This Vectrex game is a lot of fun. The main character, Spike, has some extraordinary abilities that let you explore the world in search of treasure while avoiding enemies and obstacles. Vectrex Spike can shoot fireballs to destroy enemies or break rocks blocking your way. Vectrex Spike also can dig holes in the ground, which are handy for getting out of mazes or finding hidden treasures!
What is Vectrex Spike?
Contents
Vectrex Spike is an arcade game released in 1982 by GCE. It was one of the first games to use a vector display and one of the first games to use 3D graphics. The player controls a spaceship to avoid obstacles while shooting down enemy ships.
Who is Spike, and What Does He do in the Game?
Spike is a Vectrex character who appears to be the protagonist of an adventure game. He has one arm shorter than the other and wears a pink shirt with red stripes. Spike’s goal is to collect all the diamonds in each level and escape through one of 4 doors located at each level’s bottom or right side.
The player controls Spike using only two buttons: up/down for left/proper movement and fire to shoot enemies. Different enemies can kill him, such as spiders (touching them will result in instant death) and snakes (they must be shot). Along with these, he also has to watch out for pits which will cause him to lose his collected diamonds if he falls into them – they can be jumped over by walking off the edge of a platform, but if there is no solid ground below, he will fall to his death.
He can only collect diamonds when they are stationary and have not yet been taken away by enemies or got stuck in pits. This means that it will take too long for them to travel back and forth around each level, resulting in a poor gameplay experience.
What are the Controls for Playing as Spike in Vectrex?
To control Spike in Vectrex, you use the left joystick to move him around and the button on the joystick to attack. You can also press the button on the joystick to make Spike jump.
How Can You Get the Most out of Playing as Spike in Vectrex?
Playing as Spike in Vectrex can be a lot of fun, but there are some things you can do to make sure you get the most out of the experience. Here are four tips to help you get started.
What are Some of the Biggest Challenges Facing Players When Playing as Spike in Vectrex?
When playing Spike in the Vectrex game, the player faces some challenges. One of the biggest challenges is avoiding the enemies and obstacles in the game. Spike also has to watch out for the spikes scattered throughout the levels. Another challenge is collecting all of the items in each group.
Background
Spike’s girlfriend Molly has been kidnapped! Spike must save her. He has to climb ladders, jump platforms and not get hurt by enemies in this game.
Gameplay
Spike starts at the bottom of the screen. There are platforms that he needs to climb to get to Molly. The media move from side to side, and Spike needs ladders as you feel best will help him make it from one level of platforms to the next.
In level one, Spike does not have any enemies. He must climb ladders to get the key and then put it into Molly’s cage. Once he is done with that, he can jump into her cage to save her. Some Bouncers bounce up and down on a row of platforms in level two. Once they reach the edge of the screen, they come back to the next set of platforms.
Spike needs to either avoid the Bouncers or kick them away. Molly’s bow also appears on this level and goes down the screen. If Spike can grab it, then the arrow will freeze the bouncer for a short time.
Level 3 is when more birds start to appear. And then more bouncers will come after them. The platforms also get bigger and smaller, the enemies move faster, and the direction of the media changes each time Spike kicks an enemy if you go far enough into the game.
Spike will die if he falls into empty spaces or is touched by an enemy and has no more lives. You can get extra lives every 10,000 points.
Controls
Menu screen
- You can choose from a one or two-player game. Buttons are on the right.
- Start game–button four
In-game controls
- Move Spike–joystick or D-pad (four directions)
- Move ladder/cage–button one
- Kick left–button two
- Kick right–button three
- Jump–button four
Scoring
- Kicking a Bouncer–100 points
- Kicking a Bird–200 points
- Collecting a Key–500 points
- Opening Molly’s Cell–2000 points
Trivia
- This game is different from other Vectrex games because it can talk. There are two characters in the game, Molly and Spike. Molly says, “eek…help…Spike” when kidnapped. Spike will say, “oh no! Molly!” when he loses a life or says “darn it!” when he gets hit by an enemy.
- Spike is the mascot for the game. He appears in many modern versions of the game, such as Spike’s Water Balloons (on All Good Things and Victoria), Spike Goes Skiing, and Spike Hoppin’.
- It is like the Fortress of Narzod. Spike was also created for the Commodore 64. You can see it on YouTube, and most of the game elements are still there.
Spike Review for Vectrex [Video]
FAQs about Spike
What is the objective of the game?
The game’s objective is to score as many points as possible by bouncing off walls and collecting gems.
You lose points when you bump into spikes or run out of time.
How many levels are in the game?
There are three levels in the game. I wanted to make a ton of stories, but unfortunately, it would have taken me way too long, and even then, there is still no guarantee that they would all be good or exciting enough. But with just these three, you can play forever as it’s an endless runner type of game. The difficulty increases over time, though, so you’ll first progress faster than later on when your reflexes must be really sharp if you want to continue playing for more extended periods!
What type of enemies does Spike encounter in the game?
Spike primarily encounters spiders and snakes in the game. These enemies move quickly, so Spike must be careful not to get bitten or stung. He can dispatch them by jumping on their heads or throwing his knife at them. There are also scorpions in the game, which can be killed with either the knife or a shot from Spike’s gun. As with most platformers, various obstacles need to be avoided, such as spikes and pits.
How can you get extra lives in the game?
There are a few ways to get extra lives in the game. You can collect 100 dots and earn a different life, or you can find the four life icons hidden throughout the levels, and collecting them will also give you an extra life. Finally, there is a bonus level at the end of each world where you can earn a different life by reaching the exit.
