The coin limit is a neat feature. For those looking for a challenge without the urge to cheat by giving more coins. As someone who likes to do 1CC runs, I love this.
Nifty device. Glad the company is doing well and can’t wait to see where they go from here. If I could nitpick, I hate the all-white look. And I really want a clamshell case for the Capcom manual.
After two years you would of thought they would of sorted out the cart problem 😊 Yes the light bleed is definitely another problem and I didn't even notice till I played it in the dark 😊
They REALLY need a 2-player option for those Capcom games, hooking it to the VS via data cable seems like it'd be the best option...they hinted that they were working on some solution like that, I was rather upset with the OG Handheld for not having a 2-player option and boycotted it until the VS was announced. After that announcement I bought it mainly for Drakkhen, I just wanted to have the multiplayer option for Double Dragon 2, River City Ransom, Battle Chess, etc.
Thanks Ryan, I'm sure more issues will come. I've tried to cover everything positive and negative. Some things will be fixed with firmware. Tight carts and light bleed is forever.
Pretty fair review I think. Much more of a in depth focus than the rest I’ve seen. I’ve got pretty much the same light bleed issue as you and it’s visible when not in direct light which is why it really doesn’t show up on photos and most RUclips videos. I only have three first batch carts but after seeing the videos I don’t think I want to go through putting them in and out 5 times! Once looks bad enough. With Argos getting their orders out first and with these little issues I don’t think I’d pre order again. I’d wait for release or even batch 2.
Shocking that they think that is acceptable with the old carts jamming in like that. Time for Blaze to offer cartridge replacements for these. Nobody should have to go through this to use products they bought.
What's crazy is how little material you have to remove to fix this issue I agree that you shouldn't have to do this fix but 5 minutes of work made me enjoy my EXP. There was the same issue with the original it's beyond me why they didn't fix a known issue.
Those issues are definitely disappointing, the light bleed was in the VS and that was fine cause it was evenly spread and looked charming with the cartridge cover open, but those tight cartridge slots should not have been allowed at all.. how they never caught that and made changes is beyond me. Changes I would have made would be an HDMI cover cap and the volume switches to be beside the tate AB buttons rather than the bottom. Very thorough video, thanks for putting in the effort!
I've not invested in anything Evercade thus far, was thinking this newer model was looking a lot better but to hear all these issues you've mentioned, well cartridges are nice but I don't think any of this is enticing me any more. Think I will just stick with emulation as well as all my old systems/consoles/handhelds. Also feel bad for all those who bought the original since they are dropping support, nice nice since all those original buyers helped to make it a success.
If you don't care for carts or physical media then emulation devices are probably a better option. There are far better Devices out there for similar money.
It's odd because a lot of these issues are throwback from the original handheld from 2020. I can't believe Blaze haven't learned from the past with this one in honesty. The EXP has a lot of promise but it's held back by poor quality control on Blaze's part. Things like the tight cartridge slot and weak sound are fundamentals and should never have been overlooked. They need to start learning from their past mistakes or risk turning people off. I have had issues with more than one piece of Evercadec hardware now, so I am seriously considering never buying any evercade hardware again, as I think Blaze's quality control is lacking I'll continue to buy the carts though, as I want a complete collection
Very in-depth! So a good screen, poor sound and unnecessarily tight cartridge slot. Personally I’m not the target for this, the VS is perfect for me since I just play on the TV. And Capcom games I can play on my PS2. They should have used the wi-if or something to get two EXP:s ready for 2 player games. Good point you make about R2&L2, surprised they didn’t work, Anyway, great to hear what you think about it.
Thanks mate.. yes I realise that if you are happy enough with the VS.. there's probably no need to get the EXP. Tate mode is nice but it's still a novelty. I dont see me playing this mode in any excessive length of time.
I think tate is a neat function, especially since you’ve pointed out how some arcade games are unplayable on the regular handheld. My TV is big, so vertical games is not a problem for me either. Regarding the shoulder buttons, it’d be interesting to know if prototype Maniac Square is accessible on the EXP!
Great content as always! Do you still own this device? How is it holding up? Would you be able to do a viewing angle test for Evercade EXP in the dark, as you did for the Purple handheld? Also, do you notice a white line or light streaks when shutting down the device? Thank you for the time!
I still own this yeah. I've done other videos showing the angles and light bleed in the dark. This device is certainly far from perfect. The original releases had battery issues, charging issues, light bleed etc. Later batches did seem to improve things but still think the battery life is pretty poor.
Overall Im happy with my EXP purchases. The screen is a big improvement though I think people will be underwhelmed with how few titles are better with the Tate mode. The L1 and R1 buttons are a bit small for my own tastes but perfectly functional. My personal biggest gripe is I'm still not happy with the Capcom games being built in, a departure from the original Evercade mission statement. I would still rather have seen it as a cart collection or two or even three. I know most disagree with that stance. It's just a shame to not have a nice Capcom themed clamshells for the ever growing Evercade library, not to mention splitting the user base. I know that we have been told this was the only way Blaze could get those titles. Honestly I don't think it was worth it to break with the cart collation model. Moving forward I do hope we see a focus from Blaze on a lot more carts next year and not another hardware revision. Though I cant help but think we will see another system update (a new VS+ maybe) with a different built in collection next year....after all if the EXP sells really well and the community by and large vocally support the built in Capcom games why wouldn't Blaze try the same strategy again next year. With say maybe Midway, Namco or SNK.
I agree; that Capcom collection should have been on a cartridge/cartridges..... it would have been nice even if they'd made it available to existing VS at least as a download option (not sure if the original handheld had any onboard storage space!)
