Evercade Nexus still lands Oct. 30, but the C64 and Spectrum handhelds slip to 2027

Blaze Entertainment, the company behind the Evercade line of retro handhelds that still use physical cartridges, has one piece of good news and one piece of bad news heading into the holidays.

The good news: Nexus is on time

The Evercade Nexus is still scheduled for October 30. It's the most expensive Evercade handheld yet at $199.99, and it comes bundled with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge, which holds both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. Creative Bloq, which tried the hardware at Gamescom, reports the Banjo games are native ports built from Microsoft's Rare Replay versions, with modern touches like right-stick camera control.

What's new on the hardware side, according to Blaze's announcements and coverage:

• Dual analog sticks, which Evercade needed if it wanted to handle 3D games
• The biggest screen Evercade has put in a handheld so far
• EverSync, local multiplayer between two Nexus units where only the host needs to own the cartridge
• Wireless headphone support, a Wi-Fi chip used for system updates, and a vertical "TATE" mode for shooters

Your existing Evercade cartridges work in it, and there's still no digital store. You buy carts, you own carts. For a guy who misses lining up a shelf of games, that's the whole appeal.

The same day, Evercade releases a DOOM Collection cartridge at $29.99. It packs DOOM, DOOM II, both Final Doom episodes, the Master Levels, No Rest for the Living, both SIGIL episodes and a deathmatch pack. Collectors can also chase a DOOM Edition Nexus at $249.99, limited to 3,000 units and sold only through Funstock.

A fair caveat from Creative Bloq's early impressions: the 3D library is thin right now, and the writer found the multiplayer a little patchy in his session. Most of Evercade's 80-plus carts are compilations of older 2D games.

The bad news: the 8-bit computers wait

Blaze's other big fall release, a pair of clamshell handhelds called THEC64 Handheld and The Spectrum Handheld, will not make it. They were set for October 15. They're now dated April 22, 2027, for both the standard and collector's editions.

Blaze told press that during production it spotted areas where the build quality wasn't up to its standards. The company said it could have patched some problems and shipped this year, but chose to take the extra time.

The handhelds, made with Retro Games Ltd, are listed at $129.99 each with 25 built-in games, a microSD slot for your own files and a USB port for a keyboard or joystick. None of the coverage we found mentioned changes to pre-order terms, so check with your retailer if you'd rather cancel.

Honestly, a delay for build quality beats a rushed hinge that snaps in March. If you want a cartridge handheld under the tree this year, the Nexus is the one that will actually be there. Retailers carrying Evercade gear will show up in an Evercade Nexus search.