The Super Pocket Activision Edition joins the growing family of officially licensed handhelds and comes pre-loaded with 34 classic Activision games. As a bonus, like the entire Super Pocket range, you also have access to the full compatibility with the entire Evercade cartridge library. This makes it a budget-friendly entry point in to the wider Evercade ecosystem.  

34 Classic Activision Games Included

Whilest many of the builtin titles are a little before my time, there’s some bonafide classics from the Atari 2600 era. These include Pitfall!, River Raid, H.E.R.O., Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers, alongside several well-known Imagic titles such as Demon Attack, Dragonfire and Moonsweeper.

For those interested the full list of titles are below.

1. Barnstorming
2. Beamrider
3. Boxing
4. Checkers
5. Chopper Command
6. Cosmic Commuter
7. Demon Attack
8. Dolphin
9. Dragonfire
10. Enduro
11. Grand Prix
12. H.E.R.O.
13. Kabobber
14. Kaboom!
15. Keystone Kapers
16. Laser Blast
17. Megamania
18. Moonsweeper
19. Oink!
20. Pitfall!
21. Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
22. Plaque Attack
23. Pressure Cooker
24. Private Eye
25. River Raid
26. River Raid II
27. Robo Tank
28. Seaquest
29. Skiing
30. Sky Jinks
31. Spider Fighter
32. Stampede
33. Starmaster
34. Thwocker

Classic Nostalgic Styling

The handheld itself will be instantly recognisable to fans of Activision’s classic box art. Rather than adopting a single colour scheme like previous editions, Blaze has given the console a distinctive striped design inspired by the iconic rainbow branding that featured across Activision’s packaging throughout the 1980s. It’s easily one of the most eye-catching Super Pocket designs released so far.  

As with every Super Pocket, the biggest advantage isn’t just the games built into the system. Thanks to the Evercade cartridge slot, owners can instantly expand their library with hundreds of officially licensed retro games spanning arcade classics, home consoles and computers. That makes the Super Pocket far more than a self-contained nostalgia machine—it also serves as an affordable entry point into the wider Evercade ecosystem.  

The announcement also highlights just how much momentum Blaze has built over the past few years. What started with a pair of Capcom and Taito handhelds has grown into a broad range covering Atari, Technōs, Neo Geo, Data East, Rare and now Activision. Few companies are investing as heavily in officially licensed retro gaming hardware, and each new release continues to strengthen Evercade’s position in the market.  

Pricing and Release Date

The Super Pocket Activision Edition is available to pre-order now and is scheduled to launch on 28 September 2026, priced at £59.99 in the UK.  

For retro gaming fans who fondly remember spending hours chasing high scores in River Raid or swinging across vines in Pitfall!, this could prove to be one of the most appealing Super Pocket releases yet—and another reminder that physical retro gaming continues to go from strength to strength.

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But what if that all disappeared?

If other console manufacturers eventually follow Sony’s lead and move entirely to digital distribution, gaming could be on the verge of one of its biggest changes since the move from cartridges to discs.

Ownership Becomes a Licence

The biggest concern for many players is ownership.

When you buy a physical game, you own that copy. You can lend it to a friend, sell it, trade it in or simply keep it on your shelf for decades. Digital games work differently. In most cases, you’re purchasing a licence to access the game through an online account.

For the majority of players, that may not make much difference today. But history has shown that digital storefronts don’t last forever. Games can be delisted, licences can expire and online services eventually close.

While platforms have become much better at preserving digital libraries, the question remains: what happens in 20 or 30 years’ time?

The End of the Second-Hand Market

Without physical games, the used games market effectively disappears.

Retailers have relied on trade-ins for years, helping players fund their next purchase while keeping older games in circulation. It’s also one of the most affordable ways for younger gamers to build a collection.

A digital-only future removes that option entirely. Every new game becomes a one-time purchase tied to a single account.

Collecting Would Never Be the Same

Gaming has become one of the world’s biggest collecting hobbies.

Whether it’s a wall of PlayStation games, complete Nintendo collections or rare Xbox exclusives, physical media gives players something tangible to own.

Future generations could look very different. Instead of shelves lined with games, collections may exist only as lists inside a digital storefront.

For many gamers, that simply isn’t the same experience.

Preservation Becomes More Important Than Ever

Retro gaming exists today largely because physical media survived.

Consoles, cartridges and discs have allowed enthusiasts to preserve gaming history long after official support ended. If future games exist only as downloads, preserving them becomes considerably more difficult.

Organisations dedicated to video game preservation will become increasingly important, but they’ll also face greater legal and technical challenges than ever before.

