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---
title: Milton Bradley Vectrex
categories:
- Consoles
params:
name: Vectrex
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_1s.jpg
logo: /media/museum/logos/mb_vectrex_logo.gif
company: /companies/milton-bradley
company_name: Milton Bradley
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
- videos
forum_thread: 992
photos:
- title: CGE VECTREX
subtitle: ''
text: The Vectrex was first marketed by CGE
image: /media/museum/photos/cge_vectrex_1.jpg
- title: MB VECTREX
subtitle: ''
text: This is a french model playing built-in game MineStorm
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_1.jpg
- title: SWITCHED OFF
subtitle: ''
text: This system is switched off, and the its controller is stored at the bottom of the unit.
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_2.jpg
- title: CONTROLLER IS OUT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_3.jpg
- title: SWITCHED ON
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_4.jpg
- title: REAR
subtitle: ''
text: At the back of the system can be found a brightness knob
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_rear.jpg
- title: RIGHT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_r-side.jpg
- title: CARTRIDGE SLOT
subtitle: ''
text: The cartridge slot is located at the right side of the system
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_cart-slot.jpg
- title: CARTRIDGE PLUGGED IN
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_cart-inserted.jpg
- title: CONNECTORS AND SETTINGS
subtitle: ''
text: What we see here are two controller connectors (up) and one reset button and one audio volume dial which also acts as a power switch.
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_connectors.jpg
- title: CONTROLLER
subtitle: ''
text: The Vectrex control pad is composed of an analog joystick and 4 buttons
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_controller.jpg
- title: CGE CONTROLLER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/cge_vectrex_pad.jpg
- title: CGE JAPANESE CONTROLLER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/gce_vectrex_jap-pad.jpg
- title: BANDAI JAPANESE CONTROLLER
subtitle: ''
text: Controller of the japanese Bandai Vectrex
image: /media/museum/photos/bandai_vectrex_controller_1.jpg
- title: VECTREX & MAC
subtitle: ''
text: Don't they look familiar ?
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_mac.jpg
- title: TWO PLAYERS
subtitle: ''
text: This a Vectrex playing Space Wars, a two players game...
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_2-players.jpg
- title: PLASTIC OVERLAYS
subtitle: ''
text: These color plastic overlays have to be placed in front of the screen for each game, thus enabling colorful playing !
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_overlays.jpg
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mb_vectrex_box.jpg
adverts:
- title: FRENCH ADVERT (1984)
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/pubs/mb_vectrex_pub_1.jpg
- title: US ADVERT
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Tim_K for this picture
image: /media/museum/pubs/vectrex_pub-high-perfomance-machine.jpg
hardware:
- title: PROTOTYPE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This is the only picture of the computer prototype for the Vectrex. Specialists say that the keyboard pictured here was a mockup and that no Vectrex computer was ever ready to be sold.
The specifications however would have been : 66 key keyboard, 16 KB RAM upgradable to 64 KB, and a Basic cartridge.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mb_vectrex_computer_1.jpg
emulators:
- title: DVE - DOS Vectrex Emulator
url: http://www.arcadeathome.com/dve/
platform: MS DOS
text: Excellent DOS emulator
- title: VECX
url: http://www.valavan.net/vectrex.html
platform: Windows
text: another Vectrex emulator
- title: M.E.S.S.
url: http://www.mess.org
platform: Multiplatform
text: MESS also emulates Vectrex system !
- title: ParaJVE
url: http://vectrex-emu.blogspot.com/
platform: Multiplatform
text: Java emulator
links:
- title: Classic Game Creations
url: http://www.classicgamecreations.com/
text: New Vectrex games programmed by John Dondzila.