Been waiting for your review on this since they first announced it. 😆 21:30 in and you've already cured me of the funk I've been in for weeks for not having the funds to get an EXP on day one. 🤣 I'm still excited about getting one in a few months, though, when the ol' budget allows. Hopefully some of the kinks will be worked out by then. After Christmas I have no less than four super-important birthdays to tend to between February 22nd & March 10th: my sister's, my wife's, two sons and my mother-in-law's! It's like Second Christmas around here.🤣 This video takes sting out like Benadryl Lol. Anyway, great review so far! Thanks!
@@CrazyBurger So does the mini-HDMI out grip any tighter than the one on the original handheld? I've had 3 of the originals and all of them were horrible as far as the TV out port goes. And I've tried multiple cables.
@@CrazyBurger the tight carts only are a few of the first batch of the early releases and by the you can actually get them replaced free of charge. So far Evercade is definitely listening to its customers and provides fairly good customer service i think.
As much as I would love one, I feel most of the games are available on the switch, and as always emulated one way or another, but I like the white look of the system. The way of switching the screen is great.
I’m pricing OG handheld now and will consider the possibility to return the exp which hasn’t even arrived yet. The tinny sound is my main concern, I’m sensitive to sound and I want it to be the best.
If you have the first 10 early carts your going to want to lightly shave a little material off each side of the cartridge slot with an Exacto Knife. You don't have to remove a lot to fix this issue. On mine the Light bleed was worse on my original I'm guessing this may vary per unit. I appreciate your review and think its a fair assessment and I don't think anyone should have to fix the tight cart issue nor do I expect everyone will feel comfortable doing this and understand.
I commented in a previous video that I thought I had some audio issues with my LE EXP. Evercade did send me a replacement and it's exactly the same. As with your problems it just sounds cheap, tinny and the volume seems inconsistent. I just think it's not an issue at all and it's just because the speakers are low quality and cheap. Also the fact that they're bottom firing doesn't help, and when playing in Tate mode you can't help but cover one of the speakers up, making it sound muffled. Seems odd that with all of the upgrades over the original handheld, the sound is definitely a downgrade. Even the Playdate has better quality sound and that only has one speaker 😂 I have to say the EXP is growing on me though. I still don't like Tate mode as it's so uncomfortable to play, but the screen is a vast improvement and the Capcom games built in is a big plus - but yeah for anyone without an EXP it would be good if this was also released as a cart in the future.
Agree with all your points. Its possible the sound could be fixed via firmware. It could be an emulation issue as it's not like that with every game. Just not as loud as it could be. Muffled and tinny. At worst it could be partially down to the speaker placement.. I dont think they ate in a good position.. amazingly yes.. the playdate sounds far better lol..
I think blaze failed. They delayed exp for 3 weeks because of firmware. But firmware still have a lot issues: battery calibration, freezing witn no sense, firmware stability. Speakers is completely downgrade, battery as well (or maybe they can sort out this with update). I cant understand how blaze released exp with this light bleeding, its just looks poor quality of the product.
I like the kinda creamy looking screen of the exp, downside: the blacks are pretty washed out. Bigger screen would be nice but I guess the ran into problems with battery life and the device getting too hot (it already is getting too warm in my opinion). What's great is that there is almost zero input lag on the shmups. This is really an achievement since most emulators are not doing that right.
Thanks for sharing all the faults & pluses of this unit John. You've made me think twice about getting this right now 🤔🤔 I just might wait for the Purple updated version 🤣🤣🤣👍👍
I think dynamic rate control is to allow slower frame rates for PAL games. Probably for HDMI out. I don’t like that I can’t turn off menu noises. Cart tightness is ridiculous. I’m a little worried about all of this.
The menu noises is insane! This was a complaint in the original handheld. They then updated the firmware to allow you to turn it off. Yet here we are 2 years later, new device same issue. Its crazy.
You'd think there was a way to link 2 together, or plug-in a VS controller..... or maybe even as Nintendo did with the DS system, and have a direct wireless link between the two handhelds...... if Nintendo could do it 18 years ago, I'm sure Overcame could manage it now!!
Not that I'm defending the EXP here but the tight cart issue is a problem with the first run of carts #1-#11 being too large. It's not the EXP slot itself. As horrible as it is to say, the easiest fix (assuming Blaze won't replace the cart anymore) is to shave the width of those carts down on the sides with some fine sanding - which of course will destroy the finish/sheen/texture on them.
I got mine today, but haven't had time to open it yet...I pre-ordered it along with Toaplan from Best Buy, I've been playing Toaplan because it arrived on time via UPS but the EXP was shipped via FedEx and was a day late due to being stuck in a blizzard.
@@CrazyBurger I was always on the fence about this handheld, but decided to give it a go. But all this waiting gave me time to reconsider and your review here talked me out of it too. 😁
@@sshamon72 😆 lol oops. Sorry Blaze. At the end of the day, my review was provided to give everyone a true reflection of the current product. Its not for everyone, its definitely got a few issues. Far from perfect.
@@CrazyBurger I was looking for a retro focused handheld that takes physical media. And The Evercade Exp fits the bill, but the issues you highlighted and no Bluetooth, just made me rethink my preorder. I'm hoping the next iteration is the ONE for me. Thanks again for your honest and in-depth review.
WOW! I'm absolutely shocked. I've heard some people are having issues but, wow, the tightness of the old carts is, quite frankly, absolutely unacceptable. How on earth this was allowed (not an issue with the VS) is totally unacceptable. The light bleeding, wow, again it's absolutely unacceptable from Blaze! They delayed the EXP for further testing but have still sent it out with faults. Great review John, it's nice to see a RUclipsf give an open and honest review on a product for once, rather than the usual "it's brilliant" so they can keep getting freebies.
