Table of Contents


VECTREX

From DVG - The Dictionary of Videogames

History

The Vectrex is an 8-bit video game console that was developed by Western Technologies/Smith Engineering. It was licensed and distributed first by General Consumer Electric (GCE), and then by Milton Bradley Company after their purchase of GCE. It was released in November 1982 at a retail price of $199, as Milton Bradley took over international marketing the price dropped to $150 and then $100 shortly before the video game crash of 1983. The Vectrex exited the market in early 1984.


750px-vectrex2.jpgvectrexboard.jpg
Vectrex (developed by MB) The Vectrex system main board


Description

Unlike other video game consoles, which connected to televisions and rendered raster graphics, the Vectrex has an integrated vector monitor which displays vector graphics. The monochrome Vectrex uses screen overlays to give the illusion of color. At the time, many of the most popular arcade games used vector displays, and GCE was looking to set themselves apart from the pack by selling high-quality versions of games such as Space Wars and Armor Attack. Vectrex comes with a built in game, the Asteroids-like Minestorm. Two peripherals were also available for the Vectrex, a light pen and a 3D imager. Western Technologies/Smith Engineering briefly considered designing a handheld version of the device in 1988. However, the impending release of the Nintendo Game Boy made such a project too risky.[citation needed] In 1992, Smith Engineering released the duplication of the Vectrex system image and cartridges for non-commercial uses[citation needed] and has been pleased to see that it has still-thriving developer and user communities.

The Vectrex was also released in Japan under the name Bandai Vectrex Kousokusen.


3-D Imager Optic Pen


System features and innovations

The Vectrex was the first system to offer a 3D peripheral (the Vectrex 3D Imager), predating the Sega Master System's SegaScope 3D by about six years.[citation needed] Also, early units had a very audible “buzzing” from the built-in speaker that would change as graphics were generated on screen. This was due to a lack of shielding between the built-in CRT and the speaker wiring and was eventually resolved in later production models.[citation needed] This idiosyncrasy had become a familiar characteristic of the machine, especially among owners.


List of game titles

Original (1982-83)


Required add-on accessory hardware:


Unreleased prototypes:


Homebrew:

1996


1998


2000


2001


2002


2003


2004


2005


2006


2007


2008


Video clips

Vectrex TV Spot
Vectrex original TV spot (English version).


Vectrex
About a Vectrex ;-) (English version).


Overlays

The overlays not only improved the games' aesthetics, but also provided simple instructions. The translucent, semi-transparent overlays also reduced the flicker inherent in vector displays. Since the overlays weren't designed until after a game was considered finished, they often frustrated programmers, since further code changes had to accommodate the position of an overlay's design elements. Nevertheless, the colorful overlays generally helped to enhance each game's presentation and remain one of the Vectrex's most iconic elements.





Downloads and Links

You can play Vectrex roms on your PC Windows with an emulator called M.E.S.S.. See the links below…


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