Evercade Super Pocket Rare Edition Arrives

• Handheld packs 14 Rare classics for £49.99, launching in June with full Evercade cartridge support and broad platform coverage.

Evercade has introduced a new branded handheld built around the back catalogue of Rare, bringing together 14 titles from the British studio’s four-decade history. The device, officially titled the Super Pocket Rare Edition, follows the company’s established Super Pocket format while incorporating a distinct visual theme inspired by Rare’s legacy. Its release is scheduled for June, with pre-orders already open across multiple territories. Pricing is set at £49.99, €59.99, and $69.99, positioning it in the entry-level segment of the retro hardware market.

The handheld maintains the compact, Game Boy-style form factor seen in previous Super Pocket iterations. Hardware specifications include a 2.8-inch IPS display with a 320 by 240 resolution, a 3.5 millimetre headphone jack, and USB-C charging support. Full compatibility with the broader Evercade ecosystem is retained, allowing access to more than 75 cartridge releases spanning over 650 games. As a result, the bundled Rare collection functions as both a standalone offering and a gateway into the company’s wider retro catalogue.

A Cross-Generational Rare Line-up

Fourteen titles are pre-installed on the device, covering home computers, 8-bit consoles, 16-bit systems, handheld platforms, and the Nintendo 64 era. The selection places notable emphasis on Rare’s early output, particularly from the period when the studio operated under the name Ultimate Play the Game. Even so, later console releases are represented, ensuring that the compilation is not limited exclusively to early microcomputer software.

Among the highest-profile inclusions is Banjo-Kazooie, originally released for the Nintendo 64 and widely regarded as one of Rare’s defining platformers. Portable hardware is represented by Conker’s Pocket Tales, while 16-bit console action appears via Battletoads in Battlemaniacs. Earlier console-era titles include Battletoads and Cobra Triangle, reflecting the studio’s established presence on the NES platform in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Additional 8-bit console releases featured in the line-up are R.C. Pro-Am II, Slalom, Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, and Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship. These games highlight Rare’s early design range, from racing and sports to isometric action and experimental platform mechanics. Collectively, they represent a substantial portion of the developer’s pre-3D console catalogue.

Ultimate Play the Game Era Titles

Home computer releases form a significant component of the package. The compilation includes Atic Atac, Jetpac, Lunar Jetman, Knight Lore, and Gunfright. These titles were originally developed for systems such as the ZX Spectrum and played a formative role in establishing Rare’s technical reputation during the early 1980s. Knight Lore in particular is frequently cited for its early use of isometric 3D presentation, which influenced subsequent game design trends in the UK and beyond.

Emphasis on these earlier works means that the collection skews toward 8-bit and microcomputer-era experiences rather than Rare’s later output on more powerful hardware. Nevertheless, the presence of Banjo-Kazooie provides a bridge to the studio’s late 1990s console success, balancing historical breadth with recognisable mainstream appeal. Such a mix may appeal both to long-time players familiar with Ultimate Play the Game and to those whose first exposure to Rare came during the Nintendo 64 generation.

Positioning Within the Retro Market

At a sub-£50 price point in the United Kingdom, the device competes with other compact emulation-focused handhelds while offering officially licensed content. Integration with Evercade’s cartridge ecosystem differentiates it from closed, single-library systems, since users can expand beyond the included 14 titles. Consequently, the Rare Edition functions both as a themed collector’s item and as a general-purpose retro platform.

Interest in Rare’s back catalogue has remained consistent in recent years, partly due to renewed availability of its titles through digital compilations and subscription services. For example, many of the studio’s classic games are accessible via Rare Replay on Xbox platforms, reflecting sustained demand for curated legacy collections. The Super Pocket Rare Edition extends that archival approach into dedicated hardware, compressing several decades of British game development into a single, portable device.