Retro gaming heaven

 

The other day I took delivery of my latest Ebay win. Something I’ve always wanted to get my mits on for many years. Now finally I have a piece of video game history… a Vectrex console.

Released in 1982 this was like no other console that had gone before it. Using vectors rather than rasters, it was like owning a real arcade machine in your home. So when it arrived in the office the other day we all crowded round and gasped in awe as it showed us what a 1mhz machine with 1k of RAM can do. This thing rocked. The controller is so damn heavy it feels like a real arcade controller.

The cool thing is people have learned how to program the Vectrex and are making new games for it. One guy has even made a mulit-cart containing all the games on one cartridge! I can feel a new project coming on…

Comments

I’m so jealous — I’ve been meaning to pick up one of those on ebay for the longest time. Everyone remembers the Ataris, Commodores, and Nintendos, but the Vectrex was such a unique console. I think you’ve persuaded me into finally getting one for the office.

Todd Dominey / 13/02/2004

Man, I’m so jealous. My friend Collin had one when we were kids and it blew my Atari into the weeds. The version of Star Wars was just like the arcade game (only with a tiny screen and an impatient friend wanting his console back). I’m off to eBay now…

Ian / 18/03/2004

Online Valium is… nah, just kidding. I had one of these back in the day. I loved the color filters you would put over the screen to compensate for the monochrome graphics. But also, I think it’s hilarious that you mention how heavy the controller is, and show a photo of yourself holding it up as you play… That controller was meant to stay put on the table (or floor or whatever)! Making the experience much more arcade like. Maybe the XBox should have gone that route…

Eric / 31/03/2004

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