They were just so unique!

[VectorX]

So many of the vector games were so unique, you know? Even a rip-off or two were unusual!

Taking the latter first, look at Demon. That was kind of like Armor Attack on foot, if you ask me. Black Widow did an interesting take on Robotron: 2084, and doing a "reverse Asteroids" with Space Fury, along with throwing in an insulting alien...ha ha!

On the flip side, though, Major Havoc was really original (what the hell was the deal with the fish robots?!). Warrior, although simple...how many sword fighting games were out there, you know? Tac/Scan was a bit different too; can't think of any other arcade games where you commanded a squadron like that, plus it turned 3-D. Having to shoot the tanks twice on Armor...Attack was a neat touch, along with influencing ships to run into that fortress in Eliminator was different too. There was nothing else like Battlezone, Quantum was a bit different too (although not that good, in my opinion), and Star Wars still holds up fairly well today, I think. I don't think any other game had as much customization going on as Space War/s did either. And on and on.

I'm sure you get the idea.

[VectorX]

Can't believe I mentioned Speed Freak in that other thread but forgot to mention it here But yeah, those funny cinematics of your car blowing up then; that was still pretty new back then!

And I can't believe I forgot to mention Space Duel, that Asteroids take-off ("Asteroids 3?") was a bit odd with blowing up geometric shapes, shooting your opponent to make them disappear, that thing that, when destroying your opponent when you're tethered together, will come along and destroy you too, etc...odd.

[gliptitude]

I think Space Duel is the nicest looking Asteroids clone, the colors are nice and the spinning cubes are my favorite. If I could have any arcade machine in my house it would probably be a discreet wood grain cabaret cabinet of Space Duel. I don't think this was ever made though.

[VectorX]

At least you could put it in a cab like that if you wanted.

[ledzep]

I have a cocktail Space Duel and it is my favorite of those Asteroids-type games. Something about two-player tethered is just so different from other games. And those aliens get kind of hard to kill.

Tempest was one of the most unique games I'd ever seen when it came out, too.

[VectorX]

Jun 13, 2012 17:27:51 GMT -5 ledzep said:

Something about two-player tethered is just so different from other games.

Yeah, it was an odd bird, but still fun!

Jun 13, 2012 17:27:51 GMT -5 ledzep said:

Tempest was one of the most unique games I'd ever seen when it came out, too.

Yeah, especially since it was originally just going to be a 3-D ripoff of Space Invaders! It really came into it's own identity anyway!

[detonator]

Look at Battle Zone... and just consider it was made in 1980.

THAT, my friend, is amazing. It still looks absolutely modern and brilliant. That's what's so great about vector graphics... it never looks outdated because it was completely unique design.

Timeless.

[TrekMD]

Jul 18, 2012 21:00:10 GMT -5 detonator said:

Look at Battle Zone... and just consider it was made in 1980.

THAT, my friend, is amazing. It still looks absolutely modern and brilliant. That's what's so great about vector graphics... it never looks outdated because it was completely unique design.

Timeless.

I agree with you. Vector graphics always look great and never look dated. They are unique in the respect! That's why the Vectrex still has great appeal as a console as well.

[ledzep]

I finally got to play Boxing Bugs at California Extreme. That game is so unique/weird that I couldn't play it even after figuring out how to play it. The boxing glove on one end and the gun on the other? Bombs? What? I'm still confused.

[VectorX]

Ha ha. I've no idea. I'm not much for playing games on MAME that I haven't experienced firsthand, since you don't know if you've got an earlier or later version of a ROM, someone changed things on it, things don't come out right (sounds, colors, etc.) or whatever.

Might be why it wasn't a big hit (oh, and pardon the pun)