The Autopian is nominally a site about cars, but we also cover things like planes, trains, motorcycles, and things that float. We also sometimes cover things tangentially car-related, like car video games!
Jason wrote about Vectrex, “the only home video game console designed to use vector-style graphics as opposed to the far more common raster.” I had no idea a Vectrex was even a thing! Tony Sestito has a story to tell:
Sweet, a Vectrex story! And do I have a Vectrex story for YOU!
I found my Vectrex in a junkyard. Yes, you read that right.
About 17 years ago now, I was perusing the selection of older vehicles at a local yard with a few buddies, and while investigating a blue 1966 Rambler Classic 660, my buddy commented, “Hey, check out this weird little TV!” My eyes bugged out of my head!
After I explained what it was and marveled at the overall condition of the unit, he handed it to me and said that it was mine. I brought it to the counter, and they said I could have it for free, otherwise they would have to pay someone to recycle it. Unreal!
I still have it, and it still works. Although I haven’t picked up a copy of Pole Position for it (it’s one of the more expensive games), I do have a copy of Hyper Chase, which is nearly as good. It’s more like Sega’s Turbo arcade game or Enduro on the 2600 than Pole Position, though. Don’t forget the overlays!
Also, they ported a few non-Vector games to this thing. Another good example is Konami’s Scramble. They did a pretty great job with that one as well.
Pneumatic Tool also dredges up fun memories:
Honestly never saw one in the flesh, but I would have totally fawned over it if I had. Many of my favorite arcade games in my youth were vector-based – Lunar lander, Tempest, Asteroids (and deluxe), the OG Space War, Star Wars, Battlezone, and my all time favorite, Star Trek. If your arcade had the sit-down version of Trek, you were living. Here’s an incredibly geeky confession – my local haunt had it, and I’d go in and play it while listening to “the wrath of Khan” soundtrack on my walkman. I can admit to this because I know I’m among friends.
Matt wrote a Morning Dump that included how CarMax’s pivot to online sales hasn’t gone very well. 10001010:
I guess CarMax never recovered from selling that warranty on Doug’s Range Rover.
Matt wrote about the greatest racing video on YouTube. Ottomottopean the old Internet:
I miss the weird internet. I have never seen this video and it is amazing in its purity.
I remember the weird internet Herb Zipper, when we found out who Ze Frank was because of the viral, flash animated wedding invitation that got shared, super fly, the awesome hoaxes that had so much effort put into them; anyone remember man beef dot com? It’s not what you think and it was so great. So much effort put into a fake site about cannibalism. Why? Because.
There was a time people put things out there to be creative and it wasn’t about monetizing everything. Sure, a lot of it was to get noticed and maybe get a job out of it but it wasn’t about generating ad revenue or anything. There was an authenticity and purity to it that today’s internet just lacks. I think it generally started fading around the time of MySpace and was really lost when FB came along.
Man what weird times. Thanks for the memories!
Have a great evening, everyone!
Ottomottopean took me back to the days of Geocities and animated “Under Construction” GIF’s never seemed to get completed.
Oh, you’ve been to the site I created in middle school? 😉
Woowooooo!
My sweet baby Jesus, one of my pratterings placed on COTD. My soul rests easy from this day forward.
Honored to end up with a Comment of the Day consideration!
And yes, as far fetched as the whole scenario sounds, it’s true. I have no idea why a fully intact and working Vectrex was sitting on the back seat of a 1966 Rambler Classic 660, but when the Car Gods offer you a free Vectrex, you take it!
And speaking of Star Trek… They did make a Star Trek: The Motion Picture game for the Vectrex. Unfortunately, it is NOT a port of the excellent Sega Color Vector game Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator, and it really has zero to do with that first movie. It’s more of a 1st person space shooter, kind of like the old Atari arcade game Starship 1, but with actual levels instead of a timer. It’s not bad, but it’s not as good as the arcade game.
Funspot’s American Classic Arcade Museum in Laconia NH does have a Star Trek: SOS sit-down “captain’s chair” cab, but it was not operational as of last Fall when I was there last. Those old color vector games are hard to keep running.
I have played but never owned a Vectrex.
I did play a lot of Star Wars at the local roller rink and a lot of Asteroids everywhere else.
Tempest, was great.
I got so i could basically play forever without thinking. If you actually thought about it you would lose.
Vectrix came and went before I got a chance to buy one. I love vector CRT displays. So beautiful.
“ If your arcade had the sit-down version of Trek, you were living.”
To Pneumatic Tool (or anyone else interested); if you ever find yourself in the Ogden UT area there is a good vintage arcade called Flynn’s Retrocade with a fully functional sit-down Star Trek right next to a sit-down Star Wars. It’s a pay by the hour or day pass arcade and no quarters (except pinball machines) so you can play till your impending carpal tunnel says otherwise.
(checks flight fares to Salt Lake)
Alameda, CA has an 80’s focused arcade:
https://www.highscoresarcade.com/home.html
But alas, no Star Trek on their list of games.
They have Tempest though, a personal fave.
For folks more into pinball, on the other end of town:
https://www.pacificpinball.org/
And for one wonderful weekend in July down in Santa Clara, CA:
https://caextreme.org/
When I’ve gone to this event, it fills up a couple of the very large exhibit hall areas with games and the noise when you walk in is a glorious cacophony.
There is a place in Vegas (pinball hall of fame) that has relocated several times, but has now seemingly settled in on LV boulevard adjacent to the airport. Their collection is skewed towards pinball (obviously) but they have an impressive colleciton of other arcade games as well. I’ve had a great time there previously, but I noticed when I was out there in late january that there were significantly more games out of order than previous. That’s the last place where I played the sit down version of Trek…I cried a little when I saw the “out of order” sign on it this time
My brother has been to that place! He goes to Las Vegas fairly often for trade conferences as part of his work. Hope to get these some day myself.