Could Evercade Become Even More Important?

Ironically, one of the biggest winners could be the Evercade.

While much of the industry is moving towards digital distribution, Evercade has built its identity around physical cartridges. Its curated collections give players something tangible to own while making classic games easily accessible on modern hardware.

If physical media becomes increasingly rare elsewhere, Evercade could occupy a unique position in the market. Rather than competing with modern consoles, it offers something many players may begin to miss—a genuine physical collection.

For collectors and retro enthusiasts, that appeal may only continue to grow.

There Are Benefits Too

Of course, a digital-only future isn’t entirely negative.

Digital games are available instantly, can’t be damaged, don’t require shelf space and can often be downloaded before launch day. Developers also save on manufacturing and shipping costs, while smaller studios can release games worldwide without producing physical copies.

For many players, convenience has already outweighed the appeal of discs.

Gaming Is Changing Once Again

The gaming industry has always evolved. We’ve moved from cartridges to CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and now increasingly towards digital downloads.

If Sony’s move were eventually followed by Microsoft and Nintendo, physical media could become a niche rather than the standard.

That doesn’t necessarily mean collecting will disappear. In fact, it could make existing physical games even more desirable, while platforms like Evercade continue to prove there’s still a passionate audience for tangible gaming collections.

One thing is certain: if physical media does eventually disappear from mainstream gaming, it won’t just change how we buy games. It will change how we own them, preserve them and remember them for generations to come.

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From 2028 onwards, all newly released PlayStation titles will be available exclusively through digital distribution. This brings an end to nearly 35 years of games being sold on discs. Existing physical releases will remain supported, but no new first-party or third-party PlayStation games will receive a physical release after the change takes effect.

The move reflects the industry’s continued shift towards digital gaming. With the majority of PlayStation software now purchased through the PlayStation Store. By removing physical production, Sony will no longer need to manufacture Blu-ray discs, game cases or retail packaging for new releases.

The decision is expected to have a significant impact on retailers and collectors. Physical games have long been popular with players who enjoy building collections, trading games or buying second-hand titles. With future releases becoming digital-only, those options will no longer be available for new PlayStation games.

Sony says the transition will allow it to focus on expanding its digital ecosystem while streamlining game distribution.

The announcement follows years of growing digital adoption across the games industry. The digital-only PlayStation 5 launched alongside the standard console in 2020. However, their competitor Microsoft’s Xbox has also increasingly embraced digital distribution. Nintendo remains one of the few major platform holders to continue strongly supporting physical releases. Although even Nintendo, who are traditionally slow to adapt to changing markets, are starting to follow.

For many gamers, the announcement marks the end of a tradition that stretches back to the original PlayStation in 1994. While digital gaming is the preferred choice for many players, physical PlayStation games will soon become part of gaming history.

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However, that trend has been turned on its head this generation.

Microsoft has now announced another worldwide price increase for its Xbox consoles, with prices set to rise from 1 August 2026. Depending on the model, prices are increasing by between $100 and $150, making this the third significant Xbox hardware price rise in just over a year. Microsoft says soaring storage and memory costs are behind the decision, with AI-driven demand for components making consoles far more expensive to manufacture than they were only a couple of years ago. 

For many gamers, it feels like unfamiliar territory.

A Generation Unlike Any Other

Console prices have almost always moved in one direction after launch.

The original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 and countless other systems all became significantly cheaper as they matured. Manufacturing processes improved, components became less expensive and companies could pass those savings onto consumers.

Sometimes the reductions were dramatic.

The PlayStation 2 launched in the UK for around £299 before eventually becoming a £99 console. Nintendo’s Wii fell steadily in price throughout its life, while Microsoft’s Xbox 360 saw numerous price cuts that helped keep sales strong during its peak years.

The current generation has done exactly the opposite. Instead of becoming more affordable, the Xbox Series X and Series S have steadily become more expensive. Sony has also raised PlayStation 5 prices in several regions during this generation, while Nintendo has increased pricing on its newer hardware as manufacturing costs have climbed. 

It’s something that would have been unimaginable during previous generations.

It’s Not Just Microsoft

Although Xbox is making headlines this week, Microsoft isn’t alone.

Sony has already introduced multiple PlayStation 5 price increases across various territories over the last few years. This includes both the UK and Europe. Sony has already announced another round of increases affecting the PS5 family in several major markets earlier this year. Citing many of the same economic pressures now being mentioned by Microsoft. 

Nintendo has largely avoided frequent hardware price changes in the past. However even they have found themselves adjusting prices on newer hardware as production costs have risen. 

