Vectrex

Vectrex? Yes, the name is both confounding and mesmerising. It sounds like some sort of cross between Electronics, Geography, and Chemical Warfare coloured with Prog Rock. And it is all these things & more: Vectrex was an early 80s video game console that was manufactured using surplus military electronics, was the first vector-based system (similar to an Oscilloscope), and could bust out glitch-metal anthems at the drop of a hat. Amped with an unencumbered 1.5 MHz of processing power, and smashing the gameplay with a whole 1 KB of RAM, this baby was born out of the rapid development of video game systems prior to the market meltdown of 1984. The system (created by John Ross) was the ultimate in technology: new Vectrex games came with a plastic sheet; inscribed with coloured designs to affix to your monitor. It also had a Laser Pen and 3D Imager glasses that featured colours on a disc that spun past your eyes while playing the game; developed by the unstoppable John Ross nearly a decade before any other 3D system. Alas, these innovations were not enough to save the system from widespread disdain by the masses. Following a 9-month shelf life, and the introduction of the Atari 5200 was the unfortunate death of the Vectrex. Thankfully, though, during the 90s the entire system, games, and components were released into the Public Domain.