The Video Game Critic's
Vectrex Reviews M-Z

This is a brilliant Asteroids adaptation - and it's built right into the system! Mine Storm is reason enough to purchase a Vectrex system. The smooth graphics, non-stop action, and high level of challenge will keep you coming back for more. The buttons are used to fire, thrust, and engage hyperspace. Instead of asteroids, you shoot floating mines. You can fire rapidly, and the screen is often filled with star-shaped explosions. When certain types of mines are shot, they will send a secondary object your way, so stay alert! Also beware of the flying saucers, which make a beeline toward you! Hyperspace is often the only option. The only problem with this game is a programming bug which causes it to freak out after level 13. But to make it that far would be a major accomplishment. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

Ever wonder what Missile Command would look like with vector graphics? Me neither, but Patriots is just that. The game's title refers to the Patriot missiles used to destroy incoming missiles during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Compared to the original arcade game, the missile animation here is a bit choppy, and the explosions don't stick around for very long. On the other hand, you can still unleash a wall of bombs to produce some cool chain reactions. The sneaky satellites need to be hit dead-on or trapped between explosions. Don't ignore the UFOs or planes that rain missiles from down low. For some reason there are only two missile bases, despite the fact that the Vectrex controller could easily have supported a third (there are enough buttons). The targeting cursor is responsive but I wish I could move it closer to the sides of the screen. Patriots has its share of slowdown when the action grows intense, but otherwise the graphics and sound effects are quite faithful. Patriots is a respectable effort, but in terms of fun it doesn't approach the level of Missile Command. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

As the VGC, I attempt to judge each game with a clear conscience, a suspended disbelief and full immersion in each premise. I have to do this no matter how outlandish or graphically challenged the game may be. Polar Rescue puts you in a submarine, navigating the freezing, pitch-black depths of the Arctic Ocean while attempting to rescue "survivors" in floating "pods". Although the concept seems well-suited for the Vectrex system, I didn't find Polar Rescue particularly interesting. The first-person view features a simple instrument panel on the bottom of the screen which indicates your speed, torpedoes, and radar. The illusion of movement is conveyed adequately using white bubbles, and realistic sound effects include the soft hum of your engine and those familiar sonar "pings" heard in all the submarine movies. While tracking survivors on radar, you'll encounter enemy subs and floating mines. Avoiding the mines is easy, but dealing with enemy subs can be a headache. Once you enter "battle mode", you're stuck there until you eliminate them. It's very hard to determine their position and bring them into sight, and your torpedoes aren't the most accurate things in the world. It's more confusing than fun. Worse yet, if you run out of torpedoes, you're pretty much screwed. Should you manage to locate a survivor pod, you must dock with it by moving extremely slow towards it. This exercise is far more tedious and aggravating than it should be. Once docked, a nice ramp extends to the pod and transports the survivor aboard. After that, the game goes into a brief "reverse instant replay" mode before proceeding to the next stage. I tried to give Polar Rescue a fair chance, but this game is simply not very fun. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

Here's a racing game you might not expect to see on the Vectrex, but it plays surprisingly well. Your car looks very impressive, especially when it turns or explodes. Too bad the other cars look like total crap, looking like mere boxes in the road! The track itself conveys movement fairly well, although the only thing actually moving is the striped line in the center. The mountains in the background look fine, but the signs displaying odd symbols on the side of the road look silly. The game uses the first two buttons to shift, and the others to accelerate. The precise control makes it easy to weave through traffic. Pole Position has the same musical tunes as the arcade version, and the engine sound effects are pretty good also. This is a nice change of pace from all the shooters on this system. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

