Evercade keeps doing one thing that feels weirdly rare in 2026: making small indie games feel collectible again.
The newest example is Mega Cat Studios Collection 3, a 10-game cartridge that continues Evercade’s steady push into physical indie releases. For retro fans in Malaysia and SEA, this is the kind of release that hits a very specific sweet spot. You get modern indie projects built with old-school hardware vibes, but without needing to hunt random carts on eBay or pay collector prices that memang can get gila very fast.
The collection covers a pretty wide spread of genres and platforms, so it is not just one flavour of nostalgia. There are puzzle games, platformers, shooters, RPG-style titles, and some properly oddball movement games — basically the kind of stuff that makes Evercade interesting beyond the usual big-name retro compilations.
One standout is Plyuk, a traversal puzzle game built around clone placement. The twist is that your character cannot jump or perform actions in the usual way. Instead, your main tool is spawning clones underneath you. Sounds simple, but the puzzle comes from working out the correct order, managing the clone limit, and making sure your own copies do not accidentally block your route. If you enjoy games like BoxBoy!, this sounds like the one to try first.
Then there is Rocket Panda, which is easily one of the more eye-catching games in the set. It has colourful mascot energy, its own vocal theme song, and very simple controls: one button plus the D-pad. The game has you boosting around stages, saving trapped badgers, and dodging hazards. It also apparently throws in an Asteroids-style mini-game, because why not, right?
For players who like pain — the fun kind — Flap Happy sounds like the challenge pick. It is an NES-style arcade platformer with flapping movement similar to Joust, asking players to land on tiny platforms before moving to the exit. Even the easier setting can get nasty, with tight spaces and moving hazards making each landing matter. This is the kind of game that will either make you lock in or put the handheld down for five minutes.
Machine Cave sits in a similar “awkward movement, learn the physics” lane, but plays differently. Instead of single-screen platforming, it uses flight-style handling in a connected world. The smaller visual scale gives players more awareness of what is around them, which should make the game less punishing once the controls click.
Puzzle fans also get Gravibots, a Genesis-style platform puzzler about using gravity changes and collectible tools to send enemies to their doom. The influence mix sounds very specific: a bit Lemmings, a bit ChuChu Rocket!, and some Mario vs. Donkey Kong energy. That is a strong combo if the pacing stays snappy after failed attempts.
For shooter fans, GunTneR brings 8-bit scrolling action with older arcade flavour, while still pulling in some newer ideas. The rest of the cartridge includes Kudzu, a Game Boy title inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening; NES ghost minotaur platformer The Meating; Game Boy Color RPG Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land; and SNES tag game Super Fanger.
Evercade has also recently expanded with other cartridges. A new Taito release includes classics like Cameltry, Puzzle Bobble, Qix, and Lunar Rescue, covering different points in the company’s arcade history. There is also a Turrican collection with original releases plus Director’s Cut and score attack versions, which should appeal to hardcore fans. Meanwhile, another Activision Atari 2600 compilation includes titles like Pitfall II: Lost Caverns and Plaque Attack, though not every inclusion sounds equally exciting today.
For Malaysian players, Evercade remains a niche device, but releases like Mega Cat Studios Collection 3 are exactly why the platform has a loyal crowd. It is not trying to replace your Switch, Steam Deck, or mobile gaming setup. It is for people who still love the feeling of owning a curated cartridge, discovering strange indie gems, and having a proper retro library that does not depend entirely on digital storefronts.
The latest Evercade cartridges are available now.
Source: Siliconera