I finally got my hands on an EXP and ...... I prefer the original, aside from the screen the EXP actually feels like a downgrade to me. The worst aspect for me is the tiny little buttons and their positioning, they are all squished together at the top of the device making it feel very awkward to use. The speakers aren't great and seem worse than the original. In tate mode the device feels unbalanced and it's not very comfortable to hold. Very disapointing, I'm seriously considering returning it.
Lol the same thing happened with my Atari cartridges😂, the handheld itself is amazing. Anyone have any ideas for how to deal with tight cartridges? With regards to a firmware update there is a new one being released next week.
I have the Black limited edition. I think it's a great device and I'm having a great time with the Capcom games. But I do have one small complaint. I live in the Netherlands and therefore had to pay costs for shipping this Evercade Exp limited edition. Now I think that's normal. But why don't I get those pins from Funstock? I ordered early and had extra charges. Why don't I get at least the same extras as the people who bought a normal version for less money later than me. I really think Blaze/Funstock is selling their customers short in this way. In addition, I do not like the supplied hard-shell carrying case. This carrying case contains elastic bands to keep the device in place. These elastics will stretch after a while. I would rather have the carrying case, which apparently came with the people who ordered the white version. I therefore hope that these will soon be offered for sale and preferably not by Funstock.
Dam! I just ordered this yesterday. But ALL those negative things you discovered I not sure it was worth the wait. I’m wondering if the black version helps hide the light bleed better?! I’m now thinking to cancel my order. But then I will be left with all these useless collection which I cannot play. It would also mean I’m not an Evercadain anymore. Very worrying indeed. seem very weak of BLAZE to overlook all these things. Is it really that bad?!... 🤔
I'm concerned more issues will appear. Most can be fixed. The light bleed should be less noticeable on the black. It's not terrible, just not worth the hype. Nice screen, tate mode, capcom and WiFi. Positives!
@@CrazyBurger Not just worth the hype. The price also seems hyper inflated?! The best thing is probably the screen, and possible the Wi-Fi. But blaze were really about that. physical games! Yes it is an upgrade. but they all seem add ons extras. The basics of the machine lets the whole package down. I will have to go and have a hard think on this. But it annoying. it’s the build up to the World Cup again. With England getting knocked out when nearly getting just there!... 😖
Me too. After some reconsideration I've cancelled my pre-order, from two weeks ago. I think I'll wait for the next iteration in a few years. I really wanted a retro focused handheld with physical media. But these minor issues and no Bluetooth have me waiting a bit longer. 😥
Hm. The level of light bleeding is kind of insane :P I usually never get involved in "limited edition" stuff, but for once I did. AaAAAAnd all the consoles going to North America got stolen lol! EDIT: STILL NO WAY TO REMAP BUTTONS... AND R/L2 just not mapped at all? It's INSANE LOL. Look at the sub Reddit, and you'll see that the most requested "feature" has ALWAYS been the possibility to remap buttons, ever since the very first console. The fact that it's STILL not implemented is CRAZY to me! Is it against their religion or something lol? Is it something their devs are simply unable to do?? They said that it would be the case with the VS. It never was. They said that they would finally do it with the EXP. It still not. A firmware update should have dealt with this once and for all YEARS ago. Selling an EMULATION handheld in 2022 (!!!) without the ability to remap inputs is crazy. It's not even a feature, but a base function. Not to mention that their default setup are HORRIBLE. On a SNES style setup, WHO IN THE WORLD likes to use A + B instead of A + X while playing a NES game? NOBODY! It's been cemented in more than 15 years of emulation FFS! But then, even more puzzling, they sometimes included alternative controls; but they are ALAWAYS even worst and head scratching : A to jump and X to attack? NOPE, let's instead have Y to jump and X to attack... Like, WHAT? I own ALL of the available cartridge, bought several of their consoles for me and gift and as soon as they got available. So I really really like Evercade, and I proved it with my wallet. But MAN; I'm starting to feel a bit dumb... I cannot play comfortably most of the games, and yet I still buy. They promised a vital function at least 2 times (that I personally saw), once before the release of the VS, and once around the time the EXP got announced. And now it's still not going to be there, with only a vague "we will implement it early in 2022"... I can't get over it lol. Damn, I mean, I've developed CFWs by myself, and I can do it for them lol!
I agree with you on the button configurations. Quite frequently the layout baffles me. And not having the ability to change it is even worse. Apparently a big firmware update is coming this week. Not sure what's in it but hopefully lots of fixes and button mapping. Problem is.. in the past, the more they fix.. the more things break.
I was thinking of getting the white one while I wait for my Black version, after seeing the case light bleed I am having second thoughts, that really is bad :(
Mime does the same. No red light when console is turned off and charging. But it is not fully charges, it does show the red light when the console is turned on and charging
I'm seriously considering cancelling my black EXP stolen pre order after this review,the tinny sound is worst offender for me..I'm eyeing up Anbernic rg353m instead.
I'm just trying to weigh up if it's worth sticking with the Exp so I can use some carts on the go or just cancel it and get an Anbernic...do you think the rg353p is a better device all round?
@@CrazyBurger - Hummingz was basically just Millipede...which was fine by me, but Fairy Fire felt like it added a bit more than just being a Defender clone.
