VECTOR 21 (GCE Vectrex)

Take it from someone who knows – when you start out learning to program on a new platform, you try to pick a project that is not overly complex. Making your first project a homebrewed 3D shooter like Quake will have you reaching for aspirin bottles and likely pulling the plug after a few days. Better to stick with either a puzzle game, where moves and such are rigidly predefined, or, better yet, a card game. Vector 21 Case (Vectrex) This also separates the men from the boys when it comes to programming. A lot of projects will start with something like blackjack. No game logic or collision detection, just read inputs and do some math. But the really ambitious ones will reach for something a little more involved for their first project. You will try harder because you want to see this neat idea of yours come to life.

Vector 21 is not George Pelonis’ first project. Not by a long shot. He’s been making games for the Vectrex for a few years now, including I, Cyborg, a game harder than a flash-frozen Christmas fruitcake. I’m not reviewing that one because I haven’t even gotten past the first level yet, so I don’t think I have seen enough to give it a fair review. But Vector 21, I have. It’s easy to pick up, and will quickly suck you in.

This isn’t blackjack, but it uses similar scoring. You have a standard deck of 52 cards. You go through the deck one card at a time. You can put the cards into any one of four stacks at the top of the screen. Make the values equal 21, and the stack is removed from play and you get points. Go over 21, and the stack busts, removing the cards from play and wasting them. You get bonus points if you set up a blackjack (two cards equaling 21), five cards in a stack without busting, and five cards that equal exactly 21. A clock ticks down at the top of the screen, forcing you to think and add quickly.

It doesn’t sound like much, but there’s a subtle appeal to it. It’s almost hypnotic, in fact. Like all the classic casual puzzlers like Swirl on the late and lamented Sega Dreamcast, you’ll find yourself figuring another strategy to make things work. You won’t be able to stop playing as you toy with different ways of scoring. The musical cues for when you score are also very nice. The game doesn’t need fancy graphics. It succeeds by engaging your brain. Vector 21 Cartridge - Vectrex

This is a very nifty puzzler that has me constantly thinking about pulling out my Vectrex again to play it. I definitely recommend this. Pelonis is also nice enough to sign the instruction manual for you if you ask politely (the cart label is black, so signing that is not an option). The carts are individually numbered in the hardware, and come in a little plastic box a smidge bigger than the cart but perfect for practicality.

The game also comes with a 3D visual demo for a game called Star Fury. I have no idea, I don’t have the 3D glasses needed to make it work.

All in all, I give it 8 out of 10