Mail Plane (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: N/A

Released: N/A

 

Mail Plane is an unreleased flight simulator that uses both a standard controller and the Vectrex Lightpen.

 

The objective is to load five packages into your plane and deliver each one to a specific city before you run out of fuel. To increase the challenge, clouds must be avoided, otherwise you risk being hit by lightning and losing one of your five lives. What's most impressive is how the game is split into multiple sections to immerse the player. Prior to takeoff, you have full control over the flight path, allowing you to map the most efficient route; this is great for replayability and adds layers of strategy. Careful planning is crucial, and I found it helpful to take a picture of the drop-off points beforehand for navigational purposes! Next up is the mail loading sequence where you drag packages into the plane; the Lightpen lacks true precision, but for the purposes of what's required here it works fine. You then accelerate and takeoff using the controller, and enter the heart of the action; here, the game adopts a top-down view as you dodge clouds and search for the correct cities. It's slow-paced and relaxing like Pilotwings (1991, SNES) and controls beautifully. The threat of lightning is an integral part of the challenge, as without it, flying around and delivering packages would be easy! Its inclusion cleverly forces you to watch your fuel metre (as dodging clouds takes away precious fuel) while trying to be economical at all times. My only annoyance is that the flight path screen isn't always accurate, and it can fool you into thinking a city is located towards the right when it's actually diagonally-right. Once you've navigated to the correct location you simply press Up on the controller to land, use the Lightpen to unload, and repeat the process until each package has been delivered. As a whole, the gameplay is tons of fun and I love that the map and cities change each time you complete a route.

 

Mail Plane is the most polished and innovative Vectrex game from its list of 1983 casualties, and shows how capable the system is as a home console rather than purely replicating the Arcade scene. The developers did a superb job crafting a cohesive experience, and the end result is a highly imaginitive and enjoyable flight simulator.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Although the ROM didn't surface until 2013, several screenshots were included on the Vectrex Lightpen packaging in 1983.

Dark Tower (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: N/A

Released: N/A

 

Dark Tower is an unreleased third-person adventure game that was programmed in 1983.

 

You control a squadron of warriors and the objective is to find 1-4 keys (depending on the difficulty setting), locate the Dark Tower, and solve its puzzle by putting the keys in the correct order. While searching the forest for keys, you'll find gold that allows you to buy items such as a Healer (protects you from the plague), and a Scout (stops you from getting lost in the fog). In addition, treasure chests are scattered around, and these sometimes pull you into a short Brigand mini-game where you need to fight for survival by throwing flamoids at enemies and avoiding their projectiles. The gameplay is deep (a wild shift from most other Vectrex games of the time) and just playing for a few minutes won't yield much in the way of progress; that's because the large game world requires patience to explore, and if you're willing to draw your own maps to remember the location of items there's plenty to sink your teeth into. However, its biggest strength is also its biggest downfall, as there's a ton of aimless wandering for most of your experience; trying to locate keys is difficult enough, but finding the hidden Tower is a gigantic pain and the only time I managed to locate it was through sheer luck! There's also a few unavoidable deaths due to the plague which seems like an artificial way to challenge the player and extend game time. Overall, everything is just too random, and the fact that luck replaces skill and strategy in most instances is disheartening. The Brigand mini-game is easily the best part, as it's somewhat reminiscent of Whack-a-Mole! The controls here are very tight, making it easy to dodge incoming projectiles while quickly firing back before enemies disappear. Graphically, the game looks great and the crooked, pointed trees convey a creepy atmosphere that draws you in.

 

Dark Tower is a unique, deep title in a library full of Arcade style shooters and simplistic gameplay ideas, and for that it should be commended. It does suck you in the more you play, but whether you enjoy it depends on how patient you are, and how much time you're willing to sacrifice to see any progress whatsoever.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was inspired by the 1981 board game of the same name.

Tour De France (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: N/A

Released: N/A

 

Tour De France is an unreleased racing game that was originally scheduled for release in 1983.

