Star Castle - My favorite game for the Vectrex (and my favorite arcade game too!)

[@danc1197]

Wherher you played Starcastle or not, you knew the arcade had one because the deep sounds echoed throughout the crowded arcades.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

That pulsing droning sound of the machine sounds so intimidating compared to other machines, it's one of the features I love about that cab!

[@aquietmonk]

Brilliant video. I love the Vectrex system. There are very few pieces of hardware from that era that have aged quite as well. The arcade machine footage at the end of the video hit all my nostalgia nerves, it was like Geek ASMR for me. Thank you KZbin algorithm for bringing me here. Peace, love and happy holidays from the UK.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I debated including that long take at the end but I'm really glad I did. The sights and sounds of this machine are quite incredible and I figured someone out there would enjoy watching me play through a couple rounds of the game! Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed my video!

[@dinosaur6756]

It was my favorite arcade game as well. There's a strategy that, if you know it, makes it a pretty easy game to show off on. I happened upon a kid who showed me the secret, and I basically owned the machine at my local arcade, called Galaxy World, just outside Chicago. This was early to mid 80s.

[@realmchat6665]

I love the classic arcade sounds pumping out of those early sound chips, takes me back to a magical youth spent in arcades during the dawn of the personal computer age,

[@paulforester6996]

I remember playing this at the general store on the edge of Carlton township Michigan. It was a rare game even when video games were in. Thanks for the memories.

[@Munakas-wq3gp]

I remember the time of arcade machines and the places (mostly bars) that had them. I even remember the smells there... The increasing speed and sound of the star castle sounded so menacing lol

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I love the angry ramping up buzzing of the machine, it's so much more evil sounding compared to the doot-doot doot-doot soundtrack that Atari used for their Asteroids machines. Star Castle definitely makes itself known in a crowded arcade setting for sure.

[@johnsmith1953x]

For you Vector graphic and Vectrex noobie: The staircase jaggies you see in this video DO NOT EXIST when you observe it right in front of you. Vector graphics have NO JAGGIES.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I tried as hard as I could to get some accurate video of these machines with my camera, but CRTs are such annoying things to film as accurately as possible. My footage here does not do these monitors justice compared to how good they look to the naked eye- in person, these things appear almost magical!

[@delscoville]

It was one of my favorite games. I even recreated it in Little Big Planet. Rather challenging to do, but does look like a pixelized arcade game. I it doesn't have everything the arcade has, because I was making it from like 30 years of memory. Unfortunately now, no one can play it as the servers were taken down. But I did make a video of it way back when it's on my rather eclectic youtube channel.

[@IanWagner-zx4ld]

I went to Funspot last spring and specifically sought out and played the Star Castle machine. I’m not sure how old the footage was that you used but the machine was in horrible shape. The sound didn’t work, the overlay had slid down, the display was dim and faded and the game did not play correctly and was basically inoperable. Anyway, I picked up a Vectrex last month and getting my Star Castle wooo hooo! I’m gonna get the multi cart and a reproduction overlay for Star Castle…my favorite vector game! Thanks for making the video.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

The techs at Funspot must have overhauled the machine at some point after your visit, because it's in great shape now! The footage of the Star Castle cab in my video here was filmed on October 12th and December 11th of this year. Hopefully their restoration work holds up for many years to come and you'll be able to visit again and play it in the condition that it's in now. In the meantime, absolutely have fun with your Vectrex! Glad you enjoyed my video 🙂

[@IanWagner-zx4ld]

Cool thanks for the info I was disappointed in the condition of the machine as well as many other units there on my last visit. They seemed to be focusing on the new pinball lounge instead of the “museum” at the time. Most of the machines were in a condition I would not even have powered up and taking coins. I was there in April of this year and the Star Castle machine was garbage. The walls would even reappear after blasting them and the overlay had slid down. Most of my favorite games were in similar condition and it was kind of sad. I got a Vectrex tho!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