Every review I read or watch says the battery lasts “around 4 to 5 hours” in a quite subjective manner. Has actually anyone measured it properly? I have tried two of these and measured with a timer. In both, the battery icon lost the first notch after 30 minutes and both lasted exactly 3 hours and I doubt they are both defective… Kind of sarcastic that the Game Gear got so much criticism for lasting only 4 hours and 30 years later a modern console lasts even less…
At the moment it's most likely around 3 to 4 hours I'm getting from the device. There's definitely been inconsistencies regarding battery life and the readouts.
@@CrazyBurger Thanks for the reply, that seems much more in line with my experience! I can’t understand how with today’s tech and such old games that don’t require any power the battery lasts so little. My RG350M still lasts 6 hours after years of playing…
@@pavlvs_maximvs potentially I think it's more to do with the device rather than the battery. Lack of testing won't help. Perhaps need to turn down brightness and keep the battery saver or screen saver on. I dont know how much that'll help. My device definitely gets far too warm for my liking. I'm certainly enjoying it but a few niggles and issues here and there. I think I would've expected more for the price. Though there's still plenty of good things to say about the EXP too.
@@CrazyBurger Totally but that’s the problem. Most of the things are great so I am really disappointed about battery life, because if it lasted 6-8 hours I would consider it perfect. I can cope with mediocre speakers, mushy buttons or not offering Bluetooth when those are the headphones we all have… but battery life is a red line in a portable device in my opinion. I have returned mobile phones that I loved for this same reason for example.
I'm sorry these days you need to be able to provide something that at least offers as good an experience as a few generations old pocket android tablet or you shouldn't be selling your emulation device... also big companies like Capcom.... you really should be demanding better from these partnerships, they are not putting some of your best games in the best light when they put them on these half baked devices.
Evercade tout themselves as but gamers for gamers and yet the controls mapping is still utter bollocks. How, how does this not have full button mapping for every game and an auto fire option. It's just super lazy and shows as a company they don't care about their own product. Nobody could of played these and really loved them. My LE was stolen and I'm honestly not bothered.
@@CrazyBurger It's honestly laughable to release this like this. I support the company and own the systems. The ethos is good, but the execution is lacking. That sound awesome seems really bad. I honestly might sell mine when it finally arrives.
The coin limit is a neat feature. For those looking for a challenge without the urge to cheat by giving more coins. As someone who likes to do 1CC runs, I love this.
It'll have its audience, I just don't fancy frustrating myself!
Nifty device. Glad the company is doing well and can’t wait to see where they go from here. If I could nitpick, I hate the all-white look. And I really want a clamshell case for the Capcom manual.
After two years you would of thought they would of sorted out the cart problem 😊
Yes the light bleed is definitely another problem and I didn't even notice till I played it in the dark 😊
Thankfully the light bleed is only a cosmetic issue. But the tight carts is a massive oversight on their side.
They REALLY need a 2-player option for those Capcom games, hooking it to the VS via data cable seems like it'd be the best option...they hinted that they were working on some solution like that, I was rather upset with the OG Handheld for not having a 2-player option and boycotted it until the VS was announced. After that announcement I bought it mainly for Drakkhen, I just wanted to have the multiplayer option for Double Dragon 2, River City Ransom, Battle Chess, etc.
@à-bas-le-ciel - You got me there, too bad the DSi went the way of the dodos...
Great review and loads covered
Thanks Ryan, I'm sure more issues will come. I've tried to cover everything positive and negative. Some things will be fixed with firmware. Tight carts and light bleed is forever.
Pretty fair review I think. Much more of a in depth focus than the rest I’ve seen. I’ve got pretty much the same light bleed issue as you and it’s visible when not in direct light which is why it really doesn’t show up on photos and most RUclips videos. I only have three first batch carts but after seeing the videos I don’t think I want to go through putting them in and out 5 times! Once looks bad enough. With Argos getting their orders out first and with these little issues I don’t think I’d pre order again. I’d wait for release or even batch 2.
Cheers Lee, with the early carts, it's possible to play them by not pushing them all the way in. Leave a small gap, the cart still gets recognised.
Shocking that they think that is acceptable with the old carts jamming in like that. Time for Blaze to offer cartridge replacements for these. Nobody should have to go through this to use products they bought.
What's crazy is how little material you have to remove to fix this issue I agree that you shouldn't have to do this fix but 5 minutes of work made me enjoy my EXP. There was the same issue with the original it's beyond me why they didn't fix a known issue.
Those issues are definitely disappointing, the light bleed was in the VS and that was fine cause it was evenly spread and looked charming with the cartridge cover open, but those tight cartridge slots should not have been allowed at all.. how they never caught that and made changes is beyond me. Changes I would have made would be an HDMI cover cap and the volume switches to be beside the tate AB buttons rather than the bottom. Very thorough video, thanks for putting in the effort!
I've not invested in anything Evercade thus far, was thinking this newer model was looking a lot better but to hear all these issues you've mentioned, well cartridges are nice but I don't think any of this is enticing me any more. Think I will just stick with emulation as well as all my old systems/consoles/handhelds. Also feel bad for all those who bought the original since they are dropping support, nice nice since all those original buyers helped to make it a success.
If you don't care for carts or physical media then emulation devices are probably a better option. There are far better Devices out there for similar money.
It's odd because a lot of these issues are throwback from the original handheld from 2020. I can't believe Blaze haven't learned from the past with this one in honesty. The EXP has a lot of promise but it's held back by poor quality control on Blaze's part. Things like the tight cartridge slot and weak sound are fundamentals and should never have been overlooked. They need to start learning from their past mistakes or risk turning people off.
