Vectorman (Genesis)

Today we take a look at my childhood game that full of spheres and seizure-inducing flashes. It's none other than: BlueSky Software's Vectorman (1995).

I have no clue about the idea behind this title screen's design. All of the background element are moving or changing color and it may cause eye strain or vertigo on some people. Rotating flashing circle. Constant color shift on every part of the background. The visual design on it, doesn't make sense. The rulers. The shape of Sweden/Denmark's flag that constantly changing color. The crazy checkerboard patterns. The generic scrolling landscape that you often see at racing game of 90s or Space Harrier. I like the pre-rendered logo that replace "O" letter on title though. There's some Techno music that sounds like knockoff of Yūzō Koshiro's composition but it sounds good enough. If you owned Sega Megadrive/Genesis, you should probably know about Vectorman. If you don't (or maybe you're one of hardcore Nintendo fans), i will gladly introduce you to the hero that seems mad of lots robotic spheres. But let's take a look at the options first.  

 

The cursor is constant stream of green balls that may obstruct the text so get used to it in this option menu. For some reason there's no sound and music volume setting. There's 3 difficulty setting: Lame, Wicked, and Insane. I take it that it goes harder from left to right. The term "wicked" may be familiar to you. But for me who isn't native speaker of English, it's very foreign term. I assume "wicked" refers to medium difficulty. Let's see what "Information" is all about.     

 

It contains explanation about pick up in the game. There's transformation icon that when picked up, it will transform Vectorman into various shape like bomb, drill, or rocket. Usually, this transformation only allow him to gain access to secret area in the stage. Nothing too fancy or urgent about it. There's also weapon power up that mostly not look different from the initial weapon but possess special property. For example: the rapid shoot can bounce on walls and ceilings while the multi-way shoot can goes through wall.  Then there's multiplier pick up that can multiple the effect of health pickup or 1up.

 

The story takes time in 2049 where we humans don't care about toxic pollution until it's too late. Instead taking responsibility ourselves, we evacuate to the stars and let orbots do the cleaning. We're irresponsible jerks just like that.

 

Humans get new big problem. When nuclear bomb is connected to circuit that belong to Raster, the overseer of the orbot. Raster now become Warhead and by his command, orbots prepares the death trap for the humans when they return. I feel bad for orbots because they have another big job to do besides cleaning the earth from toxic sludge. I hope they are capable of double tasking well.  

 

But there's hope for humanity. It's none other than your beloved Vectorman himself. He just doing his toxic dumping routine (i hope sun won't get polluted after thousands of that) and that changes because of Warhead's evil scheme. From humble pilot barge to hero. Vectorman sets out to defeat WarHead and his cronies! I just notice that orbot is robot that made of lots of orbs like our hero Vectorman here.

Day 1 Terraport

 

Fortunately for him, Vectorman has ability to shoot photon sparks out of his hand even though he was just mere dump barge pilot. Maybe it's meant for emergency welding but it's fairly effective weapon. Even so this fellow barge pilot really can takes lots of hit. Sometime he's flinched when shot and sometimes not and later retaliate with (slow moving) fireball of his. So you're forced to use the usual routine of "Crouch and shoot whenever you encounter enemies". Kind of letdown in gameplay aspect, i admit that. You will see lots of spinning photons (like in right corner) that you can pick for minor score collection. They are like coins in Super Mario Bros, rings in Sonic games, or stamps in Desert Demolition. But there's no indication of getting 1Up when you pick 100 of them. Quite weird.   

 

The 1st level is no walk in a park even with medium difficulty. But there's practice section. Well, the novelty ones at the very start of the game before the title, the Sega symbol screen. It's not proper tutorial stage like in Cuphead but back then this is all i got. Vectorman can't aim diagonally when standing still. When i write about Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts i said that i can't come up another game with Protagonist that can do double jump from get go. But i forgot about Vectorman even though that he comes out in my life, way before Arthur! Vectorman's double jump has more logical approach as he does that by activating jet booster on his feet. Not only that, but also the jet thrust can be utilized to damage enemies provided you can aim the double jump well. There's hidden power up container above which contain screen clearing bomb that produces various flashes that my cause epilepsy so i refrain using it in the end of practice session.    

