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The Hyper Mega Tech! Super Pocket from Evercade maker Blaze Entertainment is intended as an easy entry point for its ecosystem of cartridges, as well as an affordable standalone stocking stuffer candidate. We looked at the first two devices in the line, showcasing built-in games from Capcom and Taito, but now the company’s added two more options: Technos and Atari.

The Super Pocket is a 60-buck device that takes the full game-playing capability of the Evercade EXP handheld and fits it into the form factor of a particularly robust bar of soap. There are a few compromises, as we discussed before: the inputs are a little stiffer, and the shoulder button placement isn’t the best. It seems like it’d be fine for kids, though we see it fitting into an adult’s life a bit better as a portable companion device for the TV-tethered Evercade VS (and VS-R). That way, if you’re really serious about playing something, you can upgrade your setup in a pinch but still keep a pocketable option.

For the first time we’ve seen in Evercade history, these Super Pockets cause something of a licensing overlap. The first two were Capcom, a company that Blaze has found it easier to license as built-in software, and Taito, which has only appeared on that one device. The second wave of Super Pockets, Technos and Atari? Those companies have a history with Evercade. That said, both of those licensors’ carts are out of print, so it might not affect that many of you?

Still, if you want to know the breakdown, here it is! The Technos Super Pocket contains 15 games. Five were on the Technos home cart: Crash ‘n’ the Boys, Double Dragon, Super Double Dragon, Super Spike V’Ball and River City Ransom. The three from that cart that didn’t make it: the NES versions of Double Dragon 2, Renegade and Super Dodge Ball. Six inclusions were on the Technos arcade collection: Block Out, The Combatribes, Double Dragon 2, Double Dragon 3, Minky Monkey and Mysterious Stones. That leaves only motorcycle action game Battle Lane Vol. 5 and wrestling title Mania Challenge as that cart’s only exclusives.

The brand-new-to-Blaze titles on the Technos model are the Game Boy port of Double Dragon, the arcade version of Super Dodge Ball and the original arcade Double Dragon release. It’s perhaps understandable that these weren’t on the old carts — none of them are really the preferred version of their games — but for Technos fans, they’re cool to see here.

The Atari Super Pocket has a whopping 50 games, so there’s both a ton of overlap and a generous list of exclusives! So given that, let’s look at the new games in particular. First, it’s an opportunity to fill in the gaps of Blaze’s already-fairly-generous Lynx representation. There's Kung Food, the groceries-themed beat-’em-up known for how weird it is. Rounding out the selection is Dirty Larry: Renegade Cop, Robo-Squash, Turbo Sub and Warbirds.

This also marks the first appearance of the Atari 5200. Bounty Bob Strikes Back!, Countermeasure, Final Legacy, Miner 2049’er and Xari Arena make for a rather flattering cameo for the ill-fated system’s library. As we found out when covering Atari 50, the software wasn't necessarily there for that platform to succeed. Still! Nice to see. There are a handful of other exclusives, too! Like maybe you’re a big fan of Berzerk and Frenzy? That said, players have had a ton of opportunities to get budget devices with some Atari games on it. So it's nice for it to be part of the lineup, but probably less interesting for a more plugged-in audience.

We noted this when we talked about the first batch, but this approach really allows them to make the systems fun just by swapping out the colors. Technos is blue and white, while Atari is black and red. There was even a limited edition woodgrain model, which was a nice touch! This larger lineup introduces the possibility for swapping the decorative cartridge slot cover, but with the options we have now, we’re not sure there’s one that makes sense. (Also, as a minor note: the white in the Technos model is not the off-white of all the Evercade cartridges, so just be prepared for that not to match.) We’re big fans of Technos around here just generally, but we’d understand choosing the Atari model as a blind gift for a young relative. Those games are timeless for a reason.

Blaze Entertainment’s latest Hyper Mega Tech! Super Pocket models, Technos Edition and Atari Edition, are available now. For more coverage of the company’s Evercade line of devices and game collections, check out our archive.

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We’ve covered Blaze Entertainment’s efforts to build a licensed retrogame platform with physical cartridges in the Evercade, but for some players, even that cost of entry was a bit too steep. It’s possible, then, that the company’s latest device could be of interest. Released under the “Hyper Mega Tech!” branding instead of Evercade, the Super Pocket brings the price tag down below $60, and it packs its own built-in lineups of Capcom or Taito games to serve as a standalone release. But that Evercade cartridge slot? That makes it a lot more intriguing than most low-end games machines.

We were expecting perhaps for the Super Pocket to take a few design cues from the original Evercade, itself a cheaper device than the EXP with similar components. Instead, it goes for the more durable and modern look of the EXP, a choice that makes a lot of sense and is better. Returning briefly to the original Evercade to compare for this piece showed us just how far manufacturer Blaze has come in the design of its devices, learning a lot about materials and ergonomics along the way.

