Micro Mages

About

Micro Mages is a fast-paced platformer that channels the chaos of classic NES titles. You control one of four mages navigating traps, summoned demons, and a labyrinthine fortress to rescue a stolen princess. The controls are tight, the levels demand precise jumps, and every screen is packed with hazards. Play alone or team up locally for co-op chaos, where split-screen keeps the action frenetic and messy. Magic spells and quirky helpers like seagulls add flair but rarely ease the difficulty curve. Made entirely as a homebrew NES title, it’s a rare modern cartridge that feels like a lost 80s relic. Community praise focuses on its faithful yet inventive take on old-school design, think tricky level layouts and pixel-perfect physics. With over 200 levels and optional challenges, it’s clear why retro fans tout it as one of the best indie homages. The NES version in particular stands out for playing exactly like a cartridge you might’ve bought in 1989.

Storyline

Once upon a time, in a small cottage within a dark forest, four mages and their beloved Princess spent a life in harmony. The mages were students at the renowned Hocus-Pocus Academy of Applied Magicks. To keep Princess safe during their study hours, they installed a giant lock on the front door. One day, the blue mage forgot to lock the door and when everyone came back home after a long day, their Princess was gone. A fairy beared terrible news: “Strange things are happening in the old Demon Fortress atop Pretzel Mountain!” The four mages did not hesitate. After chanting a teleportation spell they had just learned at the Academy, they took off to the Demon Fortress...