It may suffer from a complete lack of originality, but otherwise this cartridge is freakin' awesome! Protector/Y.A.S.I. packs a devastating one-two punch with flawless translations of two arcade classics. Protector is a Defender clone that's even more faithful than most home editions of the game. Y.A.S.I. stands for Yet Another Space Invaders, but it's pretty amazing in its own right, emulating raster graphics to great effect. Protector's four-button control scheme (reverse, thrust, fire, smart bomb) is tough to master, but while some may consider that a flaw, I love it because it feels just like the button layout of the original arcade game! The side-scrolling shooting action is hectic as you fly over a planet surface while blasting alien landers and catching their free-falling human cargo for bonus points. The angular mountain surface is dead-on, and the tiny people are extremely well detailed. When you activate a smart bomb, two horizontal lines appear and effectively "wipe" the screen. Sweet! When you run out of smart bombs, the "4" button functions as hyperspace instead (now that's smart!) The sound effects are dead-on, and as the coup de gras, the cartridge even saves your top five scores! Protector is as good as anything I've played on the Vectrex, and the addition of Y.A.S.I. just sweetens the deal. Y.A.S.I. might seem a little slow, but I love the classic control scheme (use buttons to move left and right). You can purchase this excellent cartridge at Classic Game Creations for a very reasonable price. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Rip Off is a shooting game that's remarkably simple but still remains entertaining enough. A bunch of fuel cells (triangles) in the center of the screen need protection from scavenging pirates. The pirate ships approach from the edge of the screen and attempt to drag your cells away. You control a large, rapid-firing "tank" that looks more like a space ship. The controls are your standard rotate, thrust, and shoot. Unlike other shooting games, you have an unlimited number of ships; the game ends when all of your cells are depleted. The problem with Rip Off is that there's no real strategy. What saves it from total mediocrity is the ramping challenge and a nice two-player mode. Otherwise it's just another forgettable shooter. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

For some reason, vector graphics really lend themselves to Asteroids-style games. My theory is proven once again with this frenetic, turbo-charged Asteroids clone. While all the elements of Asteroids are included, this game is MUCH faster. Each round begins with a collection of large rocks hurling around the screen at a high rate of speed. If you didn't have a few seconds of invincibility at the beginning of each round, you'd never stand a chance. It also helps that your ship is tiny. Once you start breaking up the rocks, slow-down begins to creep in, bringing the game down to a more manageable pace. Like Minestorm, Rockaroids is relentlessly addictive, and you'll keep coming back to beat your high score. I like how buttons one and two are used to turn (instead of the joystick) - it feels more like the old arcade game. The other two buttons are used for thrust and fire, and pulling down on the joystick activates your hyperspace. If you're looking for shooting excitement, Rockaroids is all that! © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This is one of my all-time favorite classic shooters, so I was curious to see how it would look with vector graphics. I'm happy to report that the game plays almost exactly like its arcade counterpart. Scramble is a side-scrolling space shooter where you fly through caverns, shooting missiles and bombing fuel silos. The explosions are represented by flickering asterisks, which look slightly cheesy. The premise is to avoid incoming missiles while navigating narrow corridors, which requires a great deal of skill (which I happen to possess, by the way). I noticed that the collision detection in this game tends to be fairly lenient. Your wing can overlap the wall a little bit without causing your ship to explode. This game has three difficultly levels. It's pretty tough, and it's unlikely you'll ever reach the enemy base at the very end. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

At first glance, Solar Quest looks awfully generic with its floating space ships and cheesy "sun" in the center. Once I began playing however, I was taken in by its strategic gameplay. Despite its shallow appearance, Solar Quest is a subtle mix of Asteroids, Space War, and Time Pilot. Your ship is slightly larger and more detailed than the standard Asteroids "triangle", but the familiar controls include thrust, fire, and hyperspace. In addition, there's a "nuke" button that can deploys a bomb that can be detonated from a distance. While the nuke is a good idea in theory, it's hard to use effectively. Enemy ships assume a variety of geometric shapes, and while they initially move in predictable lines, they eventually start zigzagging around, ratcheting up the difficulty. The most interesting aspect of Solar Quest is your ability to pick up "survivors" for bonus points, providing a much-needed strategic element. Whenever you destroy a ship, it leaves a fuzzy little "pilot" that slowly drifts towards the sun. Snatch him up and you receive substantial bonus points, but it's often a risky proposition. Solar Quest doesn't push the envelope in terms of graphics or gameplay, but this the type of game the Vectrex does well. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