I have had issues with more than one piece of Evercadec hardware now, so I am seriously considering never buying any evercade hardware again, as I think Blaze's quality control is lacking I'll continue to buy the carts though, as I want a complete collection
Wow that cartridge tightness is ridiculous
I honestly didn't think it would be THAT bad.. but it was horrific.
That's what he said, lol! 😆
Great comprehensive review - thank you!!! I’ll treat myself to one of these
Thanks!
Very in-depth! So a good screen, poor sound and unnecessarily tight cartridge slot. Personally I’m not the target for this, the VS is perfect for me since I just play on the TV. And Capcom games I can play on my PS2. They should have used the wi-if or something to get two EXP:s ready for 2 player games. Good point you make about R2&L2, surprised they didn’t work, Anyway, great to hear what you think about it.
Thanks mate.. yes I realise that if you are happy enough with the VS.. there's probably no need to get the EXP. Tate mode is nice but it's still a novelty. I dont see me playing this mode in any excessive length of time.
I think tate is a neat function, especially since you’ve pointed out how some arcade games are unplayable on the regular handheld. My TV is big, so vertical games is not a problem for me either.
Regarding the shoulder buttons, it’d be interesting to know if prototype Maniac Square is accessible on the EXP!
@@bjornh1527 lol funny enough I was checking this last night and yes it's playable on exp!
Great content as always!
Do you still own this device? How is it holding up?
Would you be able to do a viewing angle test for Evercade EXP in the dark, as you did for the Purple handheld?
Also, do you notice a white line or light streaks when shutting down the device?
Thank you for the time!
I still own this yeah. I've done other videos showing the angles and light bleed in the dark. This device is certainly far from perfect. The original releases had battery issues, charging issues, light bleed etc. Later batches did seem to improve things but still think the battery life is pretty poor.
@@CrazyBurger Thank you! Will check those other videos.
Overall Im happy with my EXP purchases. The screen is a big improvement though I think people will be underwhelmed with how few titles are better with the Tate mode. The L1 and R1 buttons are a bit small for my own tastes but perfectly functional. My personal biggest gripe is I'm still not happy with the Capcom games being built in, a departure from the original Evercade mission statement. I would still rather have seen it as a cart collection or two or even three. I know most disagree with that stance. It's just a shame to not have a nice Capcom themed clamshells for the ever growing Evercade library, not to mention splitting the user base. I know that we have been told this was the only way Blaze could get those titles. Honestly I don't think it was worth it to break with the cart collation model.
Moving forward I do hope we see a focus from Blaze on a lot more carts next year and not another hardware revision. Though I cant help but think we will see another system update (a new VS+ maybe) with a different built in collection next year....after all if the EXP sells really well and the community by and large vocally support the built in Capcom games why wouldn't Blaze try the same strategy again next year. With say maybe Midway, Namco or SNK.
Good points, it honestly wouldn't surprise me either. Hope not.
I agree; that Capcom collection should have been on a cartridge/cartridges..... it would have been nice even if they'd made it available to existing VS at least as a download option (not sure if the original handheld had any onboard storage space!)
@@stevesstuff1450 it was at Capcom’s insistence otherwise Blaze would have done carts for all the Capcom games.
Been waiting for your review on this since they first announced it. 😆
21:30 in and you've already cured me of the funk I've been in for weeks for not having the funds to get an EXP on day one. 🤣 I'm still excited about getting one in a few months, though, when the ol' budget allows. Hopefully some of the kinks will be worked out by then.
After Christmas I have no less than four super-important birthdays to tend to between February 22nd & March 10th: my sister's, my wife's, two sons and my mother-in-law's! It's like Second Christmas around here.🤣
This video takes sting out like Benadryl Lol. Anyway, great review so far! Thanks!
Lol cheers Charles. I'm sure a few of the issues will get sorted via firmware updates. Tight carts and light bleed won't be fixed.
@@CrazyBurger So does the mini-HDMI out grip any tighter than the one on the original handheld? I've had 3 of the originals and all of them were horrible as far as the TV out port goes. And I've tried multiple cables.
@@GeneSimmonsBoots I used my trust purchase from amazon and it was solid. No issues.
@Crazy Burger Trust purchase? Sorry, not clear on your meaning.
@@CrazyBurger the tight carts only are a few of the first batch of the early releases and by the you can actually get them replaced free of charge. So far Evercade is definitely listening to its customers and provides fairly good customer service i think.
The carts getting stuck is an issue, but the other things you consider issues don’t bother me.
As much as I would love one, I feel most of the games are available on the switch, and as always emulated one way or another, but I like the white look of the system. The way of switching the screen is great.
Yeah the TATE mode is well done.. there are definitely other options out there. Do what's right for you.
@@CrazyBurger problem is, I want one 😂 I sold my modded 3ds XL in white and this reminds me off it for some reason 😁
@@T200026 lol 😆.. I know the feeling.. im not going to talk you out of it
Fantastic in-depth review. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work :-)
I’m pricing OG handheld now and will consider the possibility to return the exp which hasn’t even arrived yet. The tinny sound is my main concern, I’m sensitive to sound and I want it to be the best.
I just didn't think the sound was very good. It sounded off. Doesn't come over the video as clear
@@CrazyBurger I wonder if it can be patched
@@lockedine mmm.. not sure. I definitely felt the original had better sound. The maximum sound wasn't very loud.
how is the sound using headphones?
@@depafeo I'll check today.
