1982 · General Consumer Electric (GCE) · US · console
GCE Vectrex
A true technological marvel.
Essential Trivial to run ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
A true technological marvel. The Vectrex did not plug into a television; it was a standalone mini-arcade cabinet with its own built-in 9-inch vector CRT monitor that drew razor-sharp lines of glowing light in real time.
Released right on the eve of the 1983 video game crash, the Vectrex fell victim to bad timing, but its luminous vector display and smooth 60fps scaling physics made it one of the most treasured collector systems in history.
Under the hood
- CPU
- Motorola 68A09 @ 1.5 MHz
- Sound chip
- General Instrument AY-3-8912 (3 channels)
- Graphics
- Integrated 9" monochrome vector CRT monitor (Electromagnetically deflected beam)
- Media
- ROM Cartridges with colored plastic screen overlays
What it cost
only about 8% of a month’s pay in 1983 · about $315 today
| US launch list price ($199 with built-in 9-inch vector CRT & Mine Storm) |
$199 (1982)
about 16% of a month’s pay · about $647 in today's money |
|---|---|
| Post-crash clearance price ($100) | $100 (1983) |
| Units sold | ≈800,000 estimate Approximately 800,000 units sold. |
What it's worth now
High $250–400 loose, $400–800+ boxed
A premium collectible built around its own vector CRT; that screen is the risk — failing capacitors, flyback and burn-in mean CRT-repair skill is needed to keep one alive.
A guide to collectibility, not a valuation — real prices depend on condition, completeness and demand.
Why it mattered
Released right on the eve of the 1983 video game crash, the Vectrex fell victim to bad timing, but its luminous vector display and smooth 60fps scaling physics made it one of the most treasured collector systems in history.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | VecX (libretro), ParaJVE |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Trivial to run (0 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | A standard modern controller covers the ordinary controls, though unusual accessories may need custom mapping. |
| Runs on a handheld | Yes |
Handled wonderfully by RetroArch VecX core. Emulators render screen overlays automatically to reproduce the tinted color plastic overlays. The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Firmware
This system needs no firmware file. Install an emulator, open a game, and it runs.
How many files you need: none to go and find. No separate firmware file is needed for an ordinary setup.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see Libretro documentation for the current list.
Where the software is
Preservation catalogues describe verified dumps; they do not grant permission to download commercial software. A curated, correctly matched set is easier to use than an undifferentiated archive.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- Mine Storm (Built-in) Vector Shooter
Astounding Asteroids-style shooter built directly into the console hardware.
- Scramble Side-scrolling Vector Shooter
Superb vector port of Konami’s terrain-dodging fuel raid.
- Berzerk Maze Shooter
Clean vector conversion of Stern’s robot maze with Otto the bounce ball.
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture First-Person Space Combat
Warp across sectors and destroy Klingon ships in 3D vector space.
- Armor Attack Tactical Tank Combat
Dodge tanks and helicopters in an urban vector battlefield.
- Solar Quest Vector Shooter
Rescuing stranded astronauts near a deadly gravitational sun.
- Web Wars 3D Web Shooter
Fly into a 3D web tunnel capturing cosmic creatures.
- Pole Position 1982 Racing game
- Spike Platformer
The verdict
a rare vector-graphics home console ever made. Sharp, glowing cathode-ray vector lines and color screen overlays create a hypnotic arcade experience unmatched on any standard TV.
The strongest software can be rewarding, but original controls and setup assumptions may matter more than screenshots suggest.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about the second wave, before the crash and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 4/5 for fun today and 5/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 75% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.