When you fire up a game of Space Frenzy, you're greeted by a one-eyed alien engaging you in a little intergalactic trash-talk (via some slick voice synthesis). Gamers schooled in the classics will immediately recognize this freak from Space Fury (Colecovision, 1983), and in fact, Space Frenzy is a clone of that game. At first glance this shooter looks like Asteroids - the type of game the Vectrex handles well. But instead of rocks, you target alien ships that merge together to form larger "cruisers" which in turn try to ram your triangular ass. Between stages you "dock" with larger ships, allowing you to shoot sideways, backwards, or concentrate your firepower forward. I found this docking sequence to be a little too long, disrupting the flow of the game a bit. The collision detection can be a little fishy and the frame-rate struggles at times, but in general Space Frenzy is fun. Gamers who own a Vectrex should head directly to Classic Game Creations to order a copy. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

I'll give Spike all the credit in the world for its innovative visuals, unique gameplay, and amazing voice synthesis. Sadly, those elements don't necessary make for a fun game. The game begins with an impressive intro sequence depicting a triangular damsel being kidnapped ("Eek! Help! Spike!). The animation is complimented by some surprisingly clear voice synthesis that really got my attention. Spike's platform-jumping action is pretty standard, but its unconventional viewpoint makes the game stand out. The three moving platforms on the screen are presented at a skewed angle, conveying a nifty illusion of 3D. Controlling the large, pointy-headed Spike character, your first order of business is to grab the key that appears at random locations every few seconds. Scaling the platforms requires using a button to toggle the placement of a ladder between four locations. Besides climbing, you can also jump between gaps on the same platform, or fall in gaps to return to lower levels. Once you have the key, you must touch the box located near the top of the screen. The problem is, Spike's large size makes it awkward to move him with any degree of quickness or precision. And once baddies like bouncing snakes and flying birds enter the picture, they're practically unavoidable. I really got tired of the Spike's frustrating gameplay, and even the voice effects started getting on my nerves after a while. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

With Spike Hoppin', John Dondzila (patron saint of Vectrex games) has effectively brought Q*bert to the Vectrex. Besides different character designs, this is basically the same game, and it's a fine adaptation. You won't find Coily or Ugg, but there are other zany characters here to replace them. The first thing that struck me about Spike Hoppin' was its voice synthesis! When I first heard it, I was like, "did this game just talk?!" Yes it did, and these cute samples really add something special. The graphics are smooth, the objects are easy to make out, and the gameplay is challenging. Moving the Vectrex joystick diagonally takes a while to get used to, but the controls are fairly responsive overall. There are even some cheats and hidden goodies locked away in this game. My biggest problem with Spike Hoppin' is its leisurely pace. The action is a little on the slow side, and there are long pauses between levels and lives. There's not much originality here, but if you've ever wanted to play Q*bert on your Vectrex, this should do the trick. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Some types of games simply don't translate well to the Vectrex, and you can add pinball to the top of that list. Obviously this game lacks the color and flash of a real table, but Spinball's problems extend far beyond that. For one thing, there aren't many targets to aim for, and those it does have are lame (mainly boxes and dashes). The table is extremely unbalanced. You can keep the ball going in the top half for long periods of time, but once it falls into the bottom area, you can expect to lose it very quickly. The physics are terrible -- the ball appears to have a mind of its own. The collision detection isn't too hot either, and the ball sometimes gets caught within objects. But the worst aspect is how you can't see your score during play. As far as I'm concerned, a key element of pinball is watching your points rack up as you play. The constant flicker of the table also gets to you after awhile. The one thing Spinball does right is control. The flippers are responsive, and the joystick can be used to nudge the table. Don't get carried away with the nudging, because the game won't hesitate to call a "tilt". Spinball was an ill-conceived title for the Vectrex, and it left me feeling very unsatisfied. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This old arcade game is not found on many video game consoles. You control a small ship like the one from Asteroids (rotate, thrust, fire). The star castle is at the center of the screen, surrounded by a multi-layered, rotating shield. You can shoot away sections of the shield, but don't destroy an entire layer or it will regenerate -- along with an additional layer. This is an extremely difficult game. Even if enough holes are created to expose the core, it takes pinpoint accuracy to destroy the star castle. You'll also need to keep an eye out for guided missiles. A good strategy of dealing with them is to use the edge of the screen as an escape route. Star Castle is a real cult classic, and it presents a major challenge to shooter fans. Note: This was the acknowledged influence for the Atari 2600 game Yars' Revenge. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

