Evercade Alpha – Taito Edition (2025)

The Evercade Alpha – Taito Edition is a premium bartop arcade cabinet designed to bring an authentic, officially licensed coin-op experience to a desktop or counter. It features a vibrant 8-inch high-resolution IPS display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, paired with “competition-grade” arcade controls. The cabinet is aesthetically modelled after classic Taito machines, sporting a sleek blue and white colour scheme. A standout design feature is the light-up marquee, which comes with three swappable panels featuring artwork for Bubble Bobble, Space Invaders, and Rastan. Unique to the Evercade ecosystem, the Alpha includes dual cartridge slots, allowing users to expand the library beyond its built-in titles by playing any of the 500+ games available in the Evercade physical cartridge library.

The Taito Edition comes pre-loaded with 10 legendary arcade titles: Bubble Bobble, Puzzle Bobble, Space Invaders, Rastan, Cadash, Elevator Action, The Fairyland Story, Growl, The Legend of Kage, and The NewZealand Story. Upon its release in late 2025, the device received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its robust build quality, excellent screen, and the versatility of the cartridge system. However, reception was slightly tempered by the game list; some enthusiasts noted a significant overlap with games already available on previous Taito Evercade cartridges and the Taito Super Pocket handheld. Despite these concerns over “double-dipping,” the Alpha was hailed as a top-tier choice for collectors seeking a high-quality, flexible mini-arcade without the need for DIY assembly.