By Jon Scarr
Blaze Entertainment announced that Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie are coming to Evercade together in the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack on October 30, 2026. The collection includes native Evercade versions developed in partnership with Rare, with updated controls, camera improvements, save states and other changes created specifically for Evercade hardware.
I'm a huge Banjo-Kazooie fan, so this announcement immediately caught my attention. I first saw and played Banjo-Kazooie at E3 1997 in Atlanta, and I've loved both games ever since. The physical cartridge will be sold separately and is also included with the new Evercade Nexus handheld. Canadian retailer VGP already has the Double Pack available for preorder at $34.99 CAD and the Evercade Nexus bundle at $279.99 CAD.
Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie Get Native Evercade Versions
Blaze Entertainment worked with Rare on native versions designed for Evercade hardware. Both games include Replay and Retro control schemes, supporting analogue and digital controls depending on the Evercade device you're using.
That's one of the things I'm happiest to see here. These aren't simply being presented as emulated versions of the original games. Blaze and Rare have developed native Evercade versions specifically for the hardware, which makes this release much more interesting to me.
Enhanced camera controls are also part of the package. I'm curious to see how much of a difference those camera changes make when revisiting both games. Save states are supported across Evercade devices, while the menus and user interface have been updated for this release. The collection also includes display settings for modern televisions that keep the original visual presentation intact.
There are some new extras as well. A built-in music player includes music that hasn't been released before, and a cheat menu offers another way to dig into each game's secrets.
The Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack is Evercade Home Console Cartridge #53 and will be priced at $34.99 CAD / $29.99 USD when it launches.
Evercade Nexus Comes With the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack
Anyone buying the Evercade Nexus will get the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge in the box. The new handheld launches on October 30 alongside the cartridge and The DOOM Collection.
The Nexus connection is another big part of the appeal for me. The handheld's dual analogue sticks make sense for 3D games like Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. EverSync also lets one Nexus connect directly to another for wireless local play.
You won't need a Nexus to play the Double Pack, though. It's compatible with the Evercade VS-R, EXP-R, Alpha and HyperMegaTech! Super Pocket systems. It also supports the earlier Evercade handheld, EXP and VS systems.
Having two games I've loved since the Nintendo 64 era packed in with the Nexus makes me even more interested in getting my hands on the new handheld.
VGP Opens Canadian Preorders
Canadian Evercade fans can already preorder both options through Video Games Plus. The standalone Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack is listed at $34.99 CAD, with the retailer showing an October 30, 2026 release date.
VGP also has the Evercade Nexus with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack available for preorder at $279.99 CAD. That package includes the physical cartridge with both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie.
Both the Evercade Nexus and Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack arrive October 30. For someone who's been a Banjo-Kazooie fan since first playing it at E3 nearly 30 years ago, this is one Evercade release I'm especially looking forward to.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.