Console Debate #13 Vectrex

[fox | 1,667]

*rate the console, not VGSage@Vectrex28duh!

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

I had a friend with one of these when I was a kid. It was mildly interesting, but after 5 minutes I was ready to play the NES. 3/10.

[DefaultGen | 5,401]

3, I get the appeal but on the grand scale of video game platforms it's certainly not even average. It's just a neat gimmick. If Nintendo made this and it wasn't just an obscure bit of monochrome vintage gaming failure, it might be mocked like the Virtual Boy. The first time I saw one I was like "Whoa a Vectrex!" now I don't even stop to play one if I see it because I'm over the novelty.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,523]

I'd play one for the gimmick.

Then I'm sure I'd be fine never playing it again.

[PII | 1,885]

I think I'd enjoy it.  I was going to say, that what it needs is a homebrew community to further explore its potential, but then I looked it up and apparently it already exists...

[Tanooki | 4,933]

Good, but definitely not deserving of being called garbage or excellent either.  The thing is, and I don't care about the gross price it has now, but just evaluating it on what it is now and then, it's a solid all in one console that has some really amazing vector graphics and the audio it put out was pretty nice too, beyond your usual bloops and buzzes of earlier stuff.  And given the year it popped up other than the Colecovision is sure as hell looked and sounded far nicer than that other junk.  It had a nice good knockoff of Asteroids (Minefield) built into it, but what really stood out to me were some of the notable arcade games such as a stunningly well done conversion of Star Trek and Pole Position was uniquely decent too.  I never owned one, would have liked to, but given the age, parts, price it's just a liability now it's not happening without being insanely cheap in great shape.  I did have a neighbor in the 80s with one so I'd get my time on it there going between it and the NES which was fun to do.  Not sure it's still around, but a few years ago there was a solid library of the games free on iOS and Android in a freebie app to mess with and it was pretty alright, just sadly lacked (for obvious reasons) star trek and pole position.

[nrslam | 475]

6/10. While technically not a great system, it's sheer uniqueness brings me back for the occasional play session, helped greatly by the very active homebrew scene. Best played with a modified Genesis or SNES controller or adapter.

[RpgCollector | 900]

Some of the best and most creative homebrew games have been released for the Vectrex. My second favorite system.

[Sumer | 221]

6 for me.  It is good for what it is, given how awesome vector games were back then.

I have a Vectrex sitting behind me in the next room.  Hasn't been played in over a year, but fun to have.  The very small homebrew scene for it (over on AtariAge) is pretty good too.

[mbd39 | 2,020]

I've never even seen a Vectrex in person. It's a rare console.

 

[AstralSoul | 502]

Ive never played one, but I have absolutely zero interest beyond just turning it on, seeing it work and turning it off. I acknowledge it's interesting place in the video game history lineage but it's way more fun reading about it than I can imagine playing it is. Plus it's bulky and has a very limited library. Would make a very cool collectible though. 2/10

 

[JamesRobot | 5,800]

I always wanted to play a Vectrex.  I saw one in person one time at a store for ~$300.  I went home and played Nintendo. 

[fox | 1,667]

Very unique console.  Seems like the ultimate "what if" system.  What if home consoles had continued to use vector graphics rather than sprites?  Cool to hear that the homebrew scene is answering that.

[RpgCollector | 900]

9 hours ago, Sumer said:

6 for me.  It is good for what it is, given how awesome vector games were back then.

I have a Vectrex sitting behind me in the next room.  Hasn't been played in over a year, but fun to have.  The very small homebrew scene for it (over on AtariAge) is pretty good too.

The homebrew scene is growing like crazy and a good game will sell over 400 copies in a short period of time. Check out my Vectrex homebrew collection:

Also check out the Vectrex Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vectrex

Edited January 31, 2021 by RpgCollector

[Tanooki | 4,933]

Oops

Edited January 31, 2021 by Tanooki

[Sumer | 221]

1 hour ago, RpgCollector said:

The homebrew scene is growing like crazy and a good games will sell over 400 copies in a short period of time. Check out my Vectrex homebrew collection:

Also check out the Vectrex Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vectrex

Yeah, I have a few of Binary Star's offerings.  He is a good guy.  I won his contest he had many years back for the Vectrex 2014 Xmas Cart with USB port for decorating your Vectrex for Xmas.  Only 11 of the USB carts were made and I got number 11 from that contest.  He even included the USB-powered, light-up Christmas tree to place on top of the Vectrex while you play.  Some of the other, older Vectrex collectors were mad that they did not get one of the first 10 via pre-order, and then even more mad when I won the 11th by random drawing (and I only dabble in Vectrex collecting).  

Unfortunately, I don't do Facebook, and get most of my Vectrex news from AtariAge.

Edited January 31, 2021 by Sumer

[peg | 370]

Kind of unfair to rate it without playing it buy everything I've seen it looks like a gimmick with very little real gaming appeal.  The games look more like tech demos than actual games.

[koifish | 555]

One of my favorite pre-NES consoles, admittedly mostly for the vector graphics, but that is more than you'd think it is. Those visuals are so much sharper than atari, intellivision, even colecovision, that it really adds something to the gameplay, at least for me. Moreover, the games that I have played were a lot of fun, definitely the kind that I could put time into. Alas, they have always just been a bit of a white whale for me; I haven't been in a position where the cost and space together made a lot of sense. One day I will get an old ipad and the vectrex arcade app, plus one of those icades, and that will suffice. But yeah, definitely one of my favorite consoles. Absolute stunner, and super cool, with great arcade-style games to boot.

[Nintegageo | 582]

This is the only prior to NES/SG-1000 console that even interests me. It's pretty neat.

[elprincipe | 142]

7

I'm fortunate enough to have one sitting on the desk in my office and it's a great system. Not just that it's unique, which is very cool, but there are some awesome games for it if you enjoy games from that era especially. Not a ton of games if you don't include homebrew, but some good stuff there. Personally I just got a multicart long ago and haven't bothered getting the original games. The joystick controller is definitely ahead of its time (kind of looks like an early Neo-Geo design concept or something). It's neat to let people try out this system, they're always intrigued.

[SuperJimtendo | 1,121]

I've done some deals with @Vectrex28in the past, 10/10 would definitely do deals again. 

[twiztor | 850]

a cool system. a buddy has one, i've played it on occasion. not mind blowing (especially with 2021 perspective) but innovative for its time and some surprisingly fun games. 

[Webhead123 | 675]

6/10

For people who haven't directly experienced one, there's something so incredibly charming and unique about vector graphics as compared to your common pixel format that everyone knows. It was pretty interesting for its time but obviously doesn't hold much long-term appeal for gamers today. I don't own one but I have played on a couple different occasions and I always enjoy it. Berzerk on the Vectrex is a personal favorite.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Webhead123

[T-Pac | 7,539]

I draw with vector graphics at work every day. I wonder how much of the Vectrex's legacy is at play here...

Also, I'm in the camp of "Always wanted one, but could never justify the cost and maintenance required".

-CasualCart

[nrslam | 475]

I should mention on the +side, Vectrex is small (for having a built-in display), light, has a carrying handle, and is a complete unit (console, display, controller, even a built-in game) in one box so is the first, and so far only, console I've set up as I move. Not counting handhelds, of course.