 

Encounter enemy in sloped angle? No problem. Vectorman's crouching shoot follows the slope where he crouches. I don't think i saw other 2D Platform shooter that do this. Or i probably wrong again.    

 

The power up is stored within these TVs. So you could say this is the real "Smash TV"?  

 

That TV held drill transformation power up. While being any of the other form, Vectorman is invincible but he no longer able to shoot the sparky stuff and jump. This drill form allow you to destroy certain floor like that one on my right.

 

This bomb form (that may predates the one in Cuphead)  destroy cracked wall and enemies as well within a screen. Again, the main purpose of transformation is to gain access to secret part of the level that can't be discovered in normal way. You may be tempted to use the bomb form to clear the screen from the enemies, but you will miss secret area if you do that.

 

At the bottom of chasm of blind jump, there's the first boss: a sludge barge that sways left and right while occasionally dropping bomb. The plane is harmless to touch but you have to be careful with that rock on each end of wings. The weakpoint is its cargo door when dropping the bombs. My advice is pretty simple: running while shooting diagonally and jump over the rock.

Day 2 Metalhead  

 

Next level is the alternative section. Vectorman is train now. With that, he can saves money for bus fare to workplace everyday. Good for him. Anyway in this level, Vectorman fights against Metalhead who keep doing monkey bar routine on my railroad and that's all he can. But there's flying orbs on the left or right side that firing fireball at me. Vectorman can dodge the fireballs and the hands by jumping. You may wonder why (Vectorman) train can jump. Well, the MS-1 tank in Metal Slug games can jump, why robot train can't?    

 

Shoot Metalhead's hands while occasionally shoot the orb (by holding left or right and pressing shoot button). That's all i can say for this boss fight. Sometime the perspective change to left and right. I kind of like the view here. Medic_positivevocalization02.wav

Day 3 Tidal Surge

 

This level's half bottom is water and thankfully Vectorman is made of water-resistant technology so he's fine underwater. That makes him in top percentile among platform protagonists. He's better than any platformer heroes who die when fall into water, is what i like to say. Look at that pontoon which houses the wobbly turret! It's adorable. Vectorman can slightly reduce his falling speed by shooting downward like this. Useful when you want to navigate the blind jump better. Usually there's enemies awaits him on it but never be bottomless pit.  

 

The hanging televisions not only contain power up but also Vectorman symbol with blue rims which is check point icon. Touch it and you will respawn at the same place where it is. Pretty peculiar checkpoint system but that's how it is. There's the one with red rims which is timer up item.

 

I picked up a swimming transformation item which enables me to swim in the middle of water while ramming into naval mines harmlessly. Demoman_taunts06.wav

 

Here's the one shoot moment of said flashing screen clearing bomb. It's more dangerous to look at when in motion. It's less useful that it sounds because it's replace your usual spark shoot and you can only use it one time only. If you want to break a hanging TV but you still carried the flashing bomb, well tough luck. But i don't think i ever meet condition where enemies surround me  very bad. They come in reasonable number at a time. By the way, this level consists of water and high platforms which reminds me of Stage 2 of that Angry Video Game Nerd game.

Day 5 Arctic Ridge

 

I decide to not show you the game  level by level. I will show you some more and the final level in the end. In this ice level there's waterfall which looks nice. Then i remember there's also waterfall foreground in Sonic 3. Sega Genesis really like to prove that it can do what Nintendon't, huh?

 

This enemy is blocking the only way to exit and refuse to move. He's invincible to the shoot in the face. So i have to shoot his shovel first until destroyed. Then he begin move toward me and you can lure him to move out from the passage and go for it i have to shoot his backside. Then his head explodes and now i can destroy him completely like usual.

 

There's secret passage that lead me to this shield generator that protect satellite dish above. Once it's destroyed, you can proceed to blast out the parabolic thing to gain access to bonus level!     

