The Vectrex is certainly one of the most unique home gaming systems of all time.
Launched in 1982, it is the only vector display-based console ever released, and came complete with its own built-in screen.
Conceived by Smith Engineering's John Ross in the early '80s as a handheld device, Vectrex would evolve into the tabletop machine we know and love today. General Consumer Electronics handled manufacturing, with Milton Bradley taking over when the company was acquired.
Blessed with a varied selection of titles and unusual accessories such as a light pen and 3D goggles, Vectrex was genuinely different from its rivals – but it sadly arrived at the wrong time. The Video Game Crash of 1983 sank the machine and many others, and the system was discontinued early in 1984.
Owning a Vectrex today is an expensive and time-consuming business, as units require careful maintenance due to their advanced age. Thankfully, you can now experience what it's like to play on one via the wonder of FPGA development.
As reported by Pixel Cherry Ninja, a Vectrex FPGA core is now available for both the MiSTer and Analogue Pocket, which you can download here.