Mini Vectrex: Watch a Rare Restored Prototype in Action

The Vectrex was one of the many consoles that sought a slice of the pie in the early 1980s, but unlike its direct rivals, it used vector-based graphics, technology available only in larger arcade machines. Its manufacturers and distributors didn't survive the crisis of 1983, yet there are still important things to explore, including a rare Mini Vectrex prototype. Much of the Vectrex community believed it was just a mockup, but the National Videogame Museum found one and managed to make it work.

Reports of a miniature version of the Vectrex console are scattered across the web, but the first ones date back to 2011. A certain Robert Van den Heuvel said he had visited the Vectrex factory as a child and had seen a variant of the console “as big as a shoebox” on the desk of the company's president. Over time, several photos emerged that seemed to confirm the prototype's existence, though no one could say for sure whether it was a real Mini Vectrex or the mold of an idea that never materialized. Finally, the Mini Vectrex came into the hands of the National Videogame Museum in Texas, and they shared additional details on Twitter:

Apparently, the console didn't work when it arrived at the museum, but its technicians discovered that the electronics inside are extremely similar to those of the original model, with some changes in the placement of components to fit the smaller chassis. The handle on top suggests a much more portable profile than its older sister (let's not forget that the Vectrex uses a 9-inch CRT tube in a vertical orientation), but the images shared by the museum in recent days reveal that the Mini Vectrex has greater depth. Another important difference is in the size of the controls.

Now the question is: Are there more prototypes, or is this a unique case? The logos on the Mini Vectrex indicate that its manufacture is later than the acquisition of General Consumer Electronics by Milton Bradley, confirmed after a series of good initial sales (despite the price of $199, almost $500 adjusted for inflation) and a solid showing at CES 1983. Of course, all the enthusiasm came to nothing when the market collapsed, but we have no reason to think that only one prototype existed...

If you want to see more about strange consoles, don't forget that Atari and Sony also had their fair share...

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