Evercade maker Blaze has announced that it will be bringing Rare games to its family of retro-focused systems this year, just in time to mark the British veteran's 40th birthday.
Rare Collection 1 will include 12 titles spanning the company's early history, including several famous games created when the company was known as Ultimate Play The Game. Classics such as Atic Atac, Jetpac and Knight Lore mark the debut of the ZX Spectrum emulation on Evercade.
The collection will also include some of Rare's early NES games – Cobra Triangle, R.C. Pro-Am and Battletoads. The arcade version of Battletoads will also be included, as will the Game Boy Color title Conker's Pocket Tales.
Because this cart will include a mix of console and home computer titles, it will be unique in that its cover will be reversible – so if you'd like to pair it with the console releases (red), you can. Likewise, if you're keen for it to sit on your shelf next to Evercade's home computer carts (blue), then you have that option.
"Rare’s early games represent an incredible legacy of experimentation and charm," says Blaze Entertainment Ltd’s CEO, Andrew Byatt. "From their earliest ZX Spectrum titles to their later arcade and handheld hits, Rare Collection 1 is our tribute to their evolution and an exciting way for new and old fans alike to rediscover these classics."
Rare was founded in 1985 by Tim and Chris Stamper, who would focus their attention on it after selling the Ultimate Play The Game brand to US Gold. The company produced a string of hits for Nintendo in the late '80s and early '90s and was purchased by Microsoft in 2002.
Rare Collection 1 launches in November 2025, and pre-orders go live on September 30th. It will cost £19.99 / $29.99 / €24.99.