For perhaps the first time in modern console history, all three platform holders have found themselves increasing hardware prices rather than reducing them.

Why Is This Happening?

Consoles have traditionally been sold at very small profit margins, and in many cases at a loss. The expectation has always been that companies would make their money back through software sales, subscriptions and accessories over the lifetime of the machine. A model that is often called the razor and blades model.

That model becomes much harder when the hardware itself suddenly becomes significantly more expensive to build.

Microsoft says memory and storage component prices have increased dramatically. With demand from AI infrastructure placing huge pressure on global supply. Storage and memory costs have more than doubled or tripled over the last year. This then leaves manufacturers with little choice but to pass some of those increases onto consumers. 

It’s a reminder that the gaming industry doesn’t exist in isolation. Every company building servers, AI data centres and high-performance computing hardware is competing for many of the same components that go into modern consoles.

What Does This Mean for Players?

The obvious downside is that jumping into console gaming is becoming increasingly expensive.

For younger players especially, consoles have traditionally been one of the more affordable ways into gaming. Seeing prices rise five or six years after launch feels strange, particularly when many people have spent decades expecting the opposite.

The silver lining is that there are still good deals to be found. Retail discounts, second-hand consoles and refurbished hardware remain excellent ways to save money. Physical game prices often also fall much faster than digital storefronts. Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus and Nintendo Switch Online also continue to offer strong value if you’re looking to stretch your gaming budget.

Is This the New Normal?

It’s difficult to say, but it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.

If manufacturing costs eventually settle and component prices fall, we could see console pricing return to something resembling the old pattern. But if the demand for AI hardware continues to dominate semiconductor production, today’s pricing may become the norm rather than the exception.

One thing is certain though: this console generation has rewritten a rule many gamers simply took for granted.

For years we joked about waiting until a console dropped below £200 before finally buying one.

Now we’re watching five and six-year-old consoles become more expensive instead. It’s the early adopters who are now the one’s getting some of the best value from their purchases.

That’s something few of us ever expected to see.

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The original Switch had become one of the most successful gaming systems ever made. Replacing it with something completely different would have been a huge gamble. Instead, Nintendo refined the formula. The result is a console that feels familiar, yet noticeably more capable in almost every area.

More importantly, the Switch 2 has enjoyed the kind of first year most hardware manufacturers can only dream about.

A Price That Sparked Debate

At launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 arrived with a price tag of £400 in the United Kingdom, making it significantly more expensive than the original Switch was back in 2017. Nintendo also raised eyebrows with some software prices, with Mario Kart World launching at £69.99. Costing more than many AAA releases on other consoles.

There was no shortage of discussion online. Some fans questioned whether Nintendo was pushing its luck, particularly during a period when gaming hardware, subscriptions and software prices seemed to be increasing across the board.

Yet the concerns didn’t last long.

The reality was that consumers were willing to pay for a system that offered a clear upgrade. A larger screen, improved performance, enhanced backwards compatibility and modern features helped justify the higher asking price. Once players got the console into their hands, the conversation quickly shifted from cost to availability.

Record-Breaking Sales

The Switch 2 didn’t just launch well. It launched at a historic pace.

Nintendo confirmed that the console sold more than 3.5 million units worldwide within its first four days on sale, making it the fastest-selling system in the company’s history.

Momentum continued throughout the year. By March 2026, Nintendo had shipped nearly 20 million consoles worldwide. The system reached 19.86 million units in less than a year, significantly outpacing the original Switch over the same period.

Perhaps most impressive is that the success wasn’t limited to one region. The Switch 2 performed strongly across North America, Europe and Japan, demonstrating that Nintendo’s hybrid concept still resonates with players around the world.

Considering how difficult it is to launch new gaming hardware in today’s market, those numbers are remarkable.

The Games That Defined Year One

Every successful console needs software, and Nintendo understood that from day one.

Mario Kart World became the system’s flagship title. It was bundled with many consoles and quickly established itself as the must-have game for early adopters. By early 2026, it had sold an astonishing 14.7 million copies.

Nintendo followed that up with Donkey Kong Bananza, which gave the company another major exclusive during the system’s first year. The game helped maintain momentum after launch and proved that Nintendo still knows how to reinvent its classic characters. Sales quickly climbed past 4.5 million copies.

Pokémon also played an important role. Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Pokémon Pokopia gave Switch 2 owners more reasons to stay invested in the platform, while upgraded versions of existing Switch games helped fill out the library.

