The idea of playing the original Tomb Raider trilogy on something like the Super Pocket sounds absurd, but that might be a reality soon. In fact, the company behind the Evercade handheld ecosystem has announced plans for new ‘Giga’ cartridges that’ll let you pick up classic 3D games for the system without investing in new hardware.
Cartridge support is a big reason why I think the Super Pocket is one of the best gaming handhelds out there. Being able to buy a physical collection of retro games for a new system is a novelty in itself, but it also means you won’t have to faff around with emulators or worry about if specific adventures will run. Even if you outgrow the dinky nature of HyperMegaTech’s Game Boy-style portable, you’ll be able to easily grab another Evercade device and still play your accumulated collection.
Thanks to the clever folks at Blaze, the company behind the Evercade, that collection is about to get even bigger. In a recent announcement, the handheld makers revealed that a new “Giga Cart” format was on the way to accommodate larger games that were “mostly originally released on CD.” The announcement avoids naming any specific systems, but it could mean we’ll end up with a bunch of Sega Saturn, PS1, and Dreamcast games that’ll work on Evercade systems.
We’ll ultimately have to wait to see which 3D romps end up on Evercade Giga Carts, but as I’ve already spoiled, Tomb Raider is allegedly heading to the system. While Blaze hasn’t made any official game announcements yet, an early Amazon listing for a “Tomb Raider Collection 1” box set popped up yesterday, revealing box art for a supposed trilogy. It has now been pulled, but a tweet by Wario64 provides a glimpse at potential box art.
Blaze Evercade Tomb Raider Collection up for preorder on Amazon ($24.99) https://t.co/gvS0T6tF4Q #ad pic.twitter.com/To5sdHNPU1April 15, 2024
I’d suggest taking this early Tomb Raider Evercade listing with the usual grain of salt, but I’d be surprised if this collection isn’t legit. The box art featured lines up with Blaze’s official Giga Cart announcement, with even the new format logo residing on the spine. If there’s one thing we do know, it’s that such a release will set you back more than the usual $19.99 / £17.99 MSRP, as the new carts will come in at $24.99 / £22.49.
Should you buy a Super Pocket or Evercade?
Both the Super Pocket and systems like the Evercade EXP will support new Giga Carts, meaning you’ll be able to play a bunch of 3D classics as they release. However, if you don’t own either system yet, you might want to consider your own controller preferences before opting for a specific model. While the smaller Super Pocket provides simplistic controls for Game Boy-era adventures and arcade classics, its lack of proper shoulder buttons and compact layout might not match up well with PS1 favorites.
That said, we don’t officially know which 3D games are heading to the Evercade, and many early 3D capers will feel just fine on a scaled-down layout. Even Tomb Raider should handle well with just the Super Pocket’s D-Pad and face buttons, but I’ll ultimately need to take the game for a spin to see how the shoulder buttons hold up.
For now, if someone could wake me up when Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is playable on the Evercade, that’d be ace.
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