GCE Vectrex
The GCE Vectrex was unique in that it was the only video game console to
include it's own monitor built into the unit and it used vector based
graphics vice bitmapped graphics. The display is a 9 inch B/W CRT and is
housed in a black case similar to that of the Macintosh 128k in both size and
shape. The Vectrex used a 68A09 cpu running at 1.5MHz and a panel on the
front of the machine flips down to reveal a small joystick, four buttons and
an extra port to plug another controller into. Games came in the form of
cartridges and plugged into a port on the right side of the machine. There
were approximately 38 games total released or in production for the Vectrex,
including games that were done in 3D for use with an optional 3D imager.
There were approximately 13 others planned, but never completed. Most games
included overlays for the screen to cut down on glare and to give a semblence
of color to the display. It included an Asteroids-clone called 'Minestorm'
built into the system. Cartridges containing every game ever released, and
some demos and games not released, on a single cartridge have been available
from time to time. GCE was eventually purchased by Milton-Bradley, who
continued to sell the system, including introducing it to various parts of
Europe. Production stopped in 1984 when the market for video games
collapsed.
The built-in version of Minestorm has what is known as the 'Wave-13' bug, in
that once you complete Wave-12 of the game, the program then crashes as it
attempts to read in data for Wave-13. This is because there is no data
there for Wave-13, as it wasn't thought player's would get past Wave-12, and
the program then indexes off into a nonexistent address. Later releases of
the machine fix this bug with a revised ROM, as does a cartridge version
labled 'Minestorm II'.
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