How many times have you heard me say that I want an N64-themed handheld? I've been saying it for years, a handheld that champions my favourite controller and console with buttons that take me straight back to the 90s.
Evercade have just announced the Nexus, a handheld with a 5.89" IPS handheld making it the biggest Evercade handheld yet in comparison to their EXP handheld. And here's the best bit - it comes with a Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge featuring Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie on one physical cart!
Blaze Entertainment have listened to the fans and brought out a new handheld design to revolutionise the handheld gaming experience. There are two colour variants - the all-black Nexus with black buttons and a neon red Nexus logo, and the Nexus 64 with the colour scheme of the N64 casing and action and function buttons that pay homage to the N64 controller.
While you'll be able to play every other game from the Evercade library (80+ cartridges and over 700 games) on here, it's the Rare double feature that's getting me the most excited, with both games being customised for modern audiences with support for twin joysticks, better camera functions, and better graphics. There's also unlockable content - both games on one cartridge definitely means better compatibility with the Ice Key and the Mystery Eggs. And of course, all Evercade cartridges come with a colour manual and box with full colour artwork.
Just like the N64, the Nexus and Nexus 64 promote multiplayer action. They come with a new feature called EverSync, which allows players to share one game locally to another Nexus console. One cartridge, two players - it's the gift that keeps on giving.
This is actually a really cool feature, and one that I am intrigued to see in action. It makes the joy of cartridge collecting even more magical, offering friends and family a way to experience your game without them needing to splash the cash.
I believe this will work in Evercade's favour, promoting games face-to-face, and likely pushing customers to buy the game they just experienced via EverSync.
Like the EXP and EXP-R, you can turn the console vertically to experience TATE mode. The Nexus 64 variant is limited to 2,000 units and comes with its own Hard Shell case. This limited edition console is only available for purchase from Funstock.co.uk and Funstockusa.com, oddly.
Evercade Nexus Specifications
- 5.89″ 840×512 IPS Display with 500+ nit brightness.
- Quad Core 1.5Ghz CPU
- 4GB EMMC RAM
- 5000MAH Battery (5 hours of battery life)
- Dual Analogue Sticks, D-Pad and Face Buttons, Rear Bumper and Trigger buttons and Texture Grip.
- WiFi 6 5Ghz/2.4Ghz for console updates.
- Wireless headphone connectivity.
- Weight: 410g
- USB-C Charging
- Customisable RGB Light-up Logo
What comes with the N64 edition?
- BANJO-KAZOOIE Double Pack cartridge.
- Hard Shell EVA Case themed with the Evercade Nexus 64 Edition.
- A screen protector pack.
- Packaged in a collectable box with a certificate of authenticity.
The Evercade Nexus (original edition) will retail for £169.99/$199.99 /€199.99 and be available to pre-order tomorrow, on April 1st, with a planned shipping/release time of October 2026.
The Evercade Nexus N64 edition will retail for £189.99/$229.99/€229.99, and good news, pre-orders are open now for those that want to snag this edition, exclusively available at Funstock.co.uk or FunstockUSA.com.
I am excited for this one, Evercade have created truly unique handhelds in the space and has a vast catalogue of phyiscal cartridges to collect alongside their hardware. We'll be sure to get one in to review, so subscribe to our newsletter to not miss our thoughts on this interesting new handheld when it launches.
