There's a retro games console coming that even I didn't expect

The early 80s was a very interesting time for gaming. Arcades were sprouting up everywhere, affordable home computers were emerging, and Atari was seemingly dominating the game console market with its VCS / 2600.

It was such a boom time for video games that we had some particularly unusual releases too, often from big name companies better known for other types of products.

One of these was the Vectrex – a home console that came with its own monochrome display, wired-in joypad and overlays that changed the colours on the screen, depending on the game.

It failed, of course, but has been fondly remembered by retro gaming fans ever since – even if they've never got to play on an original machine.

That's where the Vectrex Mini can come into its own.

Soon to start a Kickstarter funding phase, the retro console reissue was first announced during the recent Gamescom and reimagines the original Vectrex, but with a few key differences.

For starters, it'll be about half the size – it'd hardly be "Mini" otherwise – but still retain the form factor of the original. It'll also swap the CRT monitor the Vectrex was built around for a 5-inch AMOLED display.

The previous wired game controller will be wireless this time, while the Vectrex Mini will also support HDMI out to connect it to a larger screen, plus a microSD card slot to add your own extra games.

It's been revealed elsewhere (on 80s Nostalgia and Retrododo) that the unit will come with 12 pre-installed games, with the coloured overlays for each, although you'll have to come up with your own solution for added games – maybe using Quality Street wrappers, or something.

The creator of the new version has revealed on X that the Kickstarter phase will start on 3 November, so you've got plenty of time to research the original in the meantime. Thankfully, this new model will be considerably cheaper than working Vectrex units go for today.

You can expect to pay over £800 for a fully functioning 1982/83 model on auction sites, like eBay, but the Vectrex Mini will be a lot less – from €149 (£128 / $175) during the funding period, it's claimed.

It'll also be available in white for the first time, as well as the black / grey of the original.