Vectorman

From Sega Retro

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Vectorman.png

Vectorman
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action

















Release Date RRP Code
Wii Virtual Console
JP
600pts600
Wii Virtual Console
US
800pts800
Wii Virtual Console
EU
800pts800
CERO
Missing Parameter!


Vectorman (ベクターマン) is a platform game developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive. It was released on October 24, 1995 in North America and on November 30, 1995 in Europe.

Story

In 2049, the human population of Earth embarks on a migratory voyage to try to 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.

Gameplay

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. A and B both shoot and C jumps. C twice will launch Vectorman into a brief boost.

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.

History

Development

Vectorman was made partly in response to Nintendo/Rare's Donkey Kong Country, which contained pioneering graphics with pre-rendered 3D models in its level and character designs, giving the game a smooth, computer-generated feel.. Donkey Kong Country's marketing stated that the game was impossible to do on Sega's Mega Drive, and Vectorman acted as one attempt to prove Nintendo wrong.

Release

Vectorman was both a critical and commercial success, and was re-released in North America as part of the Mega Hit Series. It was acclaimed for its gameplay, level design and 3d graphics, and a great techno soundtrack.

Legacy

Vectorman was not originally released in Japan, with its debut in the country coming through the PC compilation Sega Archives From USA Vol.1. It was released on the Wii Virtual Console on February 27, 2007 in Japan and April 5, 2007 in Europe, and in North America on September 22, 2008.

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. Both games were the only bonus titles to be kept on the international versions of the collection.

Sega Mega Drive Collection also features Vectorman and its sequel, this time as games available without the need for unlocking. Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection also contains the game.

A sequel, Vectorman 2 was produced for the Sega Mega Drive, and was released in 1996.

Although BlueSky 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.

Production credits

BlueSky Software

Designers: Richard Karpp, Mark Lorenzen
Project Manager: Jennifer Cleary
Game Concept By: Dana Christianson, Richard Karpp, Mark Lorenzen, Jason Weesner
Lead Background Artist: Amber Long
Background Artists: Jeff Jonas, Geoffrey Knobel, Mark Lorenzen, Jeff Remmer
Background Assistant: Brandon McDonald
Lead Animator: Marty Davis
Animators: Ellis Goodson, John Roy
Splash Screens: Jeff Remmer
Sound: Jon Holland
Music: Jon Holland
Lead Programmer: Richard Karpp
Programmers: Mark Botta, Keith Freiheit, Bonita Kane
Special Thanks: Patrick Brogan, Tom Carroll, John Fulbright, Jerry Huber, Matt McDonald, Chuck Osieja, Sam Powell, Rick Randolph, Rick Schmitz, Kim Walsh

Sega

Producer: Jerry Markota
Assistant Producer: Marianne Arotzarena
Product Manager: John Garner
Marketing Assistant: Johnathan Kully
Test Game Lead: John Amirkhan
Test Assistant Leads: Mike Borg, Abraham Navarro, Kim Rogers
Game Testers: Marc Dawson, Ty Johnson, Jeff B. Junio, Tony Lynch, Raul Orozco, Ilya Reeves, Don Tica
Special Thanks: E. Ettore Annunziata, Smuv Deyoung, Clint Dyer, Joe Miller, Scott Rohde, Chris Smith, Terry Tang