The color schemes, chosen to go with the built-in game collections, are a lot of fun. The Capcom edition uses the signature royal blue and yellow. The Taito model runs with a teal and black scheme. And already, we’re seeing it’s not a rote template; Blaze used teal buttons on the black faceplate for Taito and kept the whole front blue for Capcom. If they keep iterating for potential future models, that could be pleasant to see.

What we also expected? Tech spec downgrades. And it doesn’t seem like they’re here in a significant enough way to notice! We tested the full gamut of Evercade cartridges on the device, including some that the other hardware doesn’t run the best. The Super Pocket didn’t flinch. Some of the original PlayStation titles in the library frankly don’t run well through their own technical failings, but our experience was indistinguishable between hardware. We’ll have to return to this when we’re able to try out the Nintendo 64 emulation, but for now? We’re impressed.

Each Super Pocket has a built-in library of arcade games. Capcom titles return after their appearance on the Evercade EXP, making clear that this sort of licensing is apparently a lot easier for Blaze than a cartridge. The standouts in this collection are Street Fighter II’: Hyper Fighting, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts and the 1942 trilogy. Capcom dominated arcades in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, and for good reason: these games stand the test of time.

There’s also Final Fight, which we like a lot but more for its co-op play which isn’t possible on the Super Pocket. Strider and Bionic Commando are here, too, along with Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS and Forgotten Worlds. Our favorite of the bunch is Captain Commando, a criminally overlooked beat-’em-up that lets you play as a baby in a mech.

The Taito model has all the usual suspects from the company’s arcade heyday. The front of the box shouts about Space Invaders and Bubble Bobble, which makes sense, as no other Taito properties have nearly as much global popularity. Puzzle Bobble (also known as Bust A Move) is here too. The Taito collection skews a bit older, with more ‘80s games ing 1978’s Space Invaders in the bunch. This means a different sort of sensibility than the Capcom set.

The remaining arcade inclusions have less consistent player awareness, but we know some people who love them. They are: Operation Wolf, Rastan, The NewZealand Story, Cadash, Chack’n Pop, Don Doko Don, Elevator Action, The Fairyland Story, Football Champ, Growl, Volfied, Kiki Kaikai, The Legend of Kage and Liquid Kids. As you can see, the Taito collection makes up for its less-known lineup with a larger selection of releases.

Both collections feature almost all arcade games, with one console cameo tacked on. Capcom adds NES Mega Man, while Taito includes Genesis release Space Invaders ‘91. We imagine Mega Man is the most affordable way Blaze could put the Mega Man logo on the box, which makes sense at retail, but Space Invaders ‘91 is a harder inclusion to explain.

So where are the cost reductions in the Super Pocket, then? The answer appears to be build quality. It’s durable, in a Nintendo 2DS sort of way, made so that kids can’t break it. But adults will notice a few things! The tinny speaker emits noises accurately, but not really with a robust sound you’d want to experience it if you have other choices. The shoulder buttons are… there, if you need them for cartridge compatibility, but they’re in the one awkward position available to put them and need a peculiar amount of leverage to press.

The main concern is likely the buttons. They’re functional, but a bit stiff and unresponsive at times. It’s the sort of setup that would be totally fine with games that are more about decisions than reflexes! Unfortunately, that remains the weakness of the Evercade game library, with its focus on arcade action. And the built-in Super Pocket games exclusively fall into this category. When testing a game we know well, Taito classic Puzzle Bobble, the cursor would blow past our target with a simple light touch.

The Super Pocket s an “Easy Mode” option, which is a streamlined setting to turn all the arcade games’ dip switches down to their most forgiving settings. This is, we presume, to make the device more approachable to young children, so it can be something of an entry point to retro games. We can confirm that it does what it says, letting us feel for once in our lives like we’re good at Street Fighter II. Combined with a form factor that’s definitely made for smaller hands, it could make for an intriguing kid gift.

(It should be noted, though: both devices carry a PEGI 12 rating for the included games. Nothing here is really egregious, but there’s fighting and guns and explosions in some titles, so keep that in mind if you’re handing one to a toddler or something.)

We don’t mind the 4-by-3 screen of the Super Pocket. In many ways, this makes more sense for most games! It’s nice to see Blaze find a supplier for them! And while the separate Hyper Mega Tech! branding is a bit strange, the idea that they’re reserving the Evercade name for higher-quality builds at least shows they’re sensitive to that stuff.

The Hyper Mega Tech! Super Pocket is available now for $59, in Capcom and Taito models. It’s compatible with the Evercade cartridge library. For more Evercade coverage, including recommendations for which carts to pick up first, check out our archive.

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