Blaze Entertainment Announces New Retro Handhelds Inspired by the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum
Preorders are live at $129.99 each, with shipping expected no earlier than October 2026.
Blaze Entertainment, the company behind the Evercade line of consoles, has unveiled two new handheld gaming devices that pay homage to iconic home computers of the 1980s. The Spectrum Handheld and The C64 Handheld are designed primarily for gaming, each preloaded with 25 classic titles—with the option to expand the library via microSD card.
Design & Connectivity
Both devices are built as visual tributes to their respective source hardware, featuring period-accurate color schemes and case designs. They also offer practical modern features:
- USB connectivity for attaching a keyboard and joystick
Specifications
- Display: 4.3-inch screen (800x480 resolution)
- Controls: Remappable D-pad and action buttons
- Audio: Stereo speakers and a headphone jack
- Battery: Approximately 3 hours of playtime
- Charging: USB-C
Bundled Games
Each handheld comes with a curated selection of retro titles:
- C64 Handheld: Includes 'Boulder Dash', 'Aztec Challenge', 'Nebulus'
- Spectrum Handheld: Includes 'Manic Miner', 'Switchblade', 'Starquake'
Market Position
These devices are being positioned as collectibles, leaning heavily on their authentic design rather than raw emulation capabilities. In contrast, cheaper alternatives like the $48 Anbernic RG28XX can already run similar software, making aesthetic nostalgia the primary selling point here.