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!