After a bit of sleuthing, I discovered that Funspot's technicians must have just finished overhauling their Star Castle cab just days prior to my first visit on October 12th. I found another video tour of the arcade that was supposedly filmed the weekend prior, and the spot where Star Castle was located (between the Galaxian and Space Invaders cabs) was empty! I'm really glad my first visit timed out so well, where I was able to experience such a freshly restored machine. I can assure you that that particular Star Castle cab is in fantastic operating shape now! It is a bit sad seeing the state that some of the machines in ACAM's collection are currently in, although it is 100% understandable considering pretty much everything in that one room alone is at least 35-40 years old and is bound to have some sort of age related issue creeping up on it. Between my two visits here that took place only two months apart I did notice that a handful of machines had fallen out of order (but with more or less an equal number of the broken machines from my previous visit now functioning again). I'm sure maintaining that collection for daily public use is a unfathomable task for the techs there at the arcade.

[@Derpy1969]

I mastered this game on MAME. Eventually, the cannon doesn’t turn. It just blips to position when you cross the screen borders. The sprites also launch instantly and pursue super aggressively.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I can make it to about level 4 or so before the Star Castle pretty much says "yeah, I've had enough of your nonsense" and just shreds through my reserves of extra lives. I love how aggressive the game's programming gets as you advance through it!

[@MyChannel-vm6dw]

Love your presentation! Subbed. What is the video game cab that is encased in acrylic in the arcade?

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Funspot has a few different machines encased like that scattered throughout the building, double-checking my footage here plus some of the clips I didn't use in the final edit it looks like that particular room has cabs for Asteroids, Joust, and Gauntlet scattered around the room (there is a fourth machine located across from the wall with all the Pacman cabs, but I don't have a clear enough shot to ID the game unfortunately. Someone with more familiarity with Funspot's collection could probably fill me in regarding what that cab is). Most of these machines have some sort of historical significance, such as having been one of the development machines produced by the original companies. Hence why they are on the floor strictly as display pieces!

[@Rcking1110]

Great video!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Thank you! This one's been in the pipeline for a long time, I'm glad to have finally been able to get it out there!

[@fv_ys_]

Just as I was thinking you needed more vector monitors to counter balance the rasters dominance. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWLFXoKInbxqfsk TriVector.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

I'm totally not flaunting that I actually own three of these things 😆 (technically four, but one is just a parts console)

[@fv_ys_]

@@StevesAssortedStuff It was a cool reveal. Then YT goes and shows me a 36" color vector in some guys arcade room. Crazy.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

​@@fv_ys_ a 36 inch vector monitor?! Oh jeez, one can only dream

[@tree_alone]

oh so this is what inspired Facepunch's Chippy

[@8BitRetroReFix]

Thanks for the video Steve .. Im picking up a Vectrex on Saturday .. So im a VecVirgin lol .. Back in the day i had no interest as i had and still have the C64 :) ... Regards Steve ;)

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Congrats on scoring yourself one of these fantastic things! I always like to tell others who haven't seen a Vectrex in person before, videos of them operating simply do not do the console justice for how good they look with your own eyes. The effect is almost magical.

[@8BitRetroReFix]

@StevesAssortedStuff 😉.. always loved vector graphics. It comes with 5 boxed games, too. I've got a PiTrex already . Im looking forward to Starwars ..

[@pyenapple]

It’s basically radial yars revenge rather than linear

[@mattikuokkanen]

Perkele from Finland. I have played a similar game before on PC decades ago, but I don't remember the name of it. As I remember it, at the center is the base surrounded by a ring or a few of them. Shoot the rings to get on to the base to destroy it, then repeat with more rings. Eventually the base moves to the right side of the screen. Anyone here know this?

[@mattikuokkanen]

And found it myself: BattleStar from 1994. Check it out!

[@FadkinsDiet]

11:16 i found the cat!

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

Daisy has been spotted! I know sometimes I'm a bit more obvious with her cameos, however I have some ideas on how I can really hide her in some of my upcoming projects!

[@Bugsy666]

The AI video description keeps saying "they" when there is only one person. Steve.

[@StevesAssortedStuff]

AI just weirds me out, you should see some of the nonsense it feeds me as suggested replies to comments on my videos (I think my viewers would prefer it if I was the one talking to them, not a computer!) There's only one on my channel for now (excluding my cat Daisy of course when she makes her cameos!), but I have a couple ideas for involving some of my friends with my video content in the future!