FINALLY, the Vectrex gets long-deserved rebirth

[VectorX]

No, there's not a new one out...well, there is, kinda...

As some have seen a page of it online (I'm just putting this up right now rather than going back and looking for it), there was a promise of bringing back the Vectrex back in 2007. I contacted the people in regards to that web page and said a new one would be out by 2011 (which obviously didn't happen). The guy who responded said it would be a handheld plug and play unit that would attach to your tv. After I asked him some questions and offered to put up a page for his company on the Vectrex wiki leading up to the point where he wouldn't be able to give out any more details on the product, I didn't hear back from him, as I just thought it was a hoax after a while. After all, if you can't even find a web site for a company called "Data Access" situated in France...what the hell? How can you not have a web page in this day and age?

Well, I just heard back from him again the other month, as he had admitted it had been over a year since our last communicade (sp) but the project was still on. He said he'd give the talented programmers and such my e-mail and that I should be hearing from them.

So, I got this e-mail today...here it is!

Exciting news!!

I'm from Rantmedia Games. We are the exclusive international license holder for the Vectrex brand and for the past 6 months we've been working on something awesome… it's finally nearly ready…

We're re-launching Vectrex as a mobile app on the iTunes App Store (iPhone and iPad)!

Called Vectrex Regeneration (www.vectrexregeneration.com) it is going to be amazing:

- ALL the old games & overlays
- We're working with indie developers to get new games on there too
- Airplay (play on your TV)
- Use your iPhone(s) as controller!
- Multiplayer
- iCade compatible
- Retina graphics
- Totally authentic

We are Vectrex enthusiasts - going right back to 1982 - and hope you can help us make Vectrex live again! We want to hear from you - tell us your thoughts, comments and feedback, and spread the word! Sign up for updates at www.vectrexregeneration.com.

Best wishes,

Anton.

-- Vectrex Regeneration
www.vectrexregeneration.com
twitter.com/vectrexregen

Hard to believe, after all this time! So, homebrewers are going to be involved? Multiplayer support?

I'll have to give this a more thorough look over later.

[vectrexmad]

>We are the exclusive international license holder for the Vectrex brand

Wonder how they managed that?

[VectorX]

Probably paid Jay Smith for that, I'd assume. They must have worked something out with someone, if not him.

Anyway, ha ha. As I said about I'd check out their stuff later, turns out it's the only one page on their web site so far ;D Oh well. Nice to see Clay Cowgill already responding to the video asking them if they wanted Moon Lander on it though.

[RedRaider]

I have the current Vector games off iTunes and I'm not too impressed with them.

But I paid for them, so I have the right to give my opinion on their value.

[VectorX]

Are they the same ones these guys are offering?

Even though I didn't have high hopes with this project as it was (since you can't truly do vector without a vector screen), what's wrong with them?

[desfeek]

I'm excited for this project, I just hope they get around to adding Android compatibility...

Still anything that attempts to help revive interest in the Vectrex gets a +1 in my book.

[VectorX]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too. At least the Vectrex is being brought back in some way, finally, other than just through hobbiest emulation (although that's still ok too).

[RedRaider]

I already have Lunar Lander on my Atari Greatest Hits App already.

[RedRaider]

Sorry, IMHO a iPhone app is in no way, shape or form "reviving" the Vectrex.

lololololololol

[gliptitude]

Ah man I thought this thread was going to be about a new $60 off brand console from China. They remade NES, SNES and Genesis, wonder if they could do Vectrex? If I can line that up will somebody finance this?

The name of the Vectrex knockoff will be Happy Vector System.

[fury]

I also received this email. I've requested more details on the project.

[gamezone]

I think the plug and play would have been better.

Wonder if I can be the the exclusive international license holder for the Action Max brand.

[celtroniclabs]

Guess I'm not the only iOS Developer who is working on a Vector Multi-Game App.. Though mine is not a Vectrex emulator. Mine is more influenced by the old coin-op, arcade vector games.

If all goes well, my App (currently code named "X-Beam"), with its first game, may debut on the App Stores in June, maybe before this Vectrex one does.

I will be curious to see how their "vector lines" look, compared to mine.. No color overlay example to be seen on their teaser video. I already have overlays and backdrops working on mine.

I would like to know how they obtained their "exclusive rights" to the Vectrex library. I also wonder if it will be an actual emulator, or if they are recreating / porting games that look and play like the Vectrex games, but are not using the original Vectrex game code.

[TrekMD]

Any chance of also bringing this to Android?

[desfeek]

From an email I received from the project lead:

"Android is most definitely on the roadmap. We will launch on iOS (iPhone/iPad) first - simply because we are a small team and don't have the resource to launch on both platforms simultaneously. But it is coming..."