I’m not saying it was the greatest computer of all time, but the fact the Amiga cart for Evercade has reached #40 in the UK games chart should not be ignored.
Ithad its share of turkeys, bu the computer was pushed to the limit by certain developers, Team17 among them. News that Evercade owners would have the chance to play Amiga games was warmly received in 2022, and the cartridge has been out for less than a week at the time of writing.
But most interesting is that while it is at #40, it could actually be higher.
Amazon has once again completely screwed over Evercade pre-order buyers, leaving them scrambling around the alternatives. (I got my own copy from Argos.) How many Amiga fans with an Evercade EXP or VS missed out on the chance to get a copy of the games? What could the cartridge’s genuine position have been?
It’s an interesting question, albeit one we shouldn’t dwell on.
After all, Evercade owners are the real winners here. The Team17 Collection 1 features 10 games, at least half of which I’d describe as excellent. That they’re available for under £20, and playable on a £120 handheld system is nothing short of remarkable. The full list of titles is:
- Alien Breed Special Edition ‘92
- Alien Breed II
- Alien Breed Tower Assault
- Arcade Pool
- ATR: All Terrain Racing
- Body Blows
- Full Contact
- Kingpin: Arcade Sports Series Bowling
- Project X: Special Edition ‘93
- Qwak
But here’s the interesting thing: several games have already been recently re-released. Alien Breed Special Edition ’92, Qwak, Arcade Pool, Project X: Special Edition ’93, and ATR: All Terrain Racing all appeared on TheA500 Mini. That console is available for less than £100.
(Full details of the Team17 Collection 1 can be found on the Evercade website.)
A combined love of the Amiga, Evercade’s mission to deliver curated games collections, and the rich Team17 catalogue have put this cartridge at number 40 in the combined games chart.
If you own an Evercade and limited yourself to bundled games, now is the time to start buying the carts. We are at a critical moment, one that could launch the platform beyond its niche. It’s time for retro gaming to go mainstream.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.