Father’s Day is almost here — and if your dad grew up feeding coins into arcades, blowing on cartridges, or staying up late with a Game Boy under the covers, Evercade might be the best gift you can give him. It’s a retro gaming platform built around officially licensed physical cartridges, spanning everything from arcade classics to home console favourites — and it covers every budget.
Here’s a guide to the full range, from the stocking-filler end all the way up to the ultimate splurge.
THE BUDGET PICK — EVERCADE SUPER POCKET
If you want something that’ll genuinely surprise without breaking the bank, the Evercade Super Pocket is the one. It’s a compact handheld that comes pre-loaded with games depending on the edition — there are versions themed around Atari, Capcom, Irem, Data East, and others — and it plays the full range of Evercade cartridges too.
It’s small, it’s well-made, and it punches well above its price point. A proper retro gaming gift that won’t feel cheap.
THE HANDHELD — EVERCADE EXP-R
The Evercade EXP-R is the main handheld in the Evercade range — a proper full-sized device with a 4.3-inch IPS screen, built-in WiFi, TATE mode for vertical arcade games, and compatibility with every Evercade cartridge ever released. It comes bundled with the Tomb Raider Collection, which alone is a brilliant bit of nostalgia for any dad who remembers the 90s.
If your dad is the type who’d want to play on the sofa, on the train, or on holiday, this is the one to go for.
THE HOME CONSOLE — EVERCADE VS-R
For dads who’d rather play on the big screen, the Evercade VS-R is the home console version. Plug it into the TV, grab a controller, and play the full Evercade cartridge library exactly as arcade and console games were meant to be enjoyed — on a proper screen with a proper controller in hand. It supports up to four players, which makes it a genuinely social bit of kit.
The VS-R is the one if your dad would rather be on the sofa than hunched over a handheld.
THE ULTIMATE GIFT — EVERCADE ALPHA
If you really want to go all out, the Evercade Alpha is in a category of its own. It’s a bartop arcade cabinet — a real one, with a built-in screen, arcade-style stick and buttons, and a genuine cabinet aesthetic. It plays the full Evercade library and comes loaded with built-in games. Put it on the desk or the kitchen counter and watch it become the most-used thing in the house.
It’s a proper statement piece for a dad who takes his retro gaming seriously.
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO — EVERCADE NEXUS
If your dad is the type who appreciates anticipation as much as the gift itself, the Evercade Nexus is worth knowing about. It’s the brand-new flagship handheld launching in October 2026 — a 5.89-inch screen, dual analogue sticks, WiFi 6, and a bundled Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack cartridge with enhanced versions of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. Pre-orders are open now.
Buy the pre-order now, print it out, and wrap it up. Sometimes the thing worth waiting for is the best gift of all.
DON’T FORGET THE CARTRIDGES
Whichever device you go for, a cartridge alongside it makes the gift feel complete. The full cartridge library covers over 80 collections across arcade, console, and home computer games. If your dad loves arcade classics, our guide to the best Evercade arcade cartridges is a good place to start — and if you want a broader recommendation, the best Evercade cartridges guide covers the highlights of the whole library.
NOT SURE WHICH TO PICK?
If you’re not sure which device suits your dad best, the Evercade hardware comparison puts every device side by side — specs, prices, and a quick guide to who each one is for. And if he’s completely new to Evercade, the Introduction to Evercade is a good read to bookmark for him.
Whatever you go for — have a great Father’s Day.