Gamescom is in full swing, and we're keeping our eyes open for every retro product on display. It's been over 4 decades since the Vectrex was released by Smith Engineering & General Consumer Electronics, the very first console that didn't need a TV set because it came with its own monitor. Now, Vectrex are back with a mini version of the original console that looks like it would be perfect for every game room or office.
For those of you who never got to play a Vectrex, it was a pretty innovative and wacky console for the time. It came with translucent displays that you laid over the screens and games that were compatible with lightpens and 3D goggles. I can imagine it all felt pretty futuristic back in the 80s - the first feeling of having a mini arcade cabinet in your home. It had some great games (even though there were only 28 of them), but it never got the popularity it deserved because of the Video Game crash.
🕹️ Come join us in Hall 10 (Retro Area) at Gamescom to play Vectrex, discover our Vectrex Mini prototypes and chat about the ideas we have for the Vectrex #Gamescom2025 #Gamescom #Vectrex pic.twitter.com/MTvxWAsCi2
— Vectrex Official (@VectrexOn) August 20, 2025
The video above gives us a first look at the Vectrex Mini sitting next to a normal Vectrex console. It's still an all-in-one unit, just around 1/3rd of the size of the original monitor. It's unclear as of yet whether this will also come with translucent overlays, but I'm hoping we'll get more details from Vectrex once the event ends. And who knows, if it goes down well, they might go back and make the cancelled handheld they had planned back in the 80s too!
The project will be launching on Kickstarter soon, so keep your eyes peeled for more information!