 

I hope you don't get too excited about the bonus stage because it's quite lame. You control green orb on the center. You can shoot projectile in cardinal direction by pressing d-pad on corresponded direction. There's Warhead's head on one of four direction that shoot projectile that you can destroy by your own projectile and there's orbiting rock that slowly come toward you. Survive from those hazard until the timer runs out and that's how you win. But there's not reward on winning the bonus stage except for bigger score up than when i get it from losing. It's not worthy to play the bonus stage in my opinion.

Day 7 Rock 'N' Roller  

 

This one is another unique boss section. Vectorman crawls on bamboo curtain that slowly descend into instant death pit. This time his adversary is pair of stone fist that more than happy to drop on him. There's maze that Vectorman must negotiate while fighting the fists. To make things harder for him, there's also arrow mark on curtain that will either make the curtain move slower or faster. I say that this one is less interesting than Day 2. Also more difficult.

Day 16 Twist and Shout

 

Here's the final level. You starts at the bottom of the whirlwind and you're slowly sucked to the top while beach chair and 14" tube TV come at me. Moreover they can't be destroyed by my futuristic spark even though up to this point i destroy as many TV as Panasonic can manufacture a day! They can only be knocked back with my shot but that's only give me breather by not much. Once you get to the top you will meet Warhead flies above the center and there's 4 roofs that you need to get into. If you fall into tornado, you will bounce really high so you can get into the roof again and that's it. No health penalty if you lose the footing. But you will be more vulnerable to Warhead's attack. As the roofs rotate in counter clockwise motion, you will most likely safe if you station in the right while constantly jumping. Warhead move around left and right most of the time and you can get hit by his hands. Sometime he shoot small fireball to throw you off guard. His weakness is in his head and everytime you manage to destroy his head partially, a health orb pick up will appears near him. It's certainly bait so you can get hit but if you lucky or skillful enough you can get it harmlessly.    

 

Shoot him many time enough in his ugly elongated head, you win the game! I like that Vectorman's torso slightly fall that his proportion becomes fat then he can fix it by simply lift it. Demoman_positivevocalization01.wav

 

Vectorman rises his fist up and basking in his glorious triumph. But no one cheer him as he killed all of his orbot fellow. Only broken TVs that hail him. Happy yet lonely end to our orbot hero Vectorman. I remember back in the day when i finish the game with level select cheat and the text there becomes "Congratulation! Now finish the game without cheat". That's pretty annoying.

Then the credit rolls after enemies cast. I don't know why Rich doesn't look happy unlike his cheerful coworkers. Maybe because he starts to regret making those epileptic-inducing effects and worry that he will get sue pretty bad because of that.

 

BlueSky Software 's Vectorman (1995) is quite famous 2D platformer in Sega Megadrive/Genesis because of remarkable graphic effect, but unsafe. Given that in that time, game industry doesn't aware much about photosensitive epilepsy. Some people say that the gameplay is not satisfactory. But it's not Eurojank or at least better than Mega Turrican in my opinion. The level can be finished in pretty short time but if you don't search every part of the level for 1Up or Max Health upgrade, you will have hard time to finish the game. Do note that there's no continue. Not even password or game save to keep your progress. There's level select that i mentioned but you get annoying penalty to use it. Even i can finish the level pretty fast, 16 levels feel too long for me. Plus there's not much of engaging variation on them except for Metalhead and Rock 'N' Roller levels. Not to mention that the bonus level is not great. But the main gameplay is pretty workable and good. Take aside the camera that doesn't cover the vision well so you're forced to shoot enemies offscreen or stop running once in a while. The extra weapon is not so good but still boost Vectorman's combat ability. The music is pretty good. 

Vectorman (1995) feels too long, boring, and have a numbers of significant flaws on the gameplay aspect. Thankfully, the sequel is lot better with lots improvement over this game. Even as it is, this game is fairly playable. Maybe if you tone down the difficulty to "Easy", you can finish the game without the reprimanding text on the end. Note "Maybe" word. Perhaps there's ending text that tells you to raise the difficulty setting instead. :p