So...Vectrex...

[Cinder6]

I've seen a pretty rabid following of Vectrex owners here, and I've been looking for a new classic console to get. So I come here looking for info about the Vectrex. Specifically:

1. How well do they hold up (as in durability)?
2. How much are they to collect for?
3. What are some of the best games?

And finally, the perennial (and ultimate biased) question: should I get one? Please note, before answering, I was born in the late '80s, so my first console was the NES, so the Vectrex is before my time. This basically means that I won't benefit from the nostalgic value when playing it, like many of the users here.

Thanks for any and all info.

[Mianrtcv]

My answers (by no means an expert):

1. Mine held up nicely. It has developed a slight buzz sound. Not really enough to distract you.

2. Cost is all up to you as I don't know what investment your wallet can tolerate. If you want the basics, reasonable. Many carts for $10 - $50 depending on complete/mint/etc. If you want a rare item,say the 3-D imager prepare your farewell adress to a few C-notes.

3. Check out the vectrex reviews on this site. I tend to agree with them as to quality/playability.

You ask should you get one... I would, if I didnt have one.

[50TBRD]

I wouldn't give up my Vectrex for love of money. It's a great system.

I don't see too many of them in bad shape. Buzzing is pretty normal and there's are a way to fix it.

There's no lag in game play, everything is fast paced, the games are all very good.

Cart only copies are between 10 and 20 depending on the game. Complete copies tend to go between 15 and 30 with Star Castle and Polar Rescue going anywhere between 50 and 150. Light Pen and 3D Imager stuff will cost you. Homebrew prices depend on whether or not they are made anymore. I see ones like Debris, Omega Chase, Protector, Tsunami, and Spinnerama go between 100 and 150. If you want to save some money get a Sean Kelly Multicart 2.0, it has most of the games that you could ever want.

My favorite games are Starhawk, Armor Attack, Fortress of Narzod, Scramble, and Web Wars, all of which are common games.

Here's so sites that you can check out for games and info about them.
http://vgdb.vectrex.com/index.pl
http://www.vectrexcarts.com/
http://www.madtronix.com/
http://www.vectorzoa.com
Kristof Tuts Page (http://members.lycos.nl/kristoftuts/kristoftuts/index.htm)
Fury Unlimited (http://geovector.tripod.com/_sgg/f10000.htm)
http://www.vectrex.nl/

[smork]

I'll just add that of all the classic systems I don't have, the Vectrex is the one I want the most.

I gotta fix that soon, there's no excuse at all.

[Kid Ice]

The best game IMO is built into the system. So buy one, then if you like Minestorm, get a multicart.

Also I highly recommend a converted Genesis pad (John Dondzilla sells them).

[Pantechnicon]

Vectrex is a real stand-out machine, perhaps more so if you were born after its initial release. It hearkens back to a time when people usually only had one TV in their house, so the idea of a game console with its own display that wouldn't interfere with your dad's compulsion to watch Magnum P.I. was an innovative one.

Vector displays are, imo, an important niche in gaming technology and one worth exploring. Emulation really cannot do justice to what a crisp vector display truly looks like.

So, yes, Vectrex is truly a unique animal in the console jungle, and is worth the time and money to pursue. I bought one five years ago and haven't had any issues with it.

Vectrex system + Sean Kelly multi-cart = Instant collection.

[Cinder6]

Awesome, sounds fun. So long as it's not like collecting for the Neo Geo, I'll probably get one in a few months :)

[AdamAnt316]

I'll throw in my two cents (adjusted for inflation) on the Vectrex.

Several years ago, I was prowling a local flea market as I tend to do on the weekends, when lo and behold, what should I find but a Vectrex! I had read things on the internet about it, but had never seen one in the flesh. It didn't have any overlays, and the only game with it was the built-in Minestorm, but I was instantly hooked by the graphics and overall coolness. Sadly, I didn't have the $10 that the seller wanted, and my mother wouldn't lend me the cash, so I had to wait until the following weekend. Of course, it had long since been snatched up by then. :angry: I took a look on eBay, and saw that they were going for around $100, which made me feel even worse. I downloaded several emulators, but none of them really came close.