I was pretty psyched when I realized that Star Fire is really John Dondzila's remake of the original Star Wars arcade game! In the first stage you battle approaching Tie fighters, and it's a blast! The fighters smoothly scale into range, and their incoming missiles are not easy to hit. I'd advise you to be defensive and be sure to neutralize the missiles before worrying about the Ties themselves. While it's great fun to play, the level runs a bit long because you have to shoot about 24 ties to advance! Next, you approach a Death Star that looks more like an octagon with a hole in it. In the second stage you shoot towers on the Death Star surface while avoiding ground fire. It's less impressive, and the towers appear to be floating in space. The final stage sends you down into the Death Star trench for the climactic battle. How is this stage? I'll let you know when I get there! Unfortunately, Star Fire is far too difficult and only has one skill level. Still, I do enjoy the first-person "twitch" shooting that this game has to offer. I think if John polished this one up a bit, it would be 'A' material. Hopefully a sequel is in the works. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Was this a real game that people actually paid money for? Judging from the ugly graphics and mind-numbing gameplay, this looks more like an unfinished prototype. Don't get me wrong - I usually enjoy mindless shooters, but Star Hawk seems especially pointless. The first time I saw it, I had to roll my eyes, recognizing yet another game trying to duplicate the Star Wars "trench" scene. We've seen it countless other times (Colecovision's Buck Rogers and Intellivision's Star Strike come to mind), but never done this poorly. This game features what has to be the sorriest looking trench I've ever seen. The viewing angle is raised so high that it pretty much defeats the whole illusion of depth, and isn't that the whole point? The planet surface is sharply curved, making it appear about the size of a hot air balloon. Finally, the planet spins more like a slot machine than a rotating heavenly body. Star Hawk's gameplay is limited to moving a crosshair and shooting enemy ships that swoop in and scale across the screen. At least the game makes proper use of the Vectrex analog joystick, so it's very easy to zero in on your targets. Still, the action is monotonous and the collision detection is erratic. The one iota of strategy involves nailing the occasional "command ship", causing your crosshairs to temporarily double in size, and the scoring doubles as well during this period. Star Hawk is a very weak effort. Its whole purpose seems to be to show off a visual effect that's not very good to begin with. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

Not being a big Star Trek fan, I was actually relieved to discover this is a generic first-person shooter. In fact, you'd never even know this has anything to do with Star Trek, if not for its title. The Star Raiders-style gameplay is so straight-forward that you don't even have to worry about any "galactic maps". If you enjoy dogfighting in space, this game is for you. The first-person point of view means you're just staring at stars and a crosshair until alien ships come into view. Enemies scale and bank smoothly across the screen, and they shatter nicely when blasted. Button three engages a shield which neutralizes their star-shaped projectiles. Button two allows you to "dock" with your space station to recharge your missiles and shield, but this sounds easier than it actually is. More times than not, enemy ships are swarming as your station comes into view, and it's very easy to accidentally blow it up in the midst of the chaos. Geez, you'd think a huge rotating space station could withstand one lousy photon torpedo! Of course, when you really need to dock with your station, that [expletive] thing is nowhere to be found. You can also "dock" with a black hole; however, I advise strongly against it! This takes you directly to the Klingon mother ship, which will proceed to pulverize your Vulcan ass in short order. Star Trek probably won't thrill fans of the series, but it should satisfy those looking for some basic shooting action. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

