14 replies to this topic

[ls650]

I made a comment in my status line about choosing between a Vectrex or an Intellivision for a new system to collect, and I had 16 follow-up comments (see below).


ls650

Vectrex vs. Intellivision? Hmmm... Yesterday, 7:52 AM · Delete · Unlock · Lock
Show all 16 comments

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    Bryan
    FIGHT!!
    Yesterday, 8:00 AM · Delete
    
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    Crazy Climber
    Both good for 20 minutes or so, then I get bored and need something with a little more depth...I guess INTV wins slightly
    Yesterday, 8:08 AM · Delete
    
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    jaybird3rd
    The Vectrex is an interesting system (I'd love to have one someday), but I'd have to go with the Inty. There are a lot more games, it's cheaper and easier to obtain, and it uses a standard TV, so there's no maintenance issues as there might be with the Vectrex's built-in (and very unusual) monitor.
    Yesterday, 8:11 AM · Delete
    
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    Havok69
    Love my Vectrex. Vector monitors rule!
    Yesterday, 8:17 AM · Delete
    
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    Ransom
    I own both, and while the Vectrex is decidedly cooler, I'd have to go with the Inty if I had to choose between them. There are a lot more "must have" games for it.
    Yesterday, 8:49 AM · Delete
    
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    save2600
    I too love the Vec, but for day to day gaming, Intellivision would win hands down for me.
    Yesterday, 8:54 AM · Delete
    
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    Thorsten Günther
    I did never like the Intellivision (was it really "better" than the 2600? It fer sure was way worse than the 400/800), but I love my Vectrexes - they ooze originality and the games still rule - such fluent gameplay, and "Look Momma, no pixels!"
    Yesterday, 9:33 AM · Delete
    
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    toptenmaterial
    INTV is great, minus the controller. What I really love about the INTV is the sound. It's out there!
    Yesterday, 10:06 AM · Delete
    
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    jaybird3rd
    This is a slight aside, but I'd love to see a modern "replica" of the Vectrex which can display antialiased "vectors" using modern LCD televisions and monitors. With the high resolutions available today, it should be possible to come very close to the quality of a native vector display.
    Yesterday, 10:25 AM · Delete
    
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    Zedex
    Vectrex.
    Yesterday, 11:55 AM · Delete
    
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    pixelated
    Vectrex!
    Yesterday, 12:06 PM · Delete
    
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    Lord Helmet
    Vectrex. The controller is better.
    Yesterday, 12:25 PM · Delete
    
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    bomberpunk
    +1 for Vectrex
    Yesterday, 4:08 PM · Delete
    
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    bomberpunk
    wow my previous post submitted like ten times. had to go back and delete.
    Yesterday, 4:09 PM · Delete
    
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    JacobZu7zu7
    Okay Intellivision, more games, more features and original titles not found anywhere. Thunder Castle, Dungeons Dragons etc.
    Yesterday, 4:11 PM · Delete
    
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    ls650
    I found a local nice Intellivision with 9 commons for $60.... but an AAer offered me a Vectrex for $70 + shipping. Hmmm, tough choice...
    Today, 5:50 AM · Delete

[ls650]

I had so many follow-up comments that I thought it would make a good thread topic.
I have some pretty decent collections of various Atari platforms, so I'm thinking of picking up something a litle different. Two systems that appeal to me are the Vectrex and the Intellivision. Both have pros and cons. I strongly prefer arcade shoot-ups and puzzle solving games to other formats. I can't stand (most) team sports games like football or baseball - they bore me to tears.

Vectrex pros:
+ Very unusual and uncommon system. Highly interesting to video game afficiionados, unknown to average people.
+ Some really great arcade conversions.
+ Excellent and plentiful homebrew scene.
+ Programmable multicart is about $70 - $80

Intellivision pros:
+ More common and easier to collect.
+ Has some titles not available anywhere else.
+ While the selection of arcade games is not as good as the Vectrex, there are some real gems
+ Easier to find parts and get repairs; works with most TVs.

Vectrex cons:
- hard to find parts, hard to get repairs

Intellivision cons:
- programmable multicart is a whopping $150 plus shipping!
- the library has a lot of sports games I'm not interested in at all

Edited by ls650, Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:33 AM.

[Ransom]

Get 'em both.

[Ransom]

More seriously, I'd consider the following:

An additional pro for the Vectrex is that you don't have to worry about how it'll look on your TV.

And looking at the games, I'd say if you're into shooters the Vectrex is the way to go. Most of the original releases were shooters (at least, the ones you don't need an expensive 3D or light pen add-on for).

