Vectrex Academy 2026

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Peer Johannsen

Vectrex Academy 2026 Project

Game Title

Flappy Bird clone
Vector Jet is a simple arcade game for the Vectrex console. The player controls a small jet that flies through a scrolling world made of vector lines. The goal is to avoid obstacles and survive as long as possible. While playing, the player collects more and more points, trying to reach the highest high score.
The jet sinks on its own and climbs only while the thrust button is held, so good timing and quick reactions are needed to pass through the gaps.
Obstacles come in from the right in three lanes and always leave one lane open. Now and then a rocket is fired at the jet, announced by a blinking marker at the edge of the screen a moment before it arrives.
Points are collected for every second in the air, for picking up stars, and for passing an obstacle closely. A collected star can be spent on a shield that makes the jet invulnerable for five seconds.
As the game continues the speed slowly increases, making the game more challenging. A single hit ends the run.

Added: The game over screen shows the high score below the score.
Added: Points for flying past obstacles and rockets closely, the closer the more.
Added: Exhaust flame on the player ship, bigger while button 4 accelerates.
Added: The ship wobbles slightly in flight.
Added: Stars flicker.
Changed: Shield availability is shown by a shield symbol instead of a star.
Changed: Difficulty ramps up half as fast.
Changed: The manual has been revised and updated.

Links to Dr. Snuggles' online emulator to directly test the game in your browser: Vector_Jet_1_1