Evercade Alpha review: authentic countertop arcade fun

TechRadar Verdict

The Evercade Alpha is a countertop-friendly arcade unit that aims to replicate a traditional arcade experience at home, without taking up too much space. There are two units available for purchase, each including a variety of pre-installed Capcom titles. The Alpha is also compatible with all existing and future Evercade cartridges, and these retro games look phenomenal on the unit’s crisp 8-inch 4:3 IPS screen. Support for other controllers via USB is also very welcome if you’re after some multiplayer action, or would prefer something other than those arcade controllers which may take some getting used to.

Wonderful, authentic build

Gorgeously crisp 8-inch IPS display

Support for controllers via USB

Works with all Evercade cartridges

Impressive stereo speakers

Boot-up time is fairly lengthy

On-board arcade-style controls take a bit of getting used to

No difficulty options makes some games extremely difficult

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Evercade Alpha: one-minute review

If you’re looking for a way to replicate that classic arcade experience at home, then the Evercade Alpha is very easy to recommend. This bite-sized countertop arcade cabinet comes in two flavors, each with its own set of classic Capcom arcade titles. There are also two slots for existing Evercade cartridges - all of which are compatible with the Alpha in addition to theEvercade EXPandEvercade VSconsoles.

The cabinet itself is awash with delightful design flourishes, from the swappable marquee cards up top to the official artwork which wraps around the central 8-inch IPS screen. Said screen is simply gorgeous, too; its 8-inch size and 4:3 aspect ratio proved to be perfect for most of the games I tested. Controls are also responsive, whether that be via the onboard arcade stick and buttons or through a third-party controller via the two USB ports on the unit.

It does err on the expensive side, though, making the Evercade Alpha a bit tougher to recommend for folks who aren’t enthusiasts for this kind of thing or don’t already have a decently-sized Evercade cartridge collection. It’s also worth mentioning that most of these games lack any kind of difficulty options, which especially makes fighting games exceptionally hard to clear. You do of course have infinite continues via free play, but this will be irksome to players after a quick, casual arcade session.

Even still, the Evercade Alpha is one of thebest retro games consoleunits released this year, and I highly recommend it to anyone chasing a nostalgic arcade experience. Especially with all its quality-of-life additions.

Evercade Alpha: price and availability

The Evercade Alpha launches on November 28, 2024, coming in at a retail price of $249.99 / £229.99. However, those who pre-order the unit will be able to get it at the discounted price of $229.99 / £199.99. You can purchase one from a variety of big box retailers includingAmazonand Best Buy in the US as well as Funstock, Argos, and Game in the UK.

An Evercade Alpha Deluxe Edition will also be available exclusively at Funstock in the UK. Coming in at £249.99, this version features industry-leading Sanwa arcade buttons, an Evercade Alpha controller, and various goodies including a certificate of authenticity, a poster, and five marquee cards.

You’ve got the choice of two separate units for the Evercade Alpha. TheStreet Fightermodel includesStreet Fighter 2 Champion Edition, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3,andSuper Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo.Meanwhile, theMega Manmodel packs inMega Man: The Power Battle, Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Carrier Air Wing, Final Fight, Knights of the Round,andStrider.

Evercade Alpha: specs

Evercade Alpha: design and features

If you’ve ever laid eyes on a traditional arcade cabinet at any point in your life, then you roughly know what to expect from the Evercade Alpha. The unit replicates that angular silhouette, albeit small enough to comfortably fit on top of a counter or a decently-sizedgaming desk.

There are lots of lovely design flourishes on the Evercade Alpha. The power switch (situated between the two Evercade cartridge slots at the base of the unit) is shaped like an arcade cabinet coin slot. The marquee card at the top can be swapped out with the extra ones included in the package and, when the unit is switched on, a backlight illuminates the marquee. My review unit is the Street Fighter Edition, and it’s great to see classic arcade unit character artwork wrapped around the central IPS display.

Below the screen are the Evercade Alpha’s on-board controls. This is a six-button setup that’s ideal for fighting games alongside an eight-way octagonal gate stick and three buttons used for starting games, inserting coins for play, and accessing the unit’s built-in menu.