 

There's two different track layouts (Game 1 and Game 2 options) and the objective is to place first while obtaining the quickest possible time. Pressing Left or Right on the analog stick moves your rider across the road, while Up is used for acceleration. The face buttons allow you to change gears (Slow, Medium or Fast), pause the game (a rarity on the Vectrex!), as well as grab the occasional water bottle from the side of the road (required to maintain energy levels so you don't slow down). The gameplay involves avoiding the sides of the track, while dodging debris and fellow riders; failing to do any of these results in your rider crashing and losing precious seconds. What's impressive is that the tracks aren't flat, and instead feature rolling hills that even seem to affect how fast your bike can move while ascending. The action is fast but the biggest problem is that it's completely unplayable once you move into the highest gear; here, the action becomes a flickering mess and it's almost impossible to avoid the obstacles and opponents with any sense of precision. The trick is to cycle constantly between second and third gear, but even then you'll never be able to build up enough speed to place in the top two riders. There's also a very thin line between successfully grabbing the water bottle and crashing into the side of the road; as a result you'll never feel in full control, and instead find yourself bracing every time you try to obtain it. Annoyingly, following on from a crash opponents frequently run you over once you begin cycling which stops you in your tracks and sees more seconds tick off the clock. The Game 2 option features a slightly different layout and more debris on the road; while it's nothing too interesting it's nice that the developers added a bit more content.

 

Tour De France is an interesting title in the Vectrex library but it suffers from too many control and gameplay issues to warrant anything other than a passing glance. The racing always feels chaotic (and not in a good way) and it's unfortunate that you can never fully immerse yourself due to the game's shortcomings.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was rumoured to be 100% complete prior to its cancellation.

Pitcher's Duel (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: N/A

Released: N/A

 

Pitcher's Duel is an unreleased baseball game that was likely due for release in 1983.

 

It supports 1-2 players and you can choose whether you want each game to last between 1-9 innings. On offense, you shift the batter around the box and then select either a Normal or Power Swing. At the same time you must move an on-screen cursor to the position of the incoming pitch in order to make contact. Doing so is difficult, mainly due to the lack of depth perception; too often it looks like the ball is nearing home plate but after swinging it can then take a wild break before finally reaching the catcher! As a result, scoring a single run is painfully tough. There's some great presentation though, and each player is introduced along with their current batting average! There's also some excellent animation during a swing and impressive scaling as the ball heads towards the camera after contact is made. On defense, there's a choice of three pitches (Changeup, Fastball or Knuckleball) and the ball's movement can be altered after the windup using the joystick. Each type features smooth, finely-tuned controls that make it enjoyable to pitch. However, hitters always fall for a fastball in the dirt which results in long, drawn-out games where your only challenge is to grind for a singular winning run. The behind-the-pitcher camera is very innovative for its time though and I like that the action shifts to an overhead view once the ball is put in play. Unfortunately, fielding is poor as you have no control over the players, forcing you to rely on the dumb A.I.; many times the CPU even chooses a teammate at First Base to field a ball that's heading past the Shortstop! The most annoying quirk is that fielders always initially throw to second base when gathering a ground ball; if the bases are empty it unfairly gives the runner extra time to run down the first base line for a hit. Lastly, the game doesn't always follow the strict rules of baseball. For example, in one inning the CPU had a runner at third base and I ended up walking the current hitter; while he correctly trotted off to first base the other player freely wandered into home plate for a run!

Pitcher's Duel is a great technical demonstration for the system but the gameplay is lousy and the fact that it doesn't even follow the sport's rules is unforgiveable. Both sides of the action are generally of poor quality but to be fair the developers potentially could have fixed many issues prior to its intended release.

 

 

Random trivia: In 2007, this prototype ROM was released in cartridge form at the Classic Gaming Expo.

3D Mine Storm (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: GCE

Released: 1983

 

3D Mine Storm is a space shooter that arrived on the Vectrex a year after the original Mine Storm.

 

The objective is to rack up points by shooting waves of mines that try to collide with your ship. These waves are broken down into levels so once you've cleared the entire playfield you move onto the next. The game uses the 3D Imager and the gimmick is that you can only shoot enemies that appear in the foreground; once they've been destroyed another wave fades in from the background. You'll face-off against different sized mines and they each have their own characteristics. For example, some gravitate towards you, while others launch a high-speed fireball when shot. There's also a rogue ship that occasionally enters the playfield and circles around you in a similar fashion to the Droids from Bedlam (1982, Vectrex). To counteract this you can shoot, thrust to dodge, or use hyperspace to transport to a random part of the screen. The controls are extremely sensitive (much more so than the original) so there's a brief adjustment period while you get used to making small, subtle movements. Weirdly, the gameplay never feels as fast or as frantic as Mine Storm and the lower difficulty makes it more accessible to newcomers. It's still fun to play though and features some highly enjoyable shooting action. What keeps things fresh are the various types of enemies, and their differing characteristics force you to strategise your attacks based on their abilities and proximity. I also like that your bullets can be shot out one side of the screen and appear on the other... great for protecting your behind! However, it takes an exceptional amount of time to get back into the action once you lose a life and the waiting around can take you out of your rhythm. The 3D effect is good but in my opinion the complicated graphical style of 3D Narrow Escape (1983, Vectrex) is more impressive.