Flash forward to last year. A friend of mine several states over managed to find a Vectrex in, of all places, a record store, priced at $45. I immediately snatched it up, but upon receiving it, I found that not all was well with it. After about a minute or so of playing it, the screen would go blank, with the last sound effect playing continuously. I set it aside for a time when I could figure out what was wrong with it. Flash forward (again) to this year. A friend and I were discussing vector games, and I decided to try and troubleshoot the thing again. I hooked it up, turned it on, started playing it, waiting for it to freeze up, but...it didn't! I made it to the second wave, then the third, then the fourth, and then I ran out of lives. Somehow, the damn thing seems to have fixed itself! The size of the screen image needs to be adjusted, and the sound is it's usual buzzy self, but at least it doesn't freeze up anymore. :D

Getting back to the topic at hand: The main unit can be a tad expensive, but it's definitely worth it. The graphics display is like nothing this side of an arcade cabinet. Games seem to be fairly cheap, though not too common at yard sales and flea markets (if you find a game, be sure to look for the overlay which goes with it; not finding it shouldn't be a warstopper, IMO, but it helps the experience). Unless you get into the esoteric side of it like the light pen or 3-D imager, it should remain a relatively cheap system to collect for. The issues I've had with mine seem to have been an aberration, so it should be fairly robust. Anyway, good luck!
-Adam

[Vectorman0]

I really love Vectrex and I am currently collecting for it. While there aren't too many games, there are a few that are expensive which prevent it from being easy. Overall though, the fact there are about 30 retail games make it doable.

There is also an amazing homebrew scene for the Vectrex, which has been going very strong for a long time. I would guess there are just as many homebrew games as there are retail ones, probably more. And they aren't bad either, many of them are simply amazing and do things with the system you wouldn't believe. There are also Flashcarts and multi-carts available if you want to try all of the games cheaply. You can even get reproduction light pens and 3D Imagers if you don't want to shell out the money for the real ones.

Vectrex is something I think every gamer (at least any gamer that hangs around these forums) should try. It is a unique experience that can't be had elsewhere.

[MachineGex]

Great system and it is a no-brainer to buy. That is because you can get the system for about $100 and get every game for the system for another $100(approx.) via the multi-cart. Plus, the system seems to hold it's value along with the multi-cart.

I have an extra multi-cart I may be selling. My friend asked me to buy him one, but he has yet to pay me for it. Unless he pays up soon, it may end up on ebay or on this site.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I picked up a Vectrex two years ago thinking, "Well, it's a machine I don't have, and it's pretty unique. I've got a little bit of cash to blow, so hey, let's go for it."

It's now one of very few systems I'm actively trying to collect for. The sheer convenience of not having to hook it up to jack crap is a HUGE plus when the console side of my game room looks like something out of Colossus: The Forbin Project. That it has a totally unique look, great game play, and a library that on average is better-than-merely-good is just the icing on the cake. I :love: my Vectrex.

[Steve W]

First off, a bit of advice: Don't freak out if your Vectrex makes a humming sound. They all do that, to some degree. It's part of a design flaw in that they didn't put good enough shielding inside it. It doesn't mean there's something wrong with the machine. In fact, it's part of the charm of the unit.

There's a website that'll reproduce copies of every released game for something like $11.50, if I remember. If original games cost too much to collect, you could always get reproductions.

I've bought three Vectrex consoles in the past, and only one has had problems. I still haven't fixed that one yet. The image has become squished down to the bottom tenth of the screen. I haven't attempted to repair it, since I have a healthy fear of electricity discharging through the CRT and frying my eyeballs. But one of these days, I'll get it working.

[Cryomancer]

I wish this technology would be revisited. Surely we could have color vectors by now? There really is nothing like it. Emulation just can't get those visuals right.

[ubersaurus]

I wish this technology would be revisited. Surely we could have color vectors by now? There really is nothing like it. Emulation just can't get those visuals right.

