on those modern platforms. The Flashback series never did get 7800 stuff (or Lynx), so for that alone it's probably worth it (although I'm angry that the 7800 version of Dark Chambers is a Vs unlockable rather than a selectable game).

 

I don't know about anyone else's Vs's, but mine won't come until at least January 2022. I know several YouTube influencers already have theirs, so it's possible those who ordered early (unlike me) will get theirs a bit sooner. I don't think so, though, as it sounds like all new inventory is delayed until at least January.

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I never played a Dizzy game until last year, despite always looking for them at Funcoland in my youth. I got Fantastic Dizzy for the Genesis first, then Treasure Island Dizzy and Fantasy World Dizzy for the Jaguar, then Fantastic Dizzy for the Game Gear, then the Oliver Twins collection, then Excellent Dizzy Collection for the Game Gear, then the two for the Aladdin Deck Enhancer for the NES. (I think in that order.)

 

Treasure Island is short enough that I quickly completed it on the Jaguar without save states. On the Evercade with save states it is very easy and only takes an hour to get through cold.

 

The other Dizzy games I’ve spent time with are more advanced and a little less cruel. I think save states make them a joy to play, and should be used without shame. The fusion of point and click adventure puzzles with platforming and inventory management challenges is really compelling for me.

 

The puzzle games are not very good, though.

 

Super Robin Hood is head and shoulders my favorite game on the compilation. I haven’t beaten it on the real NES yet but I have gotten pretty darn good.

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I know I wasn't asked, but everything from what I've tried with the Oliver Twins, I love that statement 'a had to be there' type of game.  They're euro-centric, a few game over like Dizzy, but they stood out as very wonky, clunky even on US hardware it appeared (NES largely.)  They jsut were mostly not fun, one hit cheap deaths with total set backs.  A relic of time a time where it was normal for those overseas enjoying them on their strange euro-pcs.  I've tried and tried to enjoy their stuff, but largely I can't, so whenever I end up with this device if I can, their cart I'd avoid.

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44 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

Treasure Island is short enough that I quickly completed it on the Jaguar without save states. On the Evercade with save states it is very easy and only takes an hour to get through cold.

 

The other Dizzy games I’ve spent time with are more advanced and a little less cruel. I think save states make them a joy to play, and should be used without shame. The fusion of point and click adventure puzzles with platforming and inventory management challenges is really compelling for me.

The save states thing is a very good point. I think to better enjoy a lot of these harsher games that people like me may not have the patience to try certain parts again and again and again (and again) anymore, going the save state route can definitely make things more enjoyable. When I circle back to these, I'll keep that in mind.

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Easy saved/slept state is the solitary thing I miss from when I had that wretched Retron5 disaster, well more specifically the hot saving it did when you just shut it off.  It would freeze the last used game on that spot, so when you popped the game in next time it would pick right back up like a sleep mode on a modern thing like the Switch.  If evercade had that it would be fantastic too as much as a dedicated save state.  Its largely old games, it would be wise to have the ability on a handheld to have save one click saves.

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8 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

Evercade Vs still coming next month? 

What I know is Europe supposed to be in December, but not in North America. North America supposed to get Evercade VS in January. Reviews in North America got from Blaze themselves.  I would be guessing that people in North America would received their Evercade VS in December if they ordered from Europe. 

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I am going to put in my pre-order for the Evercade Vs. before this month is over.

 

On another note, I ordered the Piko Collections 1 & 2 from @Songbird.  Both games arrived.  While I'm not big on the sports games included in the second collection, the first collection has a lot of good ones like Nightshade (NES) or the Lemmings type strategy game the Humans.  

 

Spoiler

Of course, I mainly got these two games as plugging both in to the Vs. unlocks the elusive Game Boy title Pyramids of Ra.

 

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I noticed that funstock has the evercade in stock with one bundle, some large one with like 10 games bundled with it for just north of $200USD with free shipping.  I'm not sure what all the EC games cost, I remember originally supposedly $20 was the across the board MSRP but things have become so muddied.  The way I figure it, getting those 10 makes the system and the branded carry case basically free.

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46 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

I noticed that funstock has the evercade in stock with one bundle, some large one with like 10 games bundled with it for just north of $200USD with free shipping.  I'm not sure what all the EC games cost, I remember originally supposedly $20 was the across the board MSRP but things have become so muddied.  The way I figure it, getting those 10 makes the system and the branded carry case basically free.

Yeah those bundles are pretty cool... even the original handheld with 3 games reduced the cost of the system when factoring in the 3 games at $20.  

 

As for funstock getting some systems... I received an email from them about my order (I ordered a founders edition).  They received part of their stock and anticipate receiving the second portion of the shipment at the end of the month or early next month.  The question I have is... which shipment was the founders editions in?  lol

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@King_Salamon Yeah it was the mega bundle: https://funstock.co.uk/collections/evercade/products/evercade-all-in-edition-1-10-white

Seems it's still in stock there, guess the price and overload of games at once makes it harder to move at $230~USD, but it's also over 120 games at once so I could see losing a lot of focus finding it hard to enjoy.  I know I wouldn't use a few carts in there, kind of wish they had the standard edition with the 3 games, prefer the UK pack anyway since it has Namco vs Atari there.  I'm not a fan of 2600 stuff, even in the 80s into the 90s it was too blocky and up to the imagination for my taste.  I bottom out console wise with the Colecovision and Famicom/NES along with the Vectrex but that's kind of unique as it is vectors and all.

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There's a magazine? Cool! I'm totally going to see about those. 

 

I'm a weirdo in that I actually prefer handheld, I won't get kicked off the tv by the fam with a portable. May be different as I get older and my eyesight degrades more, but for now I still prefer it. My reason to order the console is actually that I also like playing with other people, and outside a few turn based games the handheld can't (to my understanding)

 

I'm also in the boat of "don't like download" nothing wrong if you do like it, but I abandoned the pc platform when it went dl only, and have no current gen consoles for the same reason. I don't count switch as it wasn't quite current when it was new, but even there I have to be careful what I get, so many partial games make even Nintendo not really physical friendly. And this isn't even to do with bad internet, which IS a problem for me atm. I didn't do dl when I had good internet either. Partly because I've been around since the beginning of games, and still play the old stuff (not really legitimately possible without physical media)

 

One curiosity I have, will the new games work on the old system? (New vs blue box games?) Also surprises me some old games will partake in the bonus games thing. As for the evercade being outdated, only if they won't do new and homebrew games. There's not a lot now, but there are some, as the system spreads out, I expect there will be more.

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6 minutes ago, Video said:

 

 

One curiosity I have, will the new games work on the old system? (New vs blue box games?) Also surprises me some old games will partake in the bonus games thing. As for the evercade being outdated, only if they won't do new and homebrew games. There's not a lot now, but there are some, as the system spreads out, I expect there will be more.

Yes all new games will work on the handheld as well as the VS

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