Vectorman

Vectorman is a video game created by Sega and Blue Sky Software in 1995. It was released on New Year's Eve of that year, and was created for use on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis system.

Story

In 2049, the human population of Earth disembarks on a migratory voyage, to try and colonise other planets. They leave mechanical Orbots to clean up the mess they made on Earth through littering and pollution. Raster, a high-level Orbot, accidentally attaches himself to a working nuclear missile, and became Warhead. He declares himself ruler of Earth, and begins to execute any humans who dare return to their planet.

Enter Vectorman, a humble Orbot in charge of disposing of toxic sludge by taking it to 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 takes it upon himself to destroy the errant 'bot and restore peace to Earth.

Game

The game itself is a straightforward 2D action platformer. Vectorman is equipped with a blaster that fires one bullet at a time; powerups include a machine gun, "bola" 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; and an aquatic form, useful for swimming underwater.

Vectorman, as the name suggests, uses vector graphics 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.

Sequels

Vectorman II was produced for the Mega Drive/Genesis, and released in 1996.

A Vectorman game for the Sony PlayStation 2 was announced, but cancelled. According to initial reports, it was to have been vastly dissimilar to the 16-bit games.