If you have the first 10 early carts your going to want to lightly shave a little material off each side of the cartridge slot with an Exacto Knife. You don't have to remove a lot to fix this issue. On mine the Light bleed was worse on my original I'm guessing this may vary per unit. I appreciate your review and think its a fair assessment and I don't think anyone should have to fix the tight cart issue nor do I expect everyone will feel comfortable doing this and understand.
Out of the first ten only 2 are an issue. I can either never play them, shave them, replace them or have them forever stuck in the EXP!
I commented in a previous video that I thought I had some audio issues with my LE EXP. Evercade did send me a replacement and it's exactly the same. As with your problems it just sounds cheap, tinny and the volume seems inconsistent. I just think it's not an issue at all and it's just because the speakers are low quality and cheap. Also the fact that they're bottom firing doesn't help, and when playing in Tate mode you can't help but cover one of the speakers up, making it sound muffled. Seems odd that with all of the upgrades over the original handheld, the sound is definitely a downgrade. Even the Playdate has better quality sound and that only has one speaker 😂
I have to say the EXP is growing on me though. I still don't like Tate mode as it's so uncomfortable to play, but the screen is a vast improvement and the Capcom games built in is a big plus - but yeah for anyone without an EXP it would be good if this was also released as a cart in the future.
Agree with all your points. Its possible the sound could be fixed via firmware. It could be an emulation issue as it's not like that with every game. Just not as loud as it could be. Muffled and tinny. At worst it could be partially down to the speaker placement.. I dont think they ate in a good position.. amazingly yes.. the playdate sounds far better lol..
I think blaze failed. They delayed exp for 3 weeks because of firmware. But firmware still have a lot issues: battery calibration, freezing witn no sense, firmware stability. Speakers is completely downgrade, battery as well (or maybe they can sort out this with update). I cant understand
how blaze released exp with this light bleeding, its just looks poor quality of the product.
I like how you pronounce oled "oile d"
I like the kinda creamy looking screen of the exp, downside: the blacks are pretty washed out. Bigger screen would be nice but I guess the ran into problems with battery life and the device getting too hot (it already is getting too warm in my opinion). What's great is that there is almost zero input lag on the shmups. This is really an achievement since most emulators are not doing that right.
Thanks for sharing all the faults & pluses of this unit John. You've made me think twice about getting this right now 🤔🤔 I just might wait for the Purple updated version 🤣🤣🤣👍👍
🙃 lol at the end of the day it's your hard earned money.. rather be honest and let everyone know that at present it's far from perfect.
@@CrazyBurger It's worth it for the much improved screen + updates over WiFi 😀😀
@@stevemahoney5209 yeah it certainly makes things easier. Hopefully firmware updates will fix out the other issues.
I think dynamic rate control is to allow slower frame rates for PAL games. Probably for HDMI out. I don’t like that I can’t turn off menu noises. Cart tightness is ridiculous. I’m a little worried about all of this.
The menu noises is insane! This was a complaint in the original handheld. They then updated the firmware to allow you to turn it off. Yet here we are 2 years later, new device same issue. Its crazy.
Excellent analysis! Answered almost all my questions. Is there a way to test if the shoulder buttons work, without having to purchase PS game?
Yeah there's a diagnosis screen you can access to test them.
@@CrazyBurger Awesome thanks!
@@CrazyBurger Could you please share how I can get to the diagnostics screen? Don't see it under Settings.
@@giftsonjac X + Y + L1 + R1 (On Cartridge Screen) = Diagnostics / Test Screen
@@CrazyBurger Thank you so much!
Still waiting for mine .cant wait 👍👍🎁🎁
Any day now.. surely.
Forgotten Worlds is such a fun game, but it'll mess me up a bit being used to the Genesis port...quite a bit was left out of that one.
I think it’s greatly to have Capcom on board but pointless having multiplayer games when there’s no way of playing them against someone else
Yeah seems bonkers doesn't it. SF 2 against a friend was brilliant.
You'd think there was a way to link 2 together, or plug-in a VS controller..... or maybe even as Nintendo did with the DS system, and have a direct wireless link between the two handhelds...... if Nintendo could do it 18 years ago, I'm sure Overcame could manage it now!!
@@stevesstuff1450 yeah, you would think with WiFi they could easily connect 2. Might be a lot of work though. Maybe a long term project.
47:03 why does it sometimes do that glitchy type screen and say ram ok rom ok?
That's just part of the arcade rom booting up. It's not a fault. Practically every arcade rom would do this.
Not that I'm defending the EXP here but the tight cart issue is a problem with the first run of carts #1-#11 being too large. It's not the EXP slot itself. As horrible as it is to say, the easiest fix (assuming Blaze won't replace the cart anymore) is to shave the width of those carts down on the sides with some fine sanding - which of course will destroy the finish/sheen/texture on them.
Bad day you need to do that though. The carts are tighter than they were originally which also points to the EXP having a slight design flaw.
I didn't expect to feel like I'm in a minority but I really like this system. I find it a big upgrade to the original, in pretty much every aspect.
I got mine today, but haven't had time to open it yet...I pre-ordered it along with Toaplan from Best Buy, I've been playing Toaplan because it arrived on time via UPS but the EXP was shipped via FedEx and was a day late due to being stuck in a blizzard.
I just cancelled my preorder from Amazon after 2 weeks of waiting. There's still no ETA. I'll now look into Best Buy
Amazon have been a nightmare recently with Evercade products
@@CrazyBurger I was always on the fence about this handheld, but decided to give it a go. But all this waiting gave me time to reconsider and your review here talked me out of it too. 😁
@@sshamon72 😆 lol oops. Sorry Blaze. At the end of the day, my review was provided to give everyone a true reflection of the current product. Its not for everyone, its definitely got a few issues. Far from perfect.