Third-party support was another encouraging sign. Cyberpunk 2077 became one of the standout launch titles, showing that developers were willing to bring more technically demanding games to Nintendo hardware than ever before.

That may end up being one of the most important developments of the entire generation.

Looking Beyond the Launch Window

A great launch year is one thing. Sustaining that success is another challenge entirely.

Fortunately, Nintendo’s future release schedule looks promising.

Recent Nintendo Direct presentations have revealed a steady pipeline of software that should keep the system healthy well into 2027. Upcoming releases include a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a new Fire Emblem, FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods, Xenoblade Genesis and several other high-profile projects.

Nintendo also appears to be investing heavily in its biggest franchises. Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Donkey Kong and Kirby have all received attention during the console’s opening year, giving the platform a strong foundation.

The company doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel every few months. It simply needs to maintain a steady flow of quality software, something it has become increasingly good at over the past decade.

A Strong Foundation for the Future

The first year of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been an impressive success story. While the hardware isn’t revolutionary in the way the Wii or DS once were. Instead, it represents something arguably more valuable: confidence. Nintendo understood exactly what players liked about the original Switch and focused on improving those strengths.

The sales figures suggest that decision has paid off.

Nearly 20 million consoles sold in under a year is an extraordinary achievement. The software library already contains several standout titles, third-party support is stronger than many expected, and the release calendar continues to grow.

One year in, the Switch 2 feels less like a risky successor and more like the natural next step in Nintendo’s evolution.

If Nintendo can maintain this momentum, the system’s first year may end up being remembered not as the peak of its success, but as the beginning of something much bigger.

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Blaster Master is one of those games.

Released by Sunsoft in 1988, Blaster Master combines side-scrolling platforming, vehicle combat and top-down exploration into a surprisingly ambitious adventure. At a time when most NES games focused on doing one thing well, Blaster Master attempted several different gameplay styles at once.

Remarkably, it succeeds more often than it fails.

The story begins with Jason chasing his pet frog Fred after the amphibian falls into a radioactive hole and mutates into a giant creature. It’s a wonderfully bizarre setup that perfectly captures the imagination of late-80s video game storytelling. Before long, Jason finds himself piloting the powerful SOPHIA tank through a vast underground world filled with mutants and deadly creatures.

More Than Just Another Action Game

What makes Blaster Master stand out is its variety.

Much of the adventure takes place inside the SOPHIA tank, which can jump, climb walls and blast enemies with impressive firepower. The controls feel responsive, and navigating the sprawling levels is consistently enjoyable.

As players progress, new upgrades gradually expand the tank’s capabilities. Areas that were previously inaccessible slowly become reachable, creating a surprisingly modern sense of exploration. Looking back, it’s easy to see elements that would later become staples of the Metroidvania genre.

The game also regularly switches perspective. Certain areas require Jason to leave the tank and explore on foot in top-down sections. These segments feature more methodical combat and culminate in boss encounters that test both skill and patience.

While the variety is welcome, these sections aren’t quite as enjoyable as the tank-based gameplay. Jason feels more vulnerable, and some enemy patterns can become frustrating, particularly during the later stages of the game.

Difficulty is another area where Blaster Master firmly shows its age. Like many NES titles, it can be brutally unforgiving. Limited continues and lengthy stages mean mistakes can carry a significant penalty.

Sunsoft at Its Best

Technically, Blaster Master is one of the most impressive games on the NES.

The visuals are detailed and colourful, with large sprites and surprisingly atmospheric environments. Each area feels distinct, helping the adventure maintain a strong sense of momentum throughout.

The soundtrack is equally impressive. Sunsoft built a reputation for extracting incredible audio from Nintendo’s 8-bit hardware, and Blaster Master is one of the company’s finest achievements. Several tracks remain memorable decades later and perfectly complement the game’s adventurous tone.

Perhaps most importantly, the game constantly encourages curiosity. Every new upgrade opens fresh possibilities, and exploring the underground world rarely feels like a chore. Even when the difficulty spikes become frustrating, there’s usually another secret or upgrade waiting just around the corner.

The post Blaster Master Review – A Hidden Gem Beneath the Surface appeared first on Retro Ages.

Aero the Acro-Bat falls firmly into the latter category.

Released for the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo in 1993, Aero starred a circus-performing bat tasked with stopping the evil industrialist Edgar Ektor. It’s a premise that certainly stands out, but while the game has some interesting ideas, it never quite reaches the heights of the genre’s biggest stars.

More Than Just Running and Jumping

Unlike many platformers of the era, Aero the Acro-Bat places a stronger emphasis on objectives. Rather than simply reaching the end of each level, players are often tasked with activating switches, passing through hoops or interacting with specific objects before progressing.

