A Kickstarter campaign just launched and was immediately funded for a “mini” version of the Vectrex that’s about 50% the size of the original. It’s a software emulation-based device, featuring a 5″ AMOLED display, 12 built-in games with overlays and a Bluetooth controller. It also includes an SD card slot that allows you to load your own games, which is a great feature, as there’s some fun Vectrex homebrew. The price is about $175 for the standard black model and about $100 more for a limited edition white version. You can also get just the bluetooth controller, with an adapter that allows you to connect it to the original Vectrex for $85. It’s due to ship in about a year – September 2026. Check out the video above, as well as the campaign itself for all the details:
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1852390947/vectrex-mini
There’s a few things to note about this. First, that’s not a typo…these won’t ship for a year. I love that the team is presenting a realistic timeframe that’s reasonable to achieve even with some bumps in the road, but these days it’s totally understandable that people wouldn’t want to wait a year to get what they paid for. The campaign is already fully-funded, so there’s clearly enough people who’ll take the risk, but it’s my job to remind you all Kickstarters are a risk.
Also, the 12 built-in games each have their own physical overlay that comes with it. I think software overlays are fine, but it’s really cool that this aims to recreate the experience of the original as closely as possible. I mean, you can never truly replicate the look of a vector display, but at least the full experience is there.
And lastly, my favorite feature of the Vectrex Mini: The Geek Clock. I think the team themselves said it best:
“We know how mini consoles often end up: you play for a while, then they become display pieces, gathering dust. So we came up with an idea: the Vectrex Mini doubles as the ultimate geek clock. Place it on your desk or bedside table, and it will display the time, date, weather, and even an alarm. A functional tribute to gaming history that becomes part of your daily life.“
I’ll be honest, if it were cheaper, I’d consider getting one just as a clock – That seems like SUCH a fun idea!
