You’ve got your Evercade Nexus in hand — now what do you play first? The Nexus is a handheld built specifically for 32 and 64-bit retro gaming, with dual analogue sticks and a large 5.89″ IPS screen. Here’s where to start.
START WITH WHAT’S IN THE BOX
The Nexus comes with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack in the box — and that’s not just a nice gesture, it’s a genuinely great way to see what this hardware can do.
The pack contains both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie on a single physical cartridge, complete with a full-colour manual. These are two of the most beloved 64-bit platformers ever made, and the dual analogue sticks suit them well, while the big bright screen does the colourful worlds justice.
If you’ve never played them, start with Banjo-Kazooie and work through it properly. If you’re returning after years away, you’re in for a treat. The pack is also sold separately if you want a second copy or a gift:
32-BIT AND 64-BIT PICKS
The Nexus was built with these games in mind. According to our games by platform page, 24 games that first appeared on PlayStation are on Evercade across 14 cartridges, plus one Nintendo 64 game. Here are some good places to start (not a complete list — check the platform page for the rest):
- Tomb Raider Collection 1 — Tomb Raider, II and III. It’s the cartridge bundled with the EXP-R Tomb Raider Edition. Original manuals: Tomb Raider manual.
- Tomb Raider Collection 2 — Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: Chronicles.
- Legacy of Kain Collection — Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Manuals: Blood Omen and Soul Reaver.
- Broken Sword Collection — Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars and Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror. Manuals: Shadow of the Templars and Smoking Mirror.
- Duke Nukem Collection 1 (Duke Nukem 3D: Total Meltdown) and Duke Nukem Collection 2 (Duke Nukem: Time to Kill and Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes).
- Worms Collection 1 — Worms Armageddon. Manual: Worms Armageddon manual.
- Gremlin Collection 2 — includes Hogs of War, Loaded, Re-Loaded and Buggy.
- Piko Interactive Collection 4 — home to Glover, the one Nintendo 64 game in the library.
Always worth cross-referencing with the Games Database to see exactly which titles are on each cart before buying.
EXPLORE THE ARCADE LIBRARY WITH TATE MODE
The Nexus supports TATE mode — the screen rotates to a vertical orientation for arcade games originally designed for vertical cabinets, and the button mapping rotates to match. That makes it the best Evercade handheld yet for arcade fans.
Arcade cartridges worth a look:
- NEOGEO Arcade 1, 2 and 3 — classic SNK arcade games.
- Toaplan Arcade 1, 2, 3 and 4 — Toaplan is best known for vertical shoot-’em-ups, which is exactly what TATE mode suits.
- TAITO Arcade 1, 2 and 3.
- Data East Arcade Collection 1 and Data East Arcade 2, plus Irem Arcade 1.
For a more curated view, our Best Arcade Cartridges guide is a good place to browse.
DON’T SLEEP ON THE WIDER LIBRARY
The Nexus plays the full Evercade cartridge library — over 80 collections and 750+ games. That includes 8 and 16-bit titles, home computer collections and indie releases, not just 32 and 64-bit content, so any carts you already own work right away.
If you enjoyed the Banjo games and want more Rare, note that Rare Collection 1 is a very different era: 8-bit and home computer classics such as Jetpac, R.C. Pro-Am, Cobra Triangle and Battletoads. It’s a great collection, just not a 3D one.
If you’re new to Evercade entirely, the Best Evercade Cartridges guide gives a broader overview of standout picks, and the Carts & Manuals page lists everything currently available.
TRY EVERSYNC IF YOU KNOW ANOTHER NEXUS OWNER
One feature unique to the Nexus is EverSync — local wireless multiplayer between two Nexus units, with no internet connection or router required. Crucially, only one player needs to own the cartridge; EverSync shares the game wirelessly with the second device.
If you know another Nexus owner, it’s well worth giving this a go early.
WHERE TO BUY MORE CARTS
When you’re ready to expand your collection, head to our Where to Buy page for retailers across the UK, US, Europe and beyond. Cartridges start from £24.99 | $29.99 | €29.99, and every one includes a numbered full-colour manual. New cartridges release every 2–3 months, so there’s always something to look forward to.
The Nexus is a serious piece of hardware for serious retro gaming — and with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack in the box, you’re off to a great start. Dive into the full library at our Evercade Games Database.