NotE3 - The Vectrex (video)

This week is E3, so in the spirit of gaming, we're going to do a bit of gaming coverage, of things not at E3, MAKE style, like this video from our very own Brian Jepson showing off the Vectrex, one of the most stunning systems in the history of gaming - integrated monitor, analog joystick and one of the first consoles to use vector graphics all running on a Motorola 68A09 @ 1.6 MHz chip and 1 KB of RAM.

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[Lachlant1984]

Blowing on cartridges is a very bad idea because the moisture from your breath causes rust and corrision on the contacts on both the cartridge and the cartridge slot.

[doctorwhonico]

I had one when I was about 12 years old.

NOSTALGIA!!!

[kinmanyuen]

the controller has excellent handling... even after all these years

[ForViewingOnly]

Come on Brian, working for Make Magazine you must realise that blowing on cartridge connectors is far from being a good solution. Another +1 for Isopropyl Alcohol or contact cleaner.

[eeklipse]

why blow on cartridges when you can just use alcohol to wipe it with a cotton sheet.

[Scioneer]

Still have one. Needs some contact cleaner on the volume knob, but other than that, it works great.

[campervan25]

@dbock10 Haha! You still are!

[LanIost]

I said "well there is only one other thing I would ever buy spontaneously and that is a Vectrex" and they looked at each other and said "You're kidding right? Someone dropped one off today and just left without getting paid for it but the managers going to take it home." I said "I got $80 cash right now.."

Sold =P Perfect condition.

Really, the screen is so clear, you have never seen anything like it until you are standing in front of it. Rivals screens today.

[LanIost]

I am proud to say that I own a Vectrex.

I always wanted one. I went to a VG trade store that is sort of like a local run only gamestop.

I used to have a TurboGrafx-16 (PC Engine) as a kid and foolishly sold it for a set of X-Men cards. I didn't realize it was even semi-rare even though I didn't know anyone else who had even seen one.

Anyway, I asked them if they had one and they said no.

[prodge64]

god damn when i was a kid i blew into my carts as well, but i wish i never did! you see the humidity (and tiny particles of salt) you're exhaling will, in the long run, render any and all carts treated this way completely unusable.