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The first thing I thought to myself when I picked up the Evercade Nexus for the first time was that it's nowhere near as big as I expected it to be.
When Blaze announced its new handheld earlier in the year, the promotional images had me assuming it would be a Switch 2-sized monster of a portable, but, in reality, it's closer in size to the Switch Lite – and in my eyes, that's a massive positive.
Don't get me wrong – I love my Switch 2, just as I adore the similarly-proportioned Steam Deck – but they're so big that I rarely take them out of the house with me. Contrast that with the Evercade and Evercade EXP, which, while hardly pocket-sized, are much easier to fit in a backpack when you're about to hit the road.
You can see, then, why I felt some trepidation prior to going hands-on with the Nexus, but I'm pleased to report that Blaze has done a commendable job of realising the concept of a bigger Evercade handheld.
On a purely cosmetic level, the Nexus feels solidly built – but this won't come as a shock to anyone who has played an Evercade EXP. In fact, the Nexus retains a lot of the EXP's DNA; the excellent rolling D-pad is perhaps the most welcome element in the transition to the new system. The shoulder triggers and face buttons are also near-identical.
Those much-requested dual analogue sticks are great to use, and feel like a genuine evolution of the Evercade handheld family. I tested them out with the upcoming DOOM Collection, which retrofits id Software's classic titles with modern-day twin-stick controls, and I'm now struggling to go back to the all-digital Evercade EXP as a result.
The TATE mode introduced by the EXP also makes the cut, and, by token of the fact that the Nexus is a little larger, it's actually more comfortable to use in this way than its predecessor; there's more of the device to get your hands around, if that makes sense.
By far and away the biggest selling point of this device, however, is that new screen. The 5.89-inch IPS panel has a maximum brightness of 500+ nits, so, while it's not an OLED screen, it packs one hell of a punch. The resolution bump over the EXP is relatively modest (840x512 pixels, up from 800x480), but it makes a big difference in clarity and sharpness.
The Nexus doesn't get a power boost compared to the existing EXP, but that screen will make you think otherwise, especially when paired with the right software. I tested the Banjo Double Pack during my time with the Nexus, and it looks absolutely stunning on this device.
Naturally, the native ports included in the collection will look equally as impressive on the Evercade EXP and the Evercade VS, as they will still benefit from increased resolution and frame rate performance over the N64 originals, but I'd argue that the Nexus is the best way to showcase the quality of these games – especially on the move.
Another cool feature is the addition of a customisable LED light which sits underneath the Nexus logo. You can change the colour in the system settings, and the change is reflected in the boot sequence and main menu background.
I have to admit I wasn't expecting to be as impressed by the Nexus as I was after my session with the device was over; on paper, it sounds almost like an iterative upgrade due to the fact that the internal tech is largely the same.
However, the larger size, dual sticks, and superior display make it seem like a more dramatic update than it perhaps is, and I'm personally very excited to see what 32- and 64-bit titles Blaze can bring to the format moving forward.
The Evercade Nexus launches in October, and will cost £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99.
Evercade Nexus Hardware
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