Neo Geo and Data East Evercade Super Pocket review - I have a new favourite arcade game

Hyper Mega Tech (the company owned by Evercade creators Blaze Entertainment) are building up quite the repertoire of retro gaming handhelds. After releasing dedicated Capcom, Taito, Atari and Technos Super Pocket devices, the company is back with two new additions to its growing library of pocket-sized portables. There's the Neo Geo Super Pocket, which contains 14 SNK games built-in to the device, as well as a Data East Super Pocket containing 18 old-school classics.

While I was most excited to play the Neo Geo Super Pocket handheld, it's the Data East device that's home to my new favourite arcade game.

As the name suggests, the Super Pockets are designed for portability, measuring in at around 4.5-inches from top to bottom, and weighing 166g. They're not too dissimilar in appearance to the Game Boy Colour, albeit with four face buttons and four admittedly not so great trigger buttons on the rear of the device.

The Data East version is particularly stylish, featuring an eye-catching light orange and blue colour scheme. With its black base and gold lettering, the Neo Geo edition is modelled after the super expensive AES console. It's a nice call back, even if it is a bit on the plain side. There's also a flashier red version of the Neo Geo Super Pocket, although this was only available in limited quantities.

The smaller form factor and relatively inexpensive £49.99 price tag makes the Super Pocket much better suited to gaming on the go compared to the newly released Nintendo Switch 2. At close to £400, the Switch 2 is staying at home with my Steam Deck OLED, where they won't get lost or stolen.

While battery life varies, I've been getting close to 4-hours with the Neo Geo version and 5-hours with the Data East device, which for me personally, is the equivalent of a couple of days of commuting. Any longer and you'll need to bring along the USB-C cable to recharge the battery. Annoyingly there's no actual plug supplied, just a cable.

The portability factor is further bolstered by the addition of modern gameplay features like save states, which ensure you won't lose your progress when it's time to stop playing. While most of the bundled arcade games are designed for shorter gaming sessions, the ability to save does come in handy if you're having a particularly good run on something like Metal Slug X.

There's even an easy mode option, which means you might actually make it to the end of the aforementioned Metal Slug without using dozens of credits.

Speaking of games, both of the new Super Pocket devices have some real bangers. The Neo Geo version is definitely the more consistent of the two, even if it missing some all-time classics such as King of Fighters.

There's not a single game on the device that I outright dislike, with personal favourites including Shock Troopers, Sengoku 3, Over Top, Blazing Star, Metal Slug X and Last Resort.

I also really like Fatal Fury Special and Samurai Shodown II as games, but I don't think the Super Pocket is the best way to play them. (I find it tricky to perform some of the special moves on the smaller device.)

The Data East Super Pocket isn't as consistent as the Neo Geo version, but it does have my favourite arcade game of the entire collection in BurgerTime.

Prior to the Super Pocket I had played Super BurgerTime (which is also included) and quite enjoyed it, but never the original. Simple, addictive and hugely satisfying, the aim is to make hamburgers by walking over ingredients and avoiding enemies. It's as moreish as the juicy burgers you're attempting to assemble.

Other games that I've really enjoyed include Dark Seal and its sequel, Edward Randy, Breakthru, both Joe and Mac games and the excellent Chain Reaction.

Of course, part of the Super Pocket's appeal is that you can also insert and play all of your Evercade cartridges and games.

This includes the newly released Windjammers, Karnov & Friends, which is a perfect fit for the device thanks to its fast-paced and accessible arcade-style action.

Through a combination of screen size and controls, the Super Pockets are far less suited to some of the more idiosyncratic games featured on various home computer collections, or the more complicated 32-bit releases.

While the 2.8-inch display is bright and functional, it's a bit too small for some of the more visually exhaustive games, not to mention vertically scrolling titles.

I would also avoid games that use too many buttons, because the awkwardly placed back buttons aren't great.

Despite one or two issues, I really love the Neo Geo and Data East Super Pocket handhelds and would wholeheartedly recommend both of them to anybody with a love of old-school games.

While the Neo Geo version has the edge in terms of consistency, the Data East Super Pocket contains some of the best retro games I've played, not to mention one or two hidden gems.

Reasonably priced and genuinely portable, the Data East and Neo Geo Super Pockets are two of this year's must-have devices, and would make great gifts once Christmas rolls around.

VERDICT: 4/5