You can tell that Vector Vaders was one of John Dondzilla's early Vectrex undertakings. Trying to reproduce Space Invaders, Vaders does at least capture the look of that classic. Your cannon has that familiar "shoe box" shape, and although these aliens aren't the same as those in the arcade game, they could at least be cousins. Unfortunately, this attention to detail takes its toll on the framerate. The screen flashes so much it looks like an old, silent black and white film. Your missiles move like snails up the screen. It does get better as you thin out the alien fleet, and the aliens keep things interesting by dropping TONS of bombs. There are four barriers to hide behind, but they don't take any damage. I did like how two buttons are used to move side-to-side, making the control scheme identical to the original arcade game. I also enjoyed trying to hit the slow UFO that moves up across the top of the screen. Overall, Vector Vaders is just too sluggish. Apparently Dondzilla recognized this problem and addressed it in a sequel. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

The first Vector Vaders was a fair rendition of Space Invaders, but it was way too slow. This remake completely fixes that problem. The first thing you'll notice is that various alien shapes have now been replaced with animated "V" characters. These simpler objects allow the game to move at a much faster pace, and as a result it's a lot more fun. John Dondzila even took this opportunity to incorporate classic Space Invaders audio effects, which sound excellent. You can now make the barriers disappear if you shoot them enough. Fast, challenging, and fun, this is the Space Invaders that Vectrex fans were waiting for. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Here's a nifty little version of Galaxian for your Vectrex machine. It does a fine job of capturing the same classic gameplay, with surprisingly faithful sound effects. You get a full fleet of alien invaders, and there's very little flicker. I love how the aliens rotate as they peel off the sides of the formation. The mother ships depart with two escorts, and big points await the gamer that can nail all three. Make no mistake; this game is tough - tougher than the arcade. Perhaps that's why you begin with five lives. Vectrexian is fun, but I have a few minor complaints. First of all, the cannon looks pretty rough compared to the rest of the graphics. The collision detection falters every now and then, and your score doesn't appear on the screen as you play. But overall this is an addictive little arcade adaptation. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This first-person shooter could have been something special, but it feels like an unfinished project. You play by moving a crosshair around a rocky planet surface and blasting scaling "drones" and spherical "seekers". War of the Robots had serious potential. The ominous intro screen sets the tone as it resonates with its bleak, otherworldly music. The planet surface is a simple silhouette of jagged mountains, but the wire-frame drones gallop fluidly across the landscape. Due to their long legs and tiny bodies (which resemble AT-STs from Star Wars), they're pretty tough to hit. Periodically they fire star-shaped missiles, which you can shoot down as they slowly scale in. A circular scanner lets you track their positions, but it's not the most accurate device in the world. War of the Robot's controls are responsive enough, and once you get the hang of it, you'll have a good time blasting drones into pieces. Unfortunately, two huge flaws spoil the fun. First and foremost, it's entirely possible, and in fact quite easy, to run out of ammo. Since you can't reload or find additional ammo, all you can do is sit there and wait for the game to end. Next, there's no freakin' score! How hard would it have been to keep track of some points? Apparently your one and only goal in this game is to wipe out all of the robots, but who knows how many waves you'll need to survive to accomplish that? Without a score it's an all-or-nothing affair with minimal replay value. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Web Wars is visually compelling. You control the "Hawk King", flying down a wire-frame half pipe (much like Tempest). The camera angle shifts automatically throughout the game, creating the sensation of vertigo. Enemy "drones" emerge from the distance, which are easily eliminated with rapid-fire. A "Cosmic Dragon" periodically flies overhead and drops bombs, and the scaling is impressive as he flies overhead. Then there are the "fantasy creatures" that you collect with your "capture rod". For some reason, your rod doesn't always stick out straight, which can be problematic (that's perfectly normal for a game this age). Each creature captured is stored on the "trophy screen", accessed by flying through square portals. The fantasy creatures are tiny but imaginatively designed. This idea of collecting creatures is a unique element that I found appealing. The game begins slowly but gradually reaches a breakneck pace. The gameplay is somewhat marginal, but nice visuals and a dash of originality push Web Wars above the average mark. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.