At only $60, the Capcom and Taito Super Pockets offer tremendous value.
Branded under an offshoot of Evercade dubbed Hyper Mega Tech, theSuper Pocketcharmingly pays homage to the Game Boy.
The Taito version comes with iconic arcade games like Space Invaders and Bubble Bobble.
But these handhelds utilize the strength of the Evercade brand.
Though it ditches the Evercade name, the Super Pocket retains the ability to play the official cartridges.
The Super Pocket is a full-fledged, evolving platform.
A pair of Duke Nukem collections release this month, too.
What’s particularly noteworthy here is thatDuke Nukem 1 and 2 received official remasters.
That cartridge also includes Duke Nukem 3D, while thesecond collection features a trio of Duke Nukem games.
That’s mighty impressive for a $60 handheld.
But just like the Evercade handhelds, the Super Pocket is a well-made rig.
Sturdy and lightweight with a smooth matte finish, almost nothing about it feels cheap.
It doesn’t have any of those little creaks or rattles that you might expect with budget-friendly electronics.
The button layout cleverly avoids the common pitfall of small portable devices: subpar ergonomics.
The back buttons are positioned exactly where my index fingers naturally rest.
This subtle choice makes a noticeable difference on your palms.
The one aspect of the build that falls a bit short is the D-pad.
It’s responsive and accurate, but it’s also fairly rigid.
The Super Pocket also borrows its operating system from the Evercade line.
It’s a stripped-down version with a snappy, more streamlined menu system.
The preloaded games have their own menu, with each title represented with its cover art in a carousel.
When playing a game, the button opens a list of key options, including saving/loading functions.
Like many retro consoles and handhelds, there are numerous display options.
By default, games are presented in the original aspect ratio.
A neat feature for the preloaded Taito and Capcom games is difficulty options.
This is particularly nice for those who want to introduce youngsters to the games they loved as kids.
After all, many games from that era are unforgiving.
For a small and affordable equipment, the Super Pocket has surprisingly solid stereo audio.
It can get quite loud and remains crisp (no crackling) at high volumes.
Alternatively, it has a 3.5mm jack on the bottom for headphones.
There, you could adjust menu sound effects/music as well as the master volume.
A two-way button on the back of the Super Pocket controls speaker volume.
Current Evercade EXP (and VS home console) owners should be aware that some features are absent here.
It also lacks Wi-Fi, so it probably won’t receive operating system updates like the Evercade systems.
This also means you don’t get to play the monthly free game that’s added with system updates.
Check out the Evercade lineup:
Overall, the core Evercade experience translates well to the Super Pocket.
But does it make sense for Evercade owners to add a Super Pocket to their collection?
It depends what you’re looking for.
The Super Pocket, more so than either Evercade handheld, will fit in your pocket no problem.
It punches above its weight thanks to a sound build quality, lovely presentation, and reliable performance.
The vast and steadily growing Evercade cartridge library makes it an impressive low-cost entry point to a wonderful ecosystem.
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