The Vectrex Mini Kickstarter Campaign
If you are unaware of what the Vectrex Mini is then I suggest that you read our article entitled “Vectrex Mini Launches on Kickstarter Reviving the Legendary 80’s Portable Console“. There has been a lot of hype around this project due to it’s unique nature and the only Vectrex reproduction attempted by the homebrew community to date. While it doesn’t have an authentic CRT vector monitor is used the next best thing, recreating the device using an IPS LCD screen and extremely accurate Vectrex emulation hardware. The kickstarter campaign was so popular that it was funded within a very short time and on top of that it fulfilled every one of the original stretch goals. The last of the initial stretch goals at $1,000,000 was the development of a new game for the machine. True to his word, the creator has included a newly developed game for the Vectrex Mini.
The First Vectrex Mini Homebrew Game: USA Zombie Apocalypse
There are many perks to backing the Vectrex Mini kickstarter, the best of which is the recently announced brand new homebrew game designed especially for the new console. It’s an unusual genre for a system that is primarily for arcade games – survival horror! This genre is not really an arcade genre besides lightgun shooting games like House of the Dead, but that isn’t exclusively survival horror, it’s more of a shooting game. So this homebrew release is really unique and exciting game for the Vectrex Mini. It’s also a nice addition to the range of the types of games available for the Vectrex and will compliment the 12 built in games that come with the system. From what I understand backers of the Vectrex Mini get a full, physical copy of this game complete with box, screen overlay, joystick overlay, instruction manual and a small zombie accessory. This game is the very first fully licensed [homebrew] game developed specifically for the Vectrex Mini console. This set’s a precedent now that a game was developed specifically for the Vectrex Mini, it mean’s that it is now an independent console in it’s own right. The game will probably work exactly the same on a regular Vectrex if it was copied to cartridge or accessed via a flash cartridge but it’s been developed for the Vectrex Mini first which makes it a Vectrex Mini game. This is an exciting development as it paves the way for developers to start producing games for the Vectrex Mini with the added bonus that they would also be compatible with the original Vectrex.
If you were on the fence about getting a Vectrex Mini than this should be the incentive you need to push over the side. It’s no longer just a Vectrex imitation but it is it’s own console with the promise of more games to come in the future. If you are reading this article in November and you haven’t yet backed the kickstarter then you still have time to secure yourself one of these brilliant little game devices. As of the time of writing this article the kickstarter campaign still has 3 days left to go so if you don’t want to miss out on owning one without having to pay cut-throat prices from eBay scalpers at a later date then I suggest you head over to kickstarter.com and make a pledge for a unit. You only have a very limited window of opportunity to secure a unit so if you are interested then I highly recommended backing this campaign.
As mentioned earlier the game is a survival-horror which is a rather unusual genre for an arcade system. The object of the game is for the player to visit different states in America in order to find the three parts needed to assemble an atomic bomb, which is the final weapon that will be used against the invading zombie horde. True to traditional survival horror mechanics the importance of rationing ammunition is paramount, mindless blasting will mean that you run out of ammo quickly and be unable to complete your mission. The game supports 1 or 2 players and includes several different modes of play. The entire production of the game is very well done, with attractive box art in the style of standard Vectrex games and a specially designed screen overlay to improve immersion as well as an overlay for the joystick. The result is a very nice collectible game that perfectly accompanies the Vectrex Mini and is greatly appreciated by the gamer’s who have backed the kickstarter by making a pledge for one or more systems.
Relevant Links
- Vectrex Mini Kickstarter campaign [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1852390947/vectrex-mini] Back the Vectrex Mini by making your pledge here
- USA Zombie Apocalypse official website [https://ar-vectrex.com/wp/product/usa-zombie-apocalypse-red-pcb/] The game is available to purchase before the Vectrex Mini has been released
- Indie Retro News article on the Vectrex version released in 2020 [https://www.indieretronews.com/2020/09/usa-zombie-apocalypse-run-for-your.html] Has a link to a YouTube video preview so you can see the game in action
The creators of the game recently posted this on their Facebook page:
To clarify things: it is our Vectrex Mini version of the game that will be included in the console, with its mini screen overlay, mini controller overlay, and a brand-new Zombie accessory.
However, the Vectrex version of the game — with its box, screen overlay, controller overlay, PCB (red or black), and the goodies included in the box — will not be included.
Gotcha so no box or physical game at all, just the screen and controller overlays. Thank you sir, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment with the correction. I’ll edit the post and make the appropriate changes. I hope you are enjoying the website. Cheers 👍