Follow this link for info about the review system. 1 = Terrible, 5 = Awesome!

One of the very best games for the Intellivision. Would have been neat to see as a true arcade release.

Graphics: 5 Sound: 5 Replay Value: 4 Notes: 1- or 2-player game; Easter Egg Screen Shots

Vectron is one strange game -and I love it! The pulsing electric spark humming across the screen is probably the coolest score screen for any Intellivision game. (Tron Solar Sailer is much like it.) The font is cool, and the bad guys are pretty interesting - and beautiful. Visually, the graphics are colorful and use pleasing schemes. The sound effects for the score screen and finished energy base are great. In fact, I love all the sound effects. This is just a cool game, period! I'm not sure if I ever got to see the Prizums - this game gets tough! It's a strikingly original game, too. It was unfortunate that there was only one game in the Arcade Network - the burgundy box color is quite appealing.

A total of six Vectron box variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0910	1982	U.S.A.	Trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0910	1982	Hong Kong	Gatefold with tray; reported by BSRSteve
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0910	1982		Trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; origin: Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, or U.S.A. as designated
	Mattel Electronics	5788	1982	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; trayless socket; no specific part number visible; no info on top or bottom flaps of box - instead, it's inside the box; the socket for the cartridge is offset to the bottom portion of the interior rather than centered, and is different from the 'trayless pocket'
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0318	1982	Hong Kong	International Edition; plastic tray specific part number on tab on top and bottom flap; French copyright info on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; English, German, Italian, Spanish and French text on back of box
	Intellivision Inc.	5788	1982	Singapore	Standard Intellivision, Inc. box

Shortly before the big crash, the European market releases of the Mattel games turned to an interesting box design. I first found out about this version from M. Luenzer's site - a great place to see the European releases. This site is in German. You will also find the box for the International Demo there, as well as a few interesting documents. Special thanks to M. Luenzer for the scans of the International box for Vectron.

This is what the back of the International release of Vectron looks like. It's translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, and English.

Back of International Box

In addition to the International release, the localized French-Canadian version of Vectron also used a different type of box. The box opens like a book, but has both French and English warranty and manufacturing information in it. Also, the cartridge does not sit in a tray, and is pushed off-center, toward the bottom of the box. The French version of BurgerTime also uses this type of box, and I suspect that the French version of Buzz Bombers does as well. If you know of any other games using this style of box, please let me know! Below is a scan of what this box looks like.

Interior of French-Canadian Box

A total of five Vectron manual variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0920	1982	U.S.A.
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0920	1982	Hong Kong	Reported by BSRSteve via the1hatman
	Mattel Electronics	5788-8920	1982	Canada	French-Canadian; dual-language version on non-glossy paper; uses different numbering scheme from other dual-language manuals
	Mattel Electronics	5788-0018	1982	Hong Kong	International Edition; English, German, Italian, Spanish and French; image courtesy of kiloklavier via an eBay auction
	Intellivision Inc.	5788-0920	None	U.S.A.	Stapled along top edge

A total of two Vectron overlay variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	5788-4289	1982	U.S.A.
	Intellivision Productions	N/A	2014	U.S.A.	Part of the Supplemental Overlay Pack for Intellivision Flashback

A total of five Vectron label variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	1981	U.S.A.	Origin lower left; © M.I. 1981; ™ upper right
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	1981	Hong Kong	Origin lower left; © M.I. 1981; ™ upper right
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	1981	Singapore	Origin lower left; © M.I. 1981; ™ upper right
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	1981	Korea	Origin lower left; © M.I. 1981; ™ upper right; reported by BSRSteve via the1hatman
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	1982	Singapore	Origin lower right; © I.I. 1982 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners; © 1982 Disney upper left

	One of the coolest Intellivision title screens. Honestly.
	Colorful graphics and, over the course of the game, great sound effects. Vaguely Tempest-like, Vectron is tough on the thumbs, but, to me at least, quite addicting.

Vectron Easter Egg

Credit: Joe Zbiciak's post to the intvprog group on Yahoo on 25. March, 2001

The Vectron Easter Egg is incredibly difficult...

1. For # of players at start of game, press 9. This will start a one-player game.
2. End the first 7 levels with your "Energy Block" in the position indicated below. Positions are counted from left to right, with the leftmost being 0, and the rightmost being 8.
   1. Level 1: 0
   2. Level 2: 5
   3. Level 3: 1
   4. Level 4: 5
   5. Level 5: 5
   6. Level 6: 8
   7. Level 7: 7

At the game summary screen (where it shows you how you did), it waits for you to press a key to continue. Press the number on the keypad that corresponds to the same sequence above. That is, after Level 1, press 0. After Level 2, press 5, etc. If you complete this long, crazy sequence, Mark Urbaniec should tell you to watch your aim.

Credit: Michael J. Hayes has actually done this! The following is from Joe's post to the Yahoo intvprog group - including the screen shot of the Easter Egg:

From: Not Your Average Joe <im14u2c@p...>
Date: Tue Mar 27, 2001 3:24 am
Subject: Re: [intvprog] MARK URBANIEC SEZ WATCH YOUR AIM (Vectron Easter Egg)

All,

All bow down to Michael J. Hayes, who is infinitely cooler than I am at Vectron. He has successfully executed the sequence below. I managed to snag a screen-shot from his save-game state. I've attached it to this email. Whoo hoo!!!

Needless to say, I think we've cracked this Easter Egg code!

BTW, the blurble that covers the last letter in "AIM" is a "twinkle" that follows the letters as they're printed.

Regards,

--Joe

If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please send a message!