| Vectorman | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | BlueSky Software |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | Rich Karpp Mark Lorenzen |
| Released |  October 24, 1995 November 30, 1995 |
| Genre | Action/platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Ratings | ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A) |
| Platform(s) | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Gamecube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Mobile Phone, Virtual Console |
| Media | Cartridge |
Vectorman is a platform game developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was released on October 24 1995 in North America [1] and on November 30, 1995 in Europe. The game is also a part of the Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. It was released on the Wii Virtual Console on February 27, 2007 in Japan and April 5, 2007 in Europe, and is scheduled for release on the North American Virtual Console later this year.
Contents |
Story
In 2049, the human population of Earth embarks on a migratory voyage to try and colonize other planets. They leave mechanical "orbots" to clean up the mess they made on Earth through littering and pollution. Raster, a high-level orbot who watches Earth through a planetwide computer network, is accidentally attached to a working nuclear missile by a lesser orbot and goes insane, becoming an evil dictator named Warhead. He declares himself ruler of Earth, and begins preparing to execute any humans who dare return to their planet. Enter Vectorman, a humble orbot in charge of cleaning up toxic sludge by simply discharging it into the sun. As he lands on Earth after his last trip, he finds chaos and confusion. Because all the other Orbots are controlled by Warhead (Vectorman having not been affected because he was away), Vectorman takes it upon himself to destroy the errant orbot and restore peace to Earth.
Graphics and Gameplay
Vectorman uses pre-rendered 3D models in its level and character designs. This gives the game a smooth, computer-generated feel. The original name of the villain, Warhead, was Raster—as in raster graphics, the opposite of vector graphics. Vectorman was considered the answer to Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country at the time, as they both used graphical tricks to look beyond what the console could do. The game itself is a straightforward 2D action platformer. Vectorman is an orbot (something like a robot) powered with a ball gun in his hand; powerups include a machine gun, "bolo" gun, and triple-fire guns. Vectorman possesses the ability to transform, through the use of powerups, into several different forms: including a drill, to cut through floors; a bomb, to destroy all surrounding enemies or breakable walls; and an aquatic form, useful for swimming underwater. In addition to powerup transformations, 3 levels host unique morphed forms with which to combat bosses in. Overall, the game consists of 16 levels.
Sequels
Vectorman 2 was produced for the Genesis, and released in 1996. Although Blue Sky Software, the original developer of both Vectorman games closed in 2001, a Vectorman game for the PlayStation 2 was announced in 2003, but was soon cancelled.[2] Initial reports criticized the game heavily for deviating from the Genesis titles by turning the game into a first-person shooter similar to Halo or Red Faction. It is believed this criticism was responsible for the game's cancellation. Such a change would have also been suspiciously similar to the (at the time) recently released Metroid Prime, which also turned a 2D side-scroller to a first-person shooter, which may have also caused the cancellation, as Sega didn't want the game to seem like a knockoff of Prime's success. Sonic Gems Collection has both Vectorman and its sequel as unlockable games. Vectorman can be unlocked by playing the compilation for at least 5 hours or by having a save file of Sonic Heroes or Sonic Mega Collection on the memory card. Sega Genesis Collection (Sega Mega Drive Collection in Europe) also features Vectorman and its sequel, this time as games available from the beginning.
References
- ^ Sega begins 24-hour countdown to "Vectormania"
- ^ Dunham, Jeremy (2003). Sega Rumor Clarification. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.
