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DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
The Vectrex, originally named the Kenner Mini-Arcade, was released in November 1982 by General Consumer Electronics (GCE). It wasn't just your average game console. To this day there has never been a videogame system quite like it. The legendary GCE \ Milton Bradley Vectrex is the world's only standalone vector graphic home video game system. The console was cartridge based like all other consoles, but the unit came with a 9-inch monochrome monitor, an attached joystick and even a built in game called Mine Storm. While most videogames used raster graphics, which utilize pixels, the Vectrex used sharp vector graphics. If you're not familiar with vector graphics, it is basically a wire frame outline of solid objects and was considered state of the art in the 1970s and early 1980s.
The Vectrex was capable of only displaying black & white, but used plastic color overlays placed on the screen to give the game a more colorful appearance. The Vectrex also made its way to Japan (Bandai Kousokusen) and throughout Europe. FACT: The Vectrex almost made a comeback in 1988 when Smith Engineering considered resurrecting the Vectrex as a handheld unit. Milton Bradley thought the $100+ price tag of the unit would make it sell poorly, so the idea was scrapped. A year later Nintendo's Game Boy was released and became a huge success.
Some lucky guy's massive Vectrex collection

MODELS Officially licensed releases
GCE Vectrex - United States	Milton Bradley Vectrex - United States	Milton Bradley Vectrex - Canada
Milton Bradley Vectrex - UK	Milton Bradley Vectrex - Netherlands	Milton Bradley Vectrex - Germany

CLONES Non-licensed hardware releases
No clones were released for this system.

CONSOLE RATINGS
by Marriott_Guy

Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. A 10 point scale is utilized, with 10 being excellent.

Image courtesy of When Chemists Attack

CRITERIA	RATING	NOTES & COMMENTS
Console Design	08	This self-contained system is designed purely for function and not aesthetics. Simple controls for Power, Reset and Volume are conveniently placed. The control pad snaps into the front of the console which further minimizes the footprint of the entire unit.
Console Durability	07	The Vectrex is a girthy system and should be handled with care. The speakers have a tendency to 'buzz' after extended periods of game play.
Controllers	07	The compact design of the joystick and four button control pad is well designed enabling extended gaming sessions with minimal fatigue. The spiral cord is rather short, but this is not really an issue since you have to sit pretty close anyway to the Vectrex.
Graphics	08	The clean and crisp presentation of vector graphics just screams 'classic gaming'. You had to hump it over to the local arcade to truly experience this cutting-edge technology for that era (Asteroids, Tempest, Battlezone, Red Baron, etc.). The color overlays are nice but not truly necessary to enjoy the Vectrex.
Audio	05	Overall audio effects are good, but the internal speaker produces sound that is somewhat shallow. Like many others have experienced, a slight buzz is emitted during game play.
Media	07	Software for the Vectrex was distributed on ROM cartridges. Originally the size of the game varied from 4-8KB, with later homebrew releases increasing to 32KB. These carts are compact and extremely sturdy.
Gamer Value	08	Being the only console to include its own vector graphics monitor, the Vectrex provides a truly unique gaming experience. The solid game library is complimented by a number of additional titles offered by the homebrew community.
Collector Value	08	The Vectrex definitely belongs on the shelf of any collector or classic gamer. Besides the Bandai Kousokusen, the most desirable version is the original GCE model. You can tell the difference when first booting the system (GCE vs. Milton Bradley logo is displayed).

FORMAT, PACKAGING & GENERAL INFO Interesting facts on software for this system
Software for the Vectrex was distributed on ROM cartridges. Originally the size of the game varied from 4-8KB, with later homebrew releases increasing to 32KB. These carts are compact and extremely sturdy. The stylish boxes are constructed of sturdy cardboard with a silver\grey grid background for all titles. This classic look is extremely appealing, with the crisp, uncluttered look that is refreshing. A large, plastic inner housing provides storage for the cartridge, but basically just serves to reinforce the structural integrity of the casing. One of the holy grails for the Vectrex is Mr. Boston, a limited, custom release of the existing title Clean Sweep. The game is basically the same, with only minor promotional changes. Minestorm II is another extremely difficult (and expensive) cartridge to acquire. For the gamer, the revered Sean Kelly Multi-Cart (Version 2.0) is the way to go. This single cartridge contains all of the original releases for the Vectrex along with dozens of homebrew titles (60 games in total). Though pricey (around $125), this truly does deliver on value.
	Sample Game Play

Vectrex Game Boxes


SCREENSHOTS Captured in-game images
Armor Attack	Bedlam	Berzerk
Blitz! Action Football	Clean Sweep	Cosmic Charm
Dark Tower	Flipper Pinball	Fortress of Narzod
Heads Up! Action Soccer	Hyper Chase	Melody Master
Mine Storm	Polar Rescue	Pole Position
Rip Off	Scramble	Solar Quest
Space Wars	Spike	Star Castle
Star Trek	Starhawk	Web Wars

EMULATION
First and third party system emulators

VecX

This is an amazing emulator for Windows. It requires Direct X 8.0.
There are other emulators available, but this one is one of our favorites.

SPECS & MANUALS
For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.

Processor Type	Processor Speed	Other Processor Information	RAM \ Video RAM
Motorola 68A09	1.6 MHz	None	1 KB x 4-BIT 2114
Screen Resolution	Color Palette	Polygons \ Sprites	Audio
9" monitor	Black & White	N\A	General Instrument AY-3-8912
Media Format	Media Capacity	Games Released	Other Supported Formats
Cartridge	32 KB	28 (official)	None
Internal Storage	External \ Removable Storage	Game Controllers	Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
8 KB (8-BIT 2363 chip)	None	Arcade-style Joystick, 4 Button	3D Imager, Light Pen
Controller Ports	Network Ports	Other Ports	Audio \ Video
Two (2)	None	None	Samsung 240RB40 Monitor
Power Supply - Internal	Other Outputs	Other Details \ Notes
AC 120V, 60Hz	None	Reset button, Volume control
Manuals
GCE Vectrex Owner Manual (PDF) - 0.85 MB GCE Vectrex Service Manual (PDF) - 1.53 MB