[desiv]

Wow.. I'm a bit surprised there's this much discussion.. (IMHO)...

I mean, I enjoy the inty.. Played it a lot at my neighbors house growing up.
Played it since.. It's fun...

But it's not in the same league (Again, IMHO) to the Vec.....

Yes, there are more games for the Inty, but the Vec is just incredible...

Also, the homebrew community on the Vec is astounding.....

For me, the Inty was a system like some of the others I've had and traded.
it was fun.. But I found that after a bit, I just wasn't playing it much.. Not that it didn't have great games, but with the 7800 and O2 and other systems I had, there just wasn't enough (for me) to have me choose it over the others..
(To be fair, the O2 I played more because it's the system I owned growing up..)

But I play the Vec a LOT... mostly for quick 10-20 minute sessions here and there. But a LOT of them....

It easily gets more use that any of my retro systems, except for some of my computers when I get a new addon for them.

desiv

[JamesD]

Intellivision has some fun games but I vote Vectrex.

[thegoldenband]

I love them both, but I'd have to go with the Intellivision. The Vectrex is better for arcade-style gaming and has a great controller, and it's a beautiful system -- check out the recent Vector Pilot release. But it doesn't have anything that can even vaguely compete with AD&D: Cloudy Mountain, Tower of Doom, Utopia, or any of the other titles that emphasize strategy over twitch reflexes. And monochrome vector graphics, lovely though they are, can only do so much in the end.

Either way, they're both terrific systems with strong personalities that are best experienced on original hardware, ideally with all the extras (overlays). And of course if you saw a loose Vectrex and a loose Intellivision at a comparable price, that'd be a no-brainer -- get the Vectrex! Intellivisions are really quite common and inexpensive, while Vectrexes are anything but cheap.

[ls650]

I am finding that financially I am likely to go with the Inty. Although most sellers on Ebay won't sell to Canada, a few will. The going rate for a working system with a few commons seems to be $50 plus shipping, etc.
On the other hand a Vectrex seems to be at least $150 + shipping. One AAer wrote me about two weeks ago to offer me a Vectrex console for $70, but he seems to have changed his mind.

[ls650]

Update: I decided to go with Intellivision. Although the Vectrex was very appealing, the cost has grown prohibitive. I bid up to $100 plus shipping on several auctions, and lost them all by a wide margin. Some of them closed at $180+, not including shipping (which from Canada to the US is maybe $40-$50). Some of those did not include any extra commons, just the built-in Minestorm and one controller.

Here is an Intellivision I got with 18 commons, some manuals and overlays, all in great shape, for $35 plus shipping.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

ls650, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 2:26 PM, said:

Update: I decided to go with Intellivision. Although the Vectrex was very appealing, the cost has grown prohibitive. I bid up to $100 plus shipping on several auctions, and lost them all by a wide margin. Some of them closed at $180+, not including shipping (which from Canada to the US is maybe $40-$50). Some of those did not include any extra commons, just the built-in Minestorm and one controller.

Here is an Intellivision I got with 18 commons, some manuals and overlays, all in great shape, for $35 plus shipping.
My_Inty.jpg

Nice, congrats!

[Ransom]

Awesome! It looks like you made a good choice.

It took me a long, long time to get to the Vectrex. It was so much easier and more fun to buy systems like the Intellivision that had loads of new-to-me games that were easily available and cheap. It was only once I had pretty good collections for a lot of other systems that I finally turned to the Vectrex. And even then, I was only able to buy one because a nice AAer sold me his spare one for a good price.

I predict you'll have lots of fun with your new Intellivision.

[save2600]

Nice score! Some of the games exhibit some really great depth, just be sure you stick with it long enough and don't let the controllers disuade you from fully enjoying the system.

[jaybird3rd]

Congratulations! Looks like you got a good "starter set" of games with it, too. When the time comes to begin expanding your collection, I'd recommend looking over the "Top 10" and "Top 25" threads for ideas; most of the Intellivision "classics" are pretty well represented in those lists. Or, if you have enough room in your budget for it, go for a Cuttle Cart 3 while you still can, and you can try them all!

One other thing ... don't try to use the Intellivision hand controller as you would use a gamepad.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

jaybird3rd, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 4:48 PM, said:

One other thing ... don't try to use the Intellivision hand controller as you would use a gamepad.

Hmmm, good points!

[Megaman Legends]

the vectrex may be more expensive but its worth it!