We all love a list, so every Tuesday we’re posting one, on a variety of retro-themed topics! Feel free to share your own favourites down below — and let us know what other lists you’d like to see on future Tuesdays!
The Evercade VS home console is just around the corner — and there are a bunch of new cartridges releasing alongside it, including two new “console” carts and four carts in the brand new “arcade” series.
You may have an Evercade VS on preorder already — not long to wait now! — or you may be on the fence. Either way, you may well be wondering what the best games from these upcoming collections are. So let’s pick out ten favourites and see what they’re all about!
You can preorder the Evercade VS Starter or Premium packs via our friends at Funstock, along with the Intellivision, Bitmap Brothers, Technos, Data East, Gaelco and Atari cartridges. Shipping is currently estimated for early December.
Night Stalker (Intellivision Collection 1)
Night Stalker — also known as Dark Cavern in its Atari 2600 incarnation — is an early example of survival horror. You control a brave but ultimately very vulnerable figure known only as “the man”, and your job is to survive for as long as possible!
There’s no “winning” in Night Stalker — it’s just all about staving off death for as long as possible. Kind of like life, really. There’s a cheery thought for you to have in your head while you grip your Evercade VS controller feverishly in your sweaty hands.
The Chaos Engine (Bitmap Brothers Collection 1)
This top-down exploration shooter is an evolution of the Gauntlet formula, bringing new character classes and a variety of weapons to the mix. Featuring a distinctive graphical style, imaginative hazards and plenty of foes to fend off, The Chaos Engine is one of the Bitmap Brothers’ most beloved games with good reason.
The game’s two-player cooperative action makes it ideal for enjoying on the couch together with a friend via the Evercade VS!
Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Technos Arcade 1)
An all-time classic brawler comes to Evercade! Refining the gameplay format and overall smoothness of gameplay from the original Double Dragon — and providing a very different experience from the NES version found on the Technos Collection 1 cartridge — Double Dragon II is the quintessential beat ’em up.
Once again, the game’s simultaneous two-player cooperative mode is ideal for the Evercade VS and its multiple controller ports. Bring a friend and kick some bottom!
Lock ‘n’ Chase (Data East Arcade 1)
An oft-forgotten maze game from the early days of gaming, Lock ‘n’ Chase is a really fun twist on the Pac-Man formula that sees you robbing a bank vault while attempting to avoid the unwanted attentions of the security guards. The twist? You can close and lock doors behind you! Watch out, though; don’t trap yourself in a corridor with a guard, or you’ll be very sorry!
This game continues the Evercade and Evercade VS’ trend of resurrecting underappreciated games from the past — and it’s a great game in its own right. Don’t miss out!
Glass (Gaelco Arcade 1)
This arena shooter features imaginative, beautifully animated enemies and an unusual play style — while blasting your enemies, you also need to uncover the whole background by flipping tiles. And your reward for doing so? Anime girls or men in Speedos. The choice is yours.
The whole Gaelco collection is a perfect example of how Evercade and Evercade VS are celebrating not just the big hitters of classic arcades, but also lesser-known cult hits too. Glass is a great game sure to get you hooked.
Canyon Bomber (Atari Arcade 1)
Possibly the most addictive game that only uses one button that you’ll ever play, Atari’s Canyon Bomber is a surprisingly compelling game for one or two players with a simple aim: clear all the rocks out of a canyon by dropping bombs on them from your various aircraft.
Single-player, this is fun. With two players on the Evercade VS, you’d better be ready for some heated rivalries.
Princess Quest (Intellivision Collection 1)
The most “modern” game on the Intellivision Collection 1 cartridge, the platform shooting action of Princess Quest is sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys the classic Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins series.
The Intellivision became known for its slower-paced, mature games with considerably more complexity than those found on its contemporaries such as the Atari 2600 — but Princess Quest shows that it absolutely has what it takes to deliver top-notch arcade-style action, too. And those crisp old-school pixel graphics look great on the big screen thanks to the Evercade VS.
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (Bitmap Brothers Collection 1)
The first Speedball — also on the Bitmap Brothers Collection 1 cartridge — was a good game that combined the feel of a sports game with an entertaining sci-fi twist. But Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe took things to a whole other level with a significant management component; now you could really feel like you were taking your team from rags to riches. Or failing miserably along the way.
Plus, of course, on Evercade VS, you can enjoy what was always, for many people, the highlight of the experience: highly competitive simultaneous two-player action!
World Rally (Gaelco Arcade 1)
World Rally was a highly popular arcade game back on its original release — and for a long time, it was very difficult to play at home thanks to the protection on the original arcade board. With Evercade VS, you’ll be able to officially enjoy this classic top-down racer at home for the first time.
Offering snappy handling, a great sense of speed and excellent visuals, World Rally is a real treat for any racing game fan — but be ready for a stiff challenge!
Warlords (Atari Arcade 1)
If you’re looking for some of the best four-player action out there, it’s hard to beat Atari’s Warlords. It’s a game that works so well because it’s just so simple — all you need to do is bounce the fireball into your opponents’ walls, Breakout-style, but in the meantime, of course, your three opponents are attempting to do the same to you!
With Evercade VS, you can enjoy this game as intended: alongside three friends who probably won’t be friends for that much longer. You have been warned!
You can preorder the Evercade VS Starter or Premium packs via our friends at Funstock, along with the Intellivision, Bitmap Brothers, Technos, Data East, Gaelco and Atari cartridges. Shipping is currently estimated for early December.