Two side-firing speakers are situated on either side of the unit, and at the bottom below those cartridge slots are a pair of USB ports for controllers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a switch for adjusting volume. All in all, it’s a rich yet no-nonsense feature set that’s cleverly implemented into the bite-sized arcade machine design.

Evercade Alpha: performance

The overall play experience on Evercade Alpha is pretty strong. Controls were responsive across all games tested here, both with the on-board arcade stick controls and more standard controller options via USB. In that regard, I tested theXbox Wireless Controller,DualSense Wireless Controller, and the8BitDo Ultimatewith the Evercade Alpha, and all worked with the unit after diving into the settings and mapping the controls for each.

The games themselves are of course the stars of the show. Just like with the Evercade EXP and VS consoles, the games feel decently accurate and responsive in comparison to their arcade counterparts. The arcade stick and buttons did take some getting used to, admittedly, though this isn’t the fault of the Alpha itself. Your mileage may vary here, of course, if you’re used to using some of the best fight sticks on the market. But more casual players may need some time before they can reliably throw out Sonic Booms and Shoryukens inStreet Fighter 2 Turbo.

One gripe I do have is that these Evercade versions don’t have options for difficulty, neither within the ROMs themselves nor within Evercade’s ownoperating system. That’s definitely a bummer - difficulty levels are typically available via arcade machine dip switch menus, and these have been emulated on similar devices. It makes many titles pretty difficult to play at a casual level. Hopefully, this is something Blaze Entertainment can implement in a future firmware update for the Alpha.

On the plus side, I was pleasantly surprised by the CRT filter options available on the Evercade Alpha. You can choose a subtle or a strong filter (or turn it off entirely) via the Evercade Alpha menu. This applies to all games, too, so there’s no need to keep reapplying the filter as you cycle through titles. I found the subtle mode to add a good bit of depth to the scene and avoid feeling intrusive or overdone, as is the case with many a CRT filter in old game compilations.

Should I buy the Evercade Alpha?

Buy it if…

You want an authentic arcade experience at homeBeautiful cabinet design, decently compact size, and a wide selection of games without needing to constantly pop in quarters? The Evercade Alpha is a fantastic and accessible arcade experience from the comfort of your own home.

You already have a decently sized Evercade collectionAll of those Evercade cartridges also work on the Evercade Alpha, and they look fantastic on the unit’s phenomenal 8-inch IPS screen.

Don’t buy it if…

You don’t have much spaceWhile certainly small compared to a real arcade cabinet, the Evercade Alpha still takes up a good chunk of room in any gaming setup.

You’re on a budgetThe Evercade Alpha is expensive, even in its pre-order phase. On top of that, you’ll have to buy any other Evercade cartridges separately and that can add up. I’d only recommend picking one up if you’re planning on starting an Evercade collection.

Also consider…

If the Evercade Alpha doesn’t quite have what you’re looking for, be sure to check out a couple of other Evercade devices that are a bit more budget-friendly.

Evercade EXPThe Evercade EXP is the brand’s portable console. While it does have some games built-in, it’s also compatible with all Evercade cartridges, making this a cost-effective and portable retro gaming solution.

For more information read our fullEvercade EXP review

Evercade VSThe Evercade VS is a dedicated home console for use with your TV at home via HDMI. It’s definitely better suited to smaller screens due to the low-res nature of most Evercade-compatible games, but it’s a solid option if you’re after a cheaper way to build an Evercade collection at home.

For more information read our fullEvercade VS review

How I tested the Evercade Alpha

I tested the Evercade Alpha Street Fighter Edition over the course of around two weeks. I played games both built-in and via a handful of Evercade cartridges both in my collection and supplied by Blaze Entertainment, including the Toaplan Arcade Collection 3 and the Data East Arcade Collection 2.

While I primarily used the onboard arcade stick controls during testing, I also tried playing games on the Evercade Alpha with a variety of controllers including theDualSense, Xbox Wireless Controller, and the 8BitDo Ultimate.

TechRadar Verdict#

Evercade Alpha: one-minute review#

Evercade Alpha: price and availability#

Evercade Alpha: specs#

Evercade Alpha: design and features#

Evercade Alpha: performance#

Should I buy the Evercade Alpha?#

Buy it if…#

Don’t buy it if…#

Also consider…#

How I tested the Evercade Alpha#