It’s an interesting approach that helps the game stand apart from its competitors, but it can also be frustrating. Objectives are sometimes poorly explained, leaving players wandering around levels searching for the one thing they missed.

Aero himself controls reasonably well. His ability to glide and perform aerial attacks suits the character and offers more flexibility than a standard jump. Unfortunately, some stages feel designed around trial and error rather than skill, resulting in a few moments where frustration starts to outweigh enjoyment.

Level design is similarly mixed. Some stages feature clever ideas and memorable set pieces, while others drag on longer than they should. The difficulty can also spike unexpectedly, particularly later in the game.

Plenty of Style, Not Quite Enough Substance

Visually, Aero the Acro-Bat is a colourful and attractive game. Character sprites are large and detailed, animations are smooth, and the circus-inspired theme helps give the game its own identity.

The soundtrack is perfectly serviceable too. While there are a handful of catchy tunes, few tracks are likely to stick with players long after they’ve put the controller down.

Perhaps the biggest issue is that Aero never truly excels in any one area. It’s competent across the board, but when compared to platforming giants like Sonic the Hedgehog, Rocket Knight Adventures or Disney’s Castle of Illusion, it struggles to stand out.

That’s not to say it’s a bad game. Far from it. There are plenty of enjoyable moments throughout the adventure, and players looking to explore beyond the Mega Drive’s biggest hits may find a hidden gem. It’s simply difficult to shake the feeling that you’ve played better versions of most of its ideas elsewhere.

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Released in 1992, Streets of Rage 2 took everything that worked in the original game and somehow made it bigger, faster and cooler. More than thirty years later, it’s still remarkably easy to see why so many retro gaming fans hold it in such high regard.

Bigger, Better and Meaner

The story is classic 90s video game nonsense in the best possible way. One year after the events of the first game, Mr. X has returned and kidnapped Adam Hunter. It’s up to Axel, Blaze, Adam’s younger brother Skate and wrestling powerhouse Max to take the fight back to the streets.

What immediately stands out is how much more refined everything feels compared to the original game. Character animations are larger and smoother, the environments are packed with detail and enemies have far more personality than simple palette swaps.

Combat is where Streets of Rage 2 truly shines. Every character feels distinct, with different strengths and weaknesses that encourage experimentation. Axel delivers powerful punches and devastating special attacks, Blaze offers speed and agility, Skate sacrifices power for mobility, while Max feels like a human tank capable of launching enemies across the screen.

The controls remain wonderfully simple but hide surprising depth. Learning how to chain attacks, grab enemies, utilise throws and time special moves adds just enough strategy to keep things engaging from start to finish.

One of Gaming’s Greatest Soundtracks

It would be impossible to talk about Streets of Rage 2 without mentioning its soundtrack. Composed by Yuzo Koshiro, the music remains one of the greatest collections of tracks ever produced on the Mega Drive.

From the opening stages to the final showdown, every level is accompanied by energetic electronic beats that perfectly capture the atmosphere. Even today, many of the tracks feel years ahead of what most players expected from a home console in 1992.

The stage variety is equally impressive. Across the adventure you’ll battle through city streets, amusement parks, baseball stadiums, industrial complexes and hidden enemy hideouts. Each location feels memorable and helps the game avoid the repetition that often affected other beat ’em ups of the era.

That isn’t to say the game is flawless. Some sections can feel brutally difficult, particularly during later stages where enemy numbers increase dramatically. Certain bosses can also become frustrating when playing solo, occasionally feeling more reliant on trial and error than skill.

Even so, these minor frustrations do little to diminish what remains an exceptional experience.

Why It Still Holds Up Today

Many retro games are enjoyable because of nostalgia. Streets of Rage 2 is enjoyable because it’s genuinely brilliant.

The responsive controls, satisfying combat, fantastic soundtrack and gorgeous pixel art all combine to create a game that still feels incredibly playable decades later. It’s a title that newcomers can appreciate immediately while long-time fans continue to revisit year after year.

The post Streets of Rage II Review – SEGA Mega Drive appeared first on Retro Ages.

The New York sewers were never like this!

You’ve fallen down a hidden manhole into a world of creatures so terrifying they’d scare the rats away, You can panic and perish, or blast your way through an endless maze of tunnels, searching for the secret passages to your escape.

And that’s the easy part. Because the Masters of the Caverns lay waiting – prehistoric creatures so powerful, so gigantic, they literally fill your screen! So load your arsenal and get ready for BlasterMaster.

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