Vectrex

Vectrex

Homebrew

"The high performance machine."

The Vectrex is a very unique console which jumped in the vector graphics fad of the 80's. Developed by GCE and then Milton Bradley after they purchased GCE, The Vectrex included its own integrated monitor, being entirely built specifically for vector graphics. The games came with plastic overlays, which could be plastered over the monitor to simulate background graphics.

Since it was unlike anything at the time, it secured its own niche until the Great Crash brought its premature death. It has received many high-quality games, including arcade ports. And even after its discontinuation, it has received a sizable number of homebrew titles.

The list

Screenshot	Title	Genre	Description
	Bedlam	Shoot 'Em Up	Take control of a stationary cannon that can go 360 degrees. You are to defend yourself against an onslaught of enemies from pinpoints on a shape. The end points on the shape gradually decrease making the spawn points much closer to the cannon. You have a couple of bombs to waste and you can shoot the corners to make their spawn point farther away. More spawn points appear the more you progress throughout the game. Fun and addicting as it is hard.
	Clean Sweep	Pac-Man	As it the genre says, it's basically Pac-Man, but you the only difference is you're a vacuum in a bank (or something like that) and you have to suck up the money and occasionally drop it in the center of the stage otherwise you will get slower. Power pellets are replaced with energy corners, 4 in all, and the ghosts are cops that only come out one at a time. Very fun considering it's a Pac-Man clone.
	Cosmic Chasm	Shooter/Strategy	An unusual one where the player must destroy batches of Planet Protectors in each area before drilling (say what?) their way into the next cavern. They must reach the center core, place a bomb there, then get out before the whole area gets blown to hell. This was the first console game to ever be ported to the arcade.
	Mine Storm	Shoot 'Em Up	The Asteroids clone that is built into every Vectrex, here players must shoot mines that hatch from dots that are littered all over the screen. Mines (unfortunately) come in all kinds of shapes and mannerisms, from ones that shoot fireballs at the player's ship, magnetic ones that follow them around, magnetic-fireball ones and space dust that is hard to see. Comes complete with the infamous level 13 bug where the game could crash.
	Polar Rescue	Adventure	Take control of a submarine (you wouldn't know unless you resarched) to rescue survivors while avoiding asteroids ice chunks, because you ARE at the North Pole after all, dodge underwater mines, and shoot enemy submarines, while trying to land into each survivor's dock. A little tricky as you have to pay attention to the radar.
	Pole Position	Racing	A very old racing game on the Vectrex.
	Rip Off	Shoot 'Em Up	Plays very similar to Asteroids, but in this one you have to prevent enemy ships from taking your little triangles (oil).
	Scramble	Shoot 'Em Up	A Konami side-scrolling shooter. Shoot the aliens with lasers as well as drop bombs. Beware you need gas to continue so you need to destroy gas towers to continue. After a while you have to navigate narrow pathways and bomb the enemy base.
	Spike	Platformer	A rather odd pseudo-3D platformer. You have to jump from platform to platform while climbing up ladders all the way to the top. Can be really tricky with those jumps. Plays somewhat similar to Donkey Kong.
	Star Trek: The Motion Picture	Shoot 'Em Up	Damn those Klingons! Take the fight to them in a neat first-person shoot 'em up. Plays similar to Star Wars: Tie Fighter. Coincidence? (Yes)

External links

• Vectrex.NL game list
• GDG's homebrew store