They had color vectors then, but I know what you're saying-it's a hell of a lot cheaper now.

I think the main reason is that vector graphics can only do so many things, and really with high def displays and the advancements in raster graphics, there's no real incentive to limit oneself like that.

[blissfulnoise]

I just picked one up at Classic Gaming Expo when I had a chance to score a multi-cart.

Great investment.

Having played most of the games on the multi-cart for a good length of time, Minestorm still stands out as my favorite.

Other favorites of mine have been Star Trek, Dark Castle, Pole Position, Web Wars, and Armor Attack.

Star Trek is a flight shooter in first person, similiar-ish to Star Wars Arcade. Web Wars plays like a bizarre version of Tempest. Dark Castle is nothing like the C64/CDi version of the game and is more of a strange adventure game. Armor Attack is pretty much Combat with lots of bells and whistles. (along with a rotating turret!)

Least favorite games have been Berzerk (a let down from the arcade or even VCS port), Polar Rescue (I can't figure it out!), and Star Castle (was never a fan of the arcade, but it's a perfect port!).

It's definately worth the investment. It's a great unique console and is, suprisingly enough, very portable! It's super easy to bring it to a friends house or a local get-together.

But DO get a multi-cart. It's a godsend.

[PsychedelicShaman]

Spike!

The vectrex is great, you won't be disappointed. If you have troubles finding the sean kelly cart, you can use the vecflash. www.vectrex.biz (http://www.vectex.biz)

[ubersaurus]

I also snagged one at CGE as well as a multicart, and I can vouch for it's awesomeness. It's kind of heavy, so I don't really know about it being particularly portable...but the fact you don't have to hook it up to a tv is a plus, and the game library is pretty awesome-if you like shooters and asteroids type games.

So far my favs have been Bedlam, Star Castle, Minestorm, Pole Position, and Space Wars. Among the homebrews Star Fire, Rockaroids, and Patriots have all sparked my interest.

It's definitely a fun little machine.

[blissfulnoise]

It's kind of heavy, so I don't really know about it being particularly portable.

I hauled mine by hand through the airport as carry on luggage. It wasn't pretty, but it got home safe and sound.

It's definately small enough to bring with you any time you're going to meet up with friends for gaming.

[ubersaurus]

I hauled mine by hand through the airport as carry on luggage. It wasn't pretty, but it got home safe and sound.

It's definately small enough to bring with you any time you're going to meet up with friends for gaming.

I'm curious, where did you pick up your machine? I know y-bot brought one that he sold before I even got up, and I picked mine up from the dude with the corner booth saturday morning.

I ended up mailing mine back. I already had all my other stuff as a carry on, and didn't much like the idea of lugging around a suitcase and a vectrex through vegas throughout Monday :P

But yeah, I'll agree on the size. If only it didn't weight 16 pounds!

[blissfulnoise]

I'm curious, where did you pick up your machine? I know y-bot brought one that he sold before I even got up, and I picked mine up from the dude with the corner booth saturday morning.

I ended up mailing mine back. I already had all my other stuff as a carry on, and didn't much like the idea of lugging around a suitcase and a vectrex through vegas throughout Monday :P

But yeah, I'll agree on the size. If only it didn't weight 16 pounds!

Mine was the one y-bot had.

[cyberfluxor]

After reading so much about the system over the years, then being able to spot it in so many game collections you really must ask yourself, why not? It's just so freaking awesome looking and the games are unique.

For the record, I don't have one but damn I'd love to own it. It's just another entry on my wish list.

[madman77]

The Vectrex is great and as someone already mentioned, the best game on it is Minestorm. It's one of those games where you'll always want to play "just one more game" and then next thing you know it's 2 hours later :) The graphics really do have to be seen to truly be appreciated. There's something about the vector graphics that I really love. On a sidenote, I got to play an original Tempest machine yesterday and loved every second of it. The Vec is also a fun system to collect for, though EBay and forums like this are pretty much your only chance to find games. Unless you get lucky on your local Craigslist.