The Vectrex "Brings Real Arcade Play Home" is a self-contained transportable 8-bit videogame unit that displays unique vector graphics on a built-in 9 x 11 inch diagonal monitor. These vector graphics, which are essentially lines of light, have a timeless appeal that typical raster graphics, which consist of small pixels or blocks, can't duplicate.
The Vectrex was developed by Western Technologies/Smith Engineering. It was licensed and distributed first by General Consumer Electric (GCE), and then by Milton Bradley Company after their purchase of GCE. It was released in November 1982 - Milton Bradley aka MB took over international marketing. The Vectrex was also released in Japan under the name Bandai Vectrex Kousokusen.
The Vectrex is a masterpiece of design. The control panel, which features a small self-centering analog metal joystick and four numbered action buttons, could be placed in a storage area at the bottom front of the console. The coiled cord would be wrapped once around the joystick, with the remaining length laid on top of the action buttons. The control panel could then be slid into the tabs at the bottom of the console and snapped up into place, creating a sleek forward-facing profile.
Quelle: VectrexMuseum.com