@@CrazyBurger I was looking for a retro focused handheld that takes physical media. And The Evercade Exp fits the bill, but the issues you highlighted and no Bluetooth, just made me rethink my preorder. I'm hoping the next iteration is the ONE for me. Thanks again for your honest and in-depth review.
It looks really nice, I quite like the all white. Hopefully some of the issues can be sorted 👍🕹️
I'm sure firmware will sort the issues... but it shouldn't need us pointing that out to them.
@@CrazyBurger I thought they would nail this release. Slightly disappointed to see these things, although still excited to get mine.
@@the_lynx_cader I think it was hyped that they would nail it.. unfortunately more issues.
WOW! I'm absolutely shocked. I've heard some people are having issues but, wow, the tightness of the old carts is, quite frankly, absolutely unacceptable. How on earth this was allowed (not an issue with the VS) is totally unacceptable.
The light bleeding, wow, again it's absolutely unacceptable from Blaze! They delayed the EXP for further testing but have still sent it out with faults.
Great review John, it's nice to see a RUclipsf give an open and honest review on a product for once, rather than the usual "it's brilliant" so they can keep getting freebies.
I finally got my hands on an EXP and ...... I prefer the original, aside from the screen the EXP actually feels like a downgrade to me.
The worst aspect for me is the tiny little buttons and their positioning, they are all squished together at the top of the device making it feel very awkward to use.
The speakers aren't great and seem worse than the original.
In tate mode the device feels unbalanced and it's not very comfortable to hold.
Very disapointing, I'm seriously considering returning it.
I think the screen makes it worth upgrading but agree there's a few things not right with it.
Lol the same thing happened with my Atari cartridges😂, the handheld itself is amazing. Anyone have any ideas for how to deal with tight cartridges? With regards to a firmware update there is a new one being released next week.
Oh dear.. Stanley knife? They still work even if not fully inserted. Leave a small gap.
I'm going to go ahead and play Beast Wrestler and Drakkhen in TATE mode tonight, just because I can...
Hah good luck
Lol, 😅👍
I have the Black limited edition. I think it's a great device and I'm having a great time with the Capcom games. But I do have one small complaint. I live in the Netherlands and therefore had to pay costs for shipping this Evercade Exp limited edition. Now I think that's normal. But why don't I get those pins from Funstock? I ordered early and had extra charges. Why don't I get at least the same extras as the people who bought a normal version for less money later than me. I really think Blaze/Funstock is selling their customers short in this way. In addition, I do not like the supplied hard-shell carrying case. This carrying case contains elastic bands to keep the device in place. These elastics will stretch after a while. I would rather have the carrying case, which apparently came with the people who ordered the white version. I therefore hope that these will soon be offered for sale and preferably not by Funstock.
Have you ever checked the carrying case : your pins may wait you there 😉.
At least you've got the LE version. Most will have to wait a few months.
Is their online to the games?
No, mainly cart only. Game of The month is delivered digital though to the VS and EXP
i found carts 1- 12 were the hardest to get out
If they are really bad.. Blaze will replace them.
Dam! I just ordered this yesterday. But ALL those negative things you discovered I not sure it was worth the wait. I’m wondering if the black version helps hide the light bleed better?! I’m now thinking to cancel my order. But then I will be left with all these useless collection which I cannot play. It would also mean I’m not an Evercadain anymore. Very worrying indeed. seem very weak of BLAZE to overlook all these things. Is it really that bad?!... 🤔
I'm concerned more issues will appear. Most can be fixed. The light bleed should be less noticeable on the black. It's not terrible, just not worth the hype. Nice screen, tate mode, capcom and WiFi. Positives!
@@CrazyBurger Not just worth the hype. The price also seems hyper inflated?! The best thing is probably the screen, and possible the Wi-Fi. But blaze were really about that. physical games! Yes it is an upgrade. but they all seem add ons extras. The basics of the machine lets the whole package down. I will have to go and have a hard think on this. But it annoying. it’s the build up to the World Cup again. With England getting knocked out when nearly getting just there!... 😖
Me too. After some reconsideration I've cancelled my pre-order, from two weeks ago. I think I'll wait for the next iteration in a few years. I really wanted a retro focused handheld with physical media. But these minor issues and no Bluetooth have me waiting a bit longer. 😥
well worth it love my exercades
One way to have improved this, would've been to add a button on the bottom that pushes the cart out. 😆
If only yeah..
Needs an "eject" button just for those tight carts, sheesh.
Now that's an idea.. I knew it would be tight but ffs not that bad..
@@CrazyBurger - ffs? I'm just glad not to be an "early adopter"...
Hm. The level of light bleeding is kind of insane :P
I usually never get involved in "limited edition" stuff, but for once I did. AaAAAAnd all the consoles going to North America got stolen lol!
EDIT: STILL NO WAY TO REMAP BUTTONS... AND R/L2 just not mapped at all? It's INSANE LOL.
Look at the sub Reddit, and you'll see that the most requested "feature" has ALWAYS been the possibility to remap buttons, ever since the very first console. The fact that it's STILL not implemented is CRAZY to me! Is it against their religion or something lol? Is it something their devs are simply unable to do??
They said that it would be the case with the VS. It never was.
They said that they would finally do it with the EXP. It still not.
A firmware update should have dealt with this once and for all YEARS ago.
Selling an EMULATION handheld in 2022 (!!!) without the ability to remap inputs is crazy. It's not even a feature, but a base function.
Not to mention that their default setup are HORRIBLE.