 

3D Mine Storm is a good version of the game but it's hard to call it essential when compared to the original. It's a neat curiosity and the layers of enemies do create some interesting gameplay mechanics, but overall it fails to advance or improve the shooting action to any meaningful degree.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game was programmed by Bill Hawkins - who also worked on 3D Crazy Coaster (1983, Vectrex) - and was a pack-in title with the 3D Imager.

3D Crazy Coaster (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: GCE

Released: 1983

 

3D Crazy Coaster is a rollercoaster game that requires use of the 3D Imager or the Madtronix reproduction.

 

Despite the box art (which depicts a third-person viewpoint) the game takes place in first-person mode and the objective is to rack up a high score by staying on the track for as long as possible. During a turn, the analog stick steers left and right and you can control your speed with the up and down directions. Placing your hands in the air doubles your point total but you must duck under objects (such as birds and ice cream cones!), otherwise you'll fall off the track and lose one of your four lives. Gameplay-wise, it feels like a QTE game where you're a bystander for most of the action and only enter commands when prompted. The core mechanics are simple, yet well thought-out though, and the real challenge lies in multitasking to gain a high score by turning, ducking and holding your hands in the air when possible. The sense of speed is incredible (with the first-person viewpoint enhancing the immersion) and it's thrilling riding down the track at such a blistering pace. It's just a shame that there's only one track in the entire game which is very short and consists of only eight turns; these turns are easily memorised so racking up a cheap high score is trivial if you're patient and avoid the danger of throwing your hands up. Once you reach the end of the track the game loops so there's little in the way of variety to keep you around. Another bugbear is that it takes approximately 14 seconds to get back into the action when you lose a life! The animation when you fall out of the carriage is hilarious though and the screaming SFX when you catch air is very well done. While the 3D effect is good (especially when you turn a corner) there is quite a bit of double vision, and the background graphics are minimal with only a faint line in the distance to signify the skyline.

 

3D Crazy Coaster is a great idea but it feels rushed and the lack of additional tracks makes the experience somewhat shallow. There's some fun to be had from a novelty standpoint but it quickly wears out its welcome and likely won't hold your interest as long as the more substantial 3D Narrow Escape (1983, Vectrex).

 

 

 

Random trivia: The game's programmer was Bill Hawkins who also worked on 3D Mine Storm for the Vectrex (1983).

3D Narrow Escape (Vectrex review)

Developer: GCE

Publisher: GCE

Released: 1983

 

3D Narrow Escape is a third-person space shooter that requires the 3D Imager or the Madtronix reproduction.

 

Piloting a ship your mission is to destroy the enemies' defense forces and defeat the evil warlord. Each level consists of two phases with the first resembling the Trench Run from the first Star Wars movie (1977). The objective is to avoid the walls and shoot six enemies as they approach. It's stunning how good the 3D effect is as you can clearly see into the distance and watch rogue ships as they advance towards the front of the screen. At first it can be tricky to line up your shots but I had more success by aiming slightly above where my brain was telling me! Once you get the hang of this shooting down enemies is tons of fun. Avoiding walls is a slight problem as there's no shadow to help judge the spatial distance between you and the barrier. In theory you can quickly hide behind a wall (which is a great idea) but in practice it's useless as the action darts along too fast for it to be effective. The controls are fantastic though and offer you real precision in your movements. The second phase tasks you with navigating walls with holes in them; in between you can grab cells to fill up your fuel gauge. It requires quick movements and can get very addictive while being a great test of your reactions and nerves! The subtle sound effect once you clear a hole is a nice touch and it's helpful for knowing when to start your next move. Once you've beaten these phases three times you're rewarded by facing a giant boss that fires back. It's a real highlight and I love the scaling effect as it gets closer to you; not only does it look cool it's also quite intimidating upon approach as there's less time to dodge its attacks. Overall, the colour separation provided by the wheels is outstanding but despite the awesome 3D effects there are times when double vision comes into play.

 

3D Narrow Escape is not without its share of issues but it really grows on you the more you play it. It features some excellent shooting action (while simultaneously being an impressive technological feat) and overall I was very impressed with its variety and inspired gameplay.

 

 

 

Random trivia: A fan-made 2D hack is available but it's almost impossible to play the second phase due to the lack of depth perception!