Evercade James Pond and Last Ninja & IK Cartridges: December 4 Release

Evercade is expanding its cartridge library with two retro compilations that put a strong emphasis on complete, physical packages: James Pond Collection and The Last Ninja & IK Collection. Both cartridges are available to pre-order and are scheduled to arrive on December 4, priced at £24.99/$29.99.

The releases bring together games associated with very different styles of play. James Pond is represented by four 16-bit titles spanning underwater action, platforming and deliberately cartoonish sporting events. The companion cartridge is the larger package, containing 14 8-bit and 16-bit home-computer classics, including multiple versions of games from The Last Ninja line and the International Karate series.

For Evercade owners, the practical headline is straightforward: the two cartridges are officially licensed, include printed manuals, and are compatible with all Evercade and Super Pocket devices. That means buyers do not need a particular Evercade model to choose between the two collections.

James Pond gets four 16-bit games on one cartridge

The James Pond Collection includes:

James Pond: Underwater Agent
James Pond 2 - Codename: RoboCod
James Pond 3: Operation StarFI5H
The Aquatic Games Starring James Pond and the Aquabats

It is a focused four-game compilation rather than a broad archive of every title connected to the character. Its value is in bringing together several distinct takes on the series’ premise. The collection moves from underwater action to fast platforming, then into a sports-game parody built around its aquatic cast.

The inclusion of all four titles also makes the cartridge easier to understand as a self-contained James Pond package. Underwater Agent, RoboCod, and Operation StarFI5H provide the action and platforming side of the selection, while The Aquatic Games adds the athletic-events format. Rather than presenting a single repeated genre, the line-up is designed to show several directions taken by the property.

That distinction matters for anyone considering a cartridge purchase instead of treating the release as a single-game reissue. A compilation can be judged not just by the number of included games, but by whether those games offer meaningfully different modes of play. Here, Evercade describes the contents in terms of underwater action, speedy platforming and cartoon sports, giving the cartridge a wider stylistic spread than its four-title count initially suggests.

The physical manual is part of that proposition as well. A manual is the printed booklet packaged with a game, traditionally used for controls, basic instruction and supporting material. The announced details do not specify its page count or contents, so prospective buyers should not assume extra material beyond the confirmed inclusion of a manual. Still, its presence means the cartridge is being positioned as a physical release rather than solely a way to access the software.

The Last Ninja & IK Collection has 14 games and versions

The The Last Ninja & IK Collection takes a broader approach. Evercade says it contains 14 8-bit and 16-bit home-computer classics, and that total includes multiple versions of several games. It brings together the full Last Ninja series, its Ninja Remix enhanced versions, plus International Karate and IK+.

“Multiple versions” is an important qualifier. It means the cartridge’s 14-game total should not be read as 14 completely unrelated series entries. Variations and enhanced releases are part of the selection. That can still be meaningful for players interested in comparing versions, but it is a different kind of value from a package containing 14 wholly separate games.

The Last Ninja portion includes both the complete core series and Ninja Remix editions. In this context, an enhanced version is a revised form of an existing game rather than automatically a new sequel. The available details identify the Ninja Remix releases as enhanced versions, but do not outline exactly what changes they make. It is therefore best to treat them as distinct included editions without presuming particular visual, audio, control or gameplay improvements.

International Karate and IK+ form the fighting-game side of the cartridge. Evercade describes them as influential legends of the fighting genre. Their inclusion makes the compilation more than a Last Ninja-only release, combining ninja-themed action games with a pair of karate-focused titles under one physical label.

For players deciding which cartridge better suits them, the difference is clear from the announced contents. James Pond is a compact, character-led collection of four 16-bit games with a mix of action, platforming and sports. The Last Ninja & IK cartridge is the larger home-computer anthology, built around a series collection, enhanced editions and martial-arts fighting games. Neither package needs to be treated as a substitute for the other; their line-ups target notably different retro interests.

Compatibility and what “all Evercade and Super Pocket devices” means

Both cartridges are confirmed to work across the Evercade and Super Pocket device families. Compatibility is often the first thing to check with a cartridge release, especially when a hardware ecosystem includes more than one form factor. The stated support means that the collections are not limited to one machine in the range.

That may be especially timely for people looking at Evercade’s upcoming Evercade Nexus handheld, which is due to launch in October. The December 4 cartridge date places the two collections after that handheld’s planned arrival. However, the collections are not presented as Nexus exclusives: existing Evercade and Super Pocket owners are included in the compatibility promise.

There is a practical distinction between compatibility and bundled availability. Compatibility means a cartridge can be used on supported hardware; it does not mean the games are included with that hardware. The announced information describes these as separately sold cartridges available for pre-order. Anyone buying a device should therefore regard the James Pond and Last Ninja & IK releases as optional additions to a library.

A physical-library release, not just a nostalgia label

Evercade’s approach here is built around licensed software on individual cartridges. Licensing is relevant because it identifies the games as officially authorized releases. The supplied details also confirm physical manuals for both collections, reinforcing the format’s focus on tangible game packages.

For players who are assembling an Evercade library, the decision is likely to come down to collection scope and genre preference rather than hardware support. The James Pond cartridge offers a single series across four games. The Last Ninja & IK cartridge contains more total software entries, but its total includes alternate and enhanced versions as well as different series.

That is also why the two releases are more useful viewed as curated compilations than as simple title-count comparisons. A four-game selection can be appealing when every entry is tied to one character and covers multiple play styles. A 14-game cartridge can be appealing when preservation of different editions is the priority. The announced line-ups give buyers enough information to make that broad choice, while leaving details such as the exact differences in the enhanced versions outside the confirmed information.

Retro-game releases continue to arrive in several forms, from licensed cartridge anthologies to fan-led projects such as this Pokémon Emerald ROM hack. Evercade’s two December releases are firmly on the official, physical-compilation side of that wider retro landscape.

Release date, price and ordering details

The James Pond Collection and The Last Ninja & IK Collection are available to pre-order through a range of retailers, including Amazon. Each cartridge is set for release on December 4 at a retail price of £24.99/$29.99.

Prospective buyers should note that the confirmed price is listed in pounds and US dollars only. No further regional pricing, retailer-specific bonuses, cartridge limits or separate editions are specified in the available details. Likewise, while the games are described as available for pre-order, availability can depend on the retailer and region.

The core facts are uncomplicated: two officially licensed physical collections, broad compatibility across Evercade and Super Pocket hardware, manuals in the package, and a December 4 launch. James Pond brings four 16-bit games centered on one aquatic hero; The Last Ninja & IK brings 14 8-bit and 16-bit home-computer entries, including series games, Ninja Remix versions and the International Karate titles.