By Jon Scarr
Blaze Entertainment, the company behind Evercade, has announced the Evercade Nexus, a new handheld joining the cartridge-based Evercade lineup in October 2026. Nexus features a larger 5.89-inch IPS display, dual analogue sticks, wireless headphone support and EverSync, a new feature that lets two Nexus handhelds connect directly for local multiplayer.
The standard Evercade Nexus is priced at $279.99 CAD / $199.99 USD and comes with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack, putting Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie together on one physical cartridge. Preorders for the standard model open April 1, while a limited Evercade Nexus 64 Edition is already available through Funstock.
As a huge Banjo-Kazooie fan, that pack-in immediately caught my attention. I first saw and played Banjo-Kazooie at E3 1997 in Atlanta, so having both Banjo games included with Evercade's newest handheld makes Nexus especially interesting to me.
Nexus Adds Dual Analogue Sticks And A Larger Screen
The Evercade Nexus has a 5.89-inch 840×512 IPS display with more than 500 nits of brightness, making it the largest screen yet on an Evercade handheld. Blaze has also added dual analogue sticks, which should be particularly useful as the Evercade library continues moving further into 32-bit and 64-bit games.
The larger design includes front-facing stereo speakers, wireless headphone support and a textured rear grip. Battery life is rated at more than five hours from a 5,000mAh battery, while Wi-Fi 6 is included for system updates.
TATE Mode returns for vertically oriented arcade games, along with display ratio and scanline options. Nexus also keeps compatibility with the existing Evercade cartridge library, which now spans more than 80 physical collections and over 700 games.
There's also a customizable RGB Evercade logo on the front. It's a smaller addition compared with the new controls and display, but it gives Nexus a distinct look compared with previous Evercade handhelds.
EverSync Brings Wireless Local Multiplayer To Evercade
EverSync is one of the more interesting additions to Nexus. Two Evercade Nexus handhelds can connect directly to each other for local multiplayer without needing Wi-Fi or an internet connection.
Only one cartridge is required. One Nexus can share the game with the second handheld, allowing both people to play on their own screens. Blaze says it will share more about EverSync later in 2026.
For handheld multiplayer, that means each person gets their own screen while only one copy of the cartridge is needed.
Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack Comes In The Box
Every standard Evercade Nexus includes the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge and a full-colour manual. The collection includes Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, with Blaze describing both games as customised specifically for Evercade.
The announcement confirms performance and graphical improvements, full widescreen support, an overhauled camera with twin-stick controls, support for non-analogue controls and unlockable content. Blaze says more information about the Double Pack will be announced later this year, and the cartridge will also be sold separately.
The standard Evercade Nexus package includes the handheld, Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack, USB-C to USB-A charging cable and quick start guide. It will cost $279.99 CAD, $199.99 USD, £169.99 or €199.99, with preorders opening April 1 ahead of its October 2026 launch.
Blaze is also releasing an Evercade Nexus 64 Edition exclusively through Funstock. Limited to 2,000 units, it features colourful button accents inspired by classic consoles, an exclusive hard shell case, screen protectors, collectible packaging and a numbered certificate of authenticity. The 64 Edition is priced at $229.99 USD, £189.99 or €229.99, with preorders already open through Funstock.
Between the larger display, dual analogue sticks, EverSync and the included Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack, Nexus feels like a significant step forward for Evercade's handheld hardware. For me, having two games I've loved since the Nintendo 64 era included right out of the box makes this one particularly hard to ignore.
Jon Scarr
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