- title: FURY
url: HTTP://GEOVECTOR.TRIPOD.COM
text: New Vectrex games developped by George Pelonis, including War Of The Robots
- title: Game Asylum - Vectrex page
url: http://www.gameasylum.us/gcbrve.html
text: nice article with very interesting time line
- title: KRISTOF's Vectrex page for new games
url: http://members.lycos.nl/kristoftuts/index.html
text: New Vectrex games developped by Kristof Tuts
- title: playvectrex.com
url: http://www.playvectrex.com/
text: Very good site essentially focused on hardware projects related to the Vectrex
- title: Revival Studios
url: http://www.revival-studios.com/
text: Old systems developper, inlcuding VexOS and VexOS Basic and impressive demos!!
- title: Spike's Big Page
url: http://www.classicgaming.com/vectrex/
text: Excellent Vectrex ressource with big archive
- title: Vectrex Game Database
url: http://vgdb.vectrex.com/index.pl
text: A comprehensive list of Vectrex games, past, present and future
- title: Vectrex ressource center
url: http://www.losgatoscollectibles.com/vectrex/
text: games, manuals, overlays, links and more
- title: www.vectrex.co.uk
url: http://www.vectrex.co.uk
text: New resource for Vectrex Information
- title: www.vectrex.com
url: http://www.vectrex.com/
text: Mainly a list of relevant links
- title: www.vectrex.nl
url: http://www.vectrex.nl/
text: Very complete site with games for download, emus, articles, links, news, etc.
- title: www.vectrexnews.com
url: http://www.vectrexnews.com/
text: info and news about the Vectrex system
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: Vectrex dedicated newsgroup
videos:
- title: Vectrex TV commercial
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KQ4i5oRrM
text: 'Length: 27 s'
- title: Vectrex - 80's Finnish TV Commercial
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTBKCFYFzEs
text: 'Length: 29 s'
- title: Gamebot presents the Vectrex!
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8oQxl8GEjo
text: 'Length: 3 min 33 s'
- title: Mine Storm (Vectrex) (How To Beat Home Video Games 3)
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbGRkdHPqlc
text: 'Length: 3 min 23 s'
- title: Scramble (Vectrex) (How To Beat Home Video Games 3)
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYOy2qp9OI
text: 'Length: 2 min 37 s'
- title: Berzerk (Vectrex) (How To Beat Home Video Games 3)
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzf3obuzslI
text: 'Length: 2 min 29 s'
software:
- /software/3d-crazy-coaster
- /software/3d-mine-storm
- /software/3d-narrow-escape
- /software/animaction
- /software/armor-attack
- /software/art-master
- /software/bedlam
- /software/berzerk
- /software/blitz
- /software/clean-sweep-also-known-as-mr-boston
- /software/cosmic-chasm
- /software/engine-analyzer
- /software/fortress-of-narzod
- /software/heads-up-action-soccer-also-known-as-soccer-football
- /software/hyperchase
- /software/melody-master
- /software/mine-storm
- /software/mine-storm-ii
- /software/polar-rescue
- /software/pole-position
- /software/rip-off
- /software/scramble-also-known-as-scramble-wars-jap
- /software/solar-quest
- /software/space-wars
- /software/spike
- /software/spinball-also-known-as-flipper-pinball-eur
- /software/star-castle
- /software/star-hawk
- /software/star-trek-the-motion-picture-also-known-as-star-ship-eur-harmagedon-jap
- /software/web-wars-also-known-as-web-warp-eur
oc_id: 1018
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230413211615/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1018
date: '2023-04-13'
---
Vectrex is one of the most inspired video game machines ever produced. Its point of distinction is the fact that it uses vector "line" graphics (as opposed to raster "pixel" graphics). This is the same type of screen used in such arcade classics as Space Wars, Asteroids, Battlezone and Tempest.
The machine has a 9 x 11 inch black and white screen and comes with a built-in Asteroids clone called Minestorm. The games come with plastic overlays that slide over the screen to cut down on flicker and give some illusion of color.
It uses an 8 bit processor, the 68A09 (6809 with 1.5MHz clock speed), and a popular (at that time) sound chip, General Instruments AY-3-8912, which can produce a wide range of noises. Also included is a 1.5 inch, self-centering, joystick with 4 buttons on the right. It uses an analog/potentiometer system allowing differing degrees of directional input.
---
Source : Vectrex FAQ