On a SNES style setup, WHO IN THE WORLD likes to use A + B instead of A + X while playing a NES game? NOBODY! It's been cemented in more than 15 years of emulation FFS!
But then, even more puzzling, they sometimes included alternative controls; but they are ALAWAYS even worst and head scratching : A to jump and X to attack? NOPE, let's instead have Y to jump and X to attack... Like, WHAT?
I own ALL of the available cartridge, bought several of their consoles for me and gift and as soon as they got available. So I really really like Evercade, and I proved it with my wallet. But MAN; I'm starting to feel a bit dumb... I cannot play comfortably most of the games, and yet I still buy. They promised a vital function at least 2 times (that I personally saw), once before the release of the VS, and once around the time the EXP got announced. And now it's still not going to be there, with only a vague "we will implement it early in 2022"... I can't get over it lol.
Damn, I mean, I've developed CFWs by myself, and I can do it for them lol!
I agree with you on the button configurations. Quite frequently the layout baffles me. And not having the ability to change it is even worse. Apparently a big firmware update is coming this week. Not sure what's in it but hopefully lots of fixes and button mapping. Problem is.. in the past, the more they fix.. the more things break.
I was thinking of getting the white one while I wait for my Black version, after seeing the case light bleed I am having second thoughts, that really is bad :(
I dont think it'll be as noticeable in the black
@@CrazyBurger Hope not.
@@chrisshaw451 just saw a few videos of the black.. I think I prefer that one. A bit generic but it looks good.
When the charging light goes off ,it is fully charged.
Mmm OK.. thanks.. hopefully that's the case
@@CrazyBurger yes it does because i got mine on Friday from Funstock .
@@daverave40 yes my mistake on this one. I think ideally the light should go green when fully charged with the unit not on but plugged in to charge.
Mime does the same. No red light when console is turned off and charging. But it is not fully charges, it does show the red light when the console is turned on and charging
@@wimkarman77 mmm the plot thickens..
I'm seriously considering cancelling my black EXP stolen pre order after this review,the tinny sound is worst offender for me..I'm eyeing up Anbernic rg353m instead.
I'm seriously thinking I need to cancel my LE too.. I'll give it a few more days.
I'm just trying to weigh up if it's worth sticking with the Exp so I can use some carts on the go or just cancel it and get an Anbernic...do you think the rg353p is a better device all round?
Also the fact that the Exp gets so hot doesn't seem very good build quality,especially with a cart inside,that's a concern to me.
Tate or Ta-tay? That is the question 😃
Lol help me I know. Its definitely Ta-tay which I know.. but I keep falling back to Tate.. I didn't realise till I watched it back.
Why only 5 hidden games, doesn't the VS have like 7?
I said in the vid, 2 were removed but will be added again soon. Issues apparently. Hummingz and Fairy Fire.
@@CrazyBurger - I hope so, I really enjoyed Fairy Fire...
@@JohnnyProctor9 Agree, it was superb.
@@CrazyBurger - Hummingz was basically just Millipede...which was fine by me, but Fairy Fire felt like it added a bit more than just being a Defender clone.
Every review I read or watch says the battery lasts “around 4 to 5 hours” in a quite subjective manner. Has actually anyone measured it properly?
I have tried two of these and measured with a timer. In both, the battery icon lost the first notch after 30 minutes and both lasted exactly 3 hours and I doubt they are both defective…
Kind of sarcastic that the Game Gear got so much criticism for lasting only 4 hours and 30 years later a modern console lasts even less…
At the moment it's most likely around 3 to 4 hours I'm getting from the device. There's definitely been inconsistencies regarding battery life and the readouts.
@@CrazyBurger Thanks for the reply, that seems much more in line with my experience! I can’t understand how with today’s tech and such old games that don’t require any power the battery lasts so little. My RG350M still lasts 6 hours after years of playing…
@@pavlvs_maximvs potentially I think it's more to do with the device rather than the battery. Lack of testing won't help. Perhaps need to turn down brightness and keep the battery saver or screen saver on. I dont know how much that'll help. My device definitely gets far too warm for my liking. I'm certainly enjoying it but a few niggles and issues here and there. I think I would've expected more for the price. Though there's still plenty of good things to say about the EXP too.
@@CrazyBurger Totally but that’s the problem. Most of the things are great so I am really disappointed about battery life, because if it lasted 6-8 hours I would consider it perfect. I can cope with mediocre speakers, mushy buttons or not offering Bluetooth when those are the headphones we all have… but battery life is a red line in a portable device in my opinion. I have returned mobile phones that I loved for this same reason for example.
@@pavlvs_maximvs yeah its not ideal. I've never purchased an IPhone since IPhone 3! That battery life was horrific.
I'm sorry these days you need to be able to provide something that at least offers as good an experience as a few generations old pocket android tablet or you shouldn't be selling your emulation device... also big companies like Capcom.... you really should be demanding better from these partnerships, they are not putting some of your best games in the best light when they put them on these half baked devices.
Evercade tout themselves as but gamers for gamers and yet the controls mapping is still utter bollocks. How, how does this not have full button mapping for every game and an auto fire option. It's just super lazy and shows as a company they don't care about their own product. Nobody could of played these and really loved them. My LE was stolen and I'm honestly not bothered.
Button mapping for the best part is odd at times. Apparently full button mapping coming next week.
@@CrazyBurger It's honestly laughable to release this like this. I support the company and own the systems. The ethos is good, but the execution is lacking. That sound awesome seems really bad. I honestly might sell mine when it finally arrives.
@@yandman26 let me know what you think when you get it. Could just be me.