Customer Reviews

Vectrex Video Game System (Vectrex Video Game system only)

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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 after their purchase of GCE. It was released in November 1982 at a retail price of $199 ($430 compensated for inflation); 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.
Unlike other non-portable 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 plastic screen overlays to generate color and various static graphics and decorations. 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.
The Vectrex was also released in Japan under the name Bandai Vectrex Kousokusen.
While it is a mainstay of disc-based console systems today, the Vectrex was part of the first generation of console systems to feature a boot screen, which also included the Atari 5200 and Colecovision
- Wikipedia

I personally love the Vectrex, and it's my favorite system to play. I must tell you though, they don't come cheap, and are pretty rare. Get one when you can, while you still can. Make sure the joystick still works: it should have a one inch chrome joy stick that re-centers itself, meaning that when you move it, say, to the left, that after you let go it will spring back to the center. I also encourage you to get a multi-cart, which is a modern cartridge containing a selection (if not all) of the games available, they usually go for around fifty to one hundred dollars.
If you get one, try and get a multi cart, and try and get good, working controllers!
Also: it's also great for the office, all you need to do is plug it in! And the best part is: it only takes up about one square foot of desk space!

It's so much fun. The monitor displays only white vectors on a black background, like the original arcade Asteroids. The Vectrex is much faster and sharper than non-vector consoles of the time(1983). Vectrex is the only dedicated vector graphics console.

Each original game was packaged with it's own screen "overlay", a translucent plastic card that tinted the vectors various colors, (a system not unlike many vector graphics arcade cabinets such as Battlezone and Asteroids Deluxe). The screen overlays are an essential part of the experience for me. Not all vectrex players feel this way though.

Look around for pictures and videos of the Vectrex in action. I'd say that if what you see makes you want your own Vectrex, you will not be disappointed when you get one.

Although the Vectrex was only manufactured for a year or so, ending production almost 30 years ago, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE PRODUCING NEW GAMES. Some of these games are among the best on the system. The original makers of the Vectrex have given open permissions to continue this development, and have basically put the entire system into the public domain. Unlike other "dead" consoles, it is perfectly legal to emulate all original Vectrex games on your computer. So you can go right now and download a Vectrex emulator and some Vectrex roms, to test it out and see what you might like. Just bare in mind that it is much more fun on a real Vectrex.

The console has a built in game, Minestorm, which is a good game. Minestorm has it's own screen overlay, which was included with the system. I would recommend buying Vectrex elsewhere, as it is quite old and you should know for sure what is included and what the condition of everything is before you decide how much to spend. Most of them out there are still working though.

I love my Vectrex.

This is an incredible like new item, in better than expected condition and the seller is very accomodating and honest. This is my son's favorite Christmas gift of all time.