Promotional Material

Digital manuals

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
44 №11, p140/141[1]
80 №12
85 №48, p108/109
96 №168, p48/49[2]
83 №76, p42
50 2007-06-09
91
90
92 №36, p46/47
82 №84
78 №11/95, p72/73[3]
90 №37, p62-65[4]
90 №58, p126/127
90 №73, p48/49
90 №52, p50/51
90 №1, p89[5]
Sega Mega Drive
83
Based on
16 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
70
[6]
CD Consoles (FR)
44
[1]
Consoles + (FR)
85
[7]
Cool Gamer (RU)
90
[8]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
96
[2]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
83
[9]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
70
[10]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5 (RU)
90
[11]
Fun Generation (DE)
80
[12]
Fusion (US) NTSC-U
63
[13]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
91
[14]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
90
[15]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
98
[16]
GamePro (UK)
91
[17]
Gamers (DE)
80
[18]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
82
[19]
Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL
86
[20]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
80
[21]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
78
[3]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
90
[4]
Player One (FR)
90
[22]
Sega News (CZ)
82
[23]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
90
[24]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
90
[25]
Svet Kompjutera (YU)
90
[26]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)
90
[5]
Todo Sega (ES)
87
[27]
Tricks (RU)
89
[28]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
90
[29]
Video Games (DE) PAL
85
[30]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
90
[31]
Sega Mega Drive
84
Based on
31 reviews

Vectorman

Mega Drive, US
Vectorman MD US Box Back.jpgVectorman MD US Box Spine.jpgVectorman md us cover.jpg
Cover
Vectorman md us cart.jpg
Cart
Vectorman md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Mega Hit Series)
Vectorman MD US Box Back MHS.jpgVectorman MD US Box Spine MHS.jpgVectormanMHS md us cover.jpg
Cover
Vectorman MD US Cart MHS.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US
(Mega Hit Series) (Alt)

Vectorman MD US Cart MHS Alt.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
Vectorman md eu cover.jpg
Cover
Vectorman MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU
Vectorman MD AU cover.jpg
Cover
Vectorman MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Vectorman MD AU manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
VectormanMDBrCover.jpg
Cover
VectormanMDBrCartTop.jpg
VectormanMDBrCart.jpg
Cart
Vectorman md br manual.pdf
Manual

External Links

  • 1.0 1.1 File:CDConsoles FR 11.pdf, page 140 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CDConsoles FR 11.pdf_p140" defined multiple times with different content
  • 2.0 2.1 File:CVG UK 168.pdf, page 48 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 168.pdf_p48" defined multiple times with different content
  • 3.0 3.1 File:MegaFun DE 1995-11.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaFun DE 1995-11.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
  • 4.0 4.1 File:MeanMachinesSega37UK.pdf, page 62 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega37UK.pdf_p62" defined multiple times with different content
  • 5.0 5.1 File:SSM UK 01.pdf, page 89 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SSM UK 01.pdf_p89" defined multiple times with different content
  • 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 255
  • Consoles +, "Novembre 1995" (FR; 1995-1x-xx), page 108
  • Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 231
  • Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 42
  • Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 366
  • Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5, "" (RU; 200x-xx-xx), page 251
  • Fun Generation, "06/95" (DE; 1995-0x-xx), page 64
  • Fusion, "Volume 1, Number 6: January 1996" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 100
  • GameFan, "Volume 3, Issue 11: November 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 22
  • Game Players, "Vol. 9 No. 1 January 1996" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 57
  • GamePro, "November 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 72
  • GamePro, "December 1995" (UK; 1995-10-28), page 50
  • Gamers, "November 1995" (DE; 1995-10-11), page 48
  • GamesMaster (UK) "Series 5, episode 5" (1995-10-19, 24:00) (+9:40)
  • Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1995" (ES; 1995-xx-xx), page 98
  • MAN!AC, "12/95" (DE; 1995-11-08), page 92
  • Player One, "Novembre 1995" (FR; 1995-1x-xx), page 128
  • Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 27
  • Sega Power, "December 1995" (UK; 1995-10-19), page 48
  • Sega Pro, "December 1995" (UK; 1995-11-02), page 50
  • Svet Kompjutera, "April 1996" (YU; 1996-xx-xx), page 78
  • Todo Sega, "Noviembre 1995" (ES; 1995-1x-xx), page 48
  • Tricks, "Vypusk 8" (RU; 1996-xx-xx), page 32
  • Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
  • Video Games, "11/95" (DE; 1995-10-25), page 92
  • VideoGames, "November 1995" (US; 1995-10-24), page 89