Micro Machines

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Thongings** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:59 pm

I loved Micro Machines! Like you say it really did bring out the competitiveness in people. Great times shooting round the pool table, knocking your opponent off the edge with a well timed shunt to grab the point. Wasn't 96 the one which had two extra ports in the game cartridge for four player goodness? One of them certainly did, it was awesome.

The only thing like it recently that springs to mind is Mashed, which was great fun.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **chalkitdown** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:06 pm

The most recent game(V4?) is actually pretty good. I have it on PC. Great fun in multiplayer.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **mokeyjoe** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:06 pm

Micro Machines was excellent. But if you like that you really should try Mashed. It's essentially the same core gameplay, and it's lots of fun in multiplayer.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Drunken_Master** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:15 pm

Yeah, it was the whole '3d' thing which strawberry floated up Micro Machines. Best one for me, was Micro Machines 2, best level was the one where you had to cross the sink with the sponge.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Use_The_Forks** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:21 pm

Drunken_Master wrote:Best one for me, was Micro Machines 2, best level was the one where you had to cross the sink with the sponge.

Agreed. '96 just tried to build on 2, but it lost its simplicity what with rubbish helicopters and tanks. And then they released Micro Machines Military. :fp:

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Alvin Flummux** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:25 pm

The level editor in MM2 was immense fun, so simple, yet you felt like you could build anything you wanted.

PostRe: Micro Machines by KK » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:26 pm

I played the PlayStation version. It was gurd.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Iron Nan** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:28 pm

They need to update and XBLA the 16 bit games in one short sweet download. 8-)

Actually, I think that should be the default answer when a devloper is struggling to update an old franchise. DON'T, just up rev the old one and put it on the download services.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Iron Nan** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:31 pm

Freak Out Requiem IV wrote:
IRON NAN wrote:They need to update and XBLA the 16 bit games in one short sweet download.

FFS don't give them ideas, I'm working on something similar and that happening would completely negate the purpose of my project.

Just don't make it in 3D!

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Alvin Flummux** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:31 pm

Freak Out Requiem IV wrote:
Alvin Flummux wrote:The level editor in MM2 was immense fun, so simple, yet you felt like you could build anything you wanted.

There was a level editor in MM2?- Or do you mean TT96?

See above post, either way... maybe as a kid I found it entertaining, but compared to tools since, it feels limiting.

I can't remember exactly which it was in, I always thought it was MM2 at the time but it looks like I was wrong. And it was brilliant fun with other players, I'd always do twisty turny tracks with the icy track parts to make everyone slip off the edges. Great stuff.

The world would be a much better place if Codies would give us a new, HD, top-down-only (16-bit?) MM game on PSN/XBLA, and a slightly cut down non-HD version for WiiWare.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Use_The_Forks** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:35 pm

Freak Out Requiem IV wrote:
Use_The_Forks wrote:
Drunken_Master wrote:Best one for me, was Micro Machines 2, best level was the one where you had to cross the sink with the sponge.

Agreed. '96 just tried to build on 2, but it lost it's simplicity what with rubbish helicopters and tanks. And then they released Micro Machines Military.

I didn't really like Military at all - being able to spin out your opponents with bullets on any vehicle (even trucks, lolwut) made the single player a massive chore. While multiplayer was generally entertaining - especially when managing to spin a friend out into a hazard - the ability to shoot, completely by itself, broke the balance of gameplay.

Interesting that you object to helicopters and tanks in 96 - they didn't bother me enough to be detrimental to the game, but I guess they weren't necessary additions either.

Incidentally, how about that track editor in 96? Did anyone else spend hours trying to make difficult tracks in it only to become eventually frustrated by its immaturity? I think it's a feature that had a lot of potential but not enough time invested to really flesh it out...

Being able to shoot each other didn't improve the game in any way whatsoever. F-Zero has proved that you don't need to be able to blow each other up to make a good racing game, which is the beef I had with Wipeout and, probably more accurately, Mario Kart (although it is made more fun because it's cartoony). It was frustrating, although sometimes fun in multiplayer, to be sailing along, and then get shot just as you're about to make a jump.

Just remembered the planes in '96 too. Automatic acceleration was a terrible idea, and they were generally too fast for the gameplay.

As you say though, the track editor was massively flawed but its limitations. I found after a while that you just couldn't do anything imaginative at all, and that you could only use so many items per track. Maybe it was just the MegaDrive being incapable, but I always felt my tracks looked like a pile on w*nk in comparison with the proper ones.

The originalb was fun but souless, 2 had it done perfectly, '96 tried to be too clever and after that it just went from bad to worse. MM64 (bought it from eBay last year) was ok at best, but otherwise added nothing new or exciting.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Use_The_Forks** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:11 pm

Freak Out Requiem IV wrote:Great response UTF.

Would you mind elaborating on why the first was "fun but soulless" and the second was "done perfectly"? Would make good soundbites.

Thanks!

Ha, just read the small print and now this... Nah, can't be arsed!

I should be doing my own work really, but as you may have a 'Use_The_Forks' quote in your essay (or whatever), why the hell not.

Well, MM1 lacks character from the moment you press start really. From what I remember there's a picture of a car, then a boat and another vehicle or two on the title screen and some terrible music. Then you select from one of a few lifeless stereotypes and that's it, you're entirely alone throughout the extremely static levels with the whirring sound of the vehicle's engine to keep you company. I dunno, maybe I was too good at it*, but once I got ahead of the other three the rest of the race feels characterless, lonely and slightly eerie.

MM2 on the other hand just improved on it in every way. The occasional drill, hammer, sponge or keyboard (can't remember the tune it made, but it was a pleasant surprise) broke up the silence, the bolder graphics gave a more friendly feel, and the overall enthusiam of the game's presentation made for a much more welcoming game. The characters looked like they cared/were cared for in their creation (odd, I know, but the original seemed like a bunch of forgetful nobodies were brought together to fill a gap. A bit like Big Brother...) and the game's music made for a much happier experience. The levels were thought-out too, with the dinner table levels being my favourite. 'Vibrant' is the overall word I'm looking for, I think!

Yeah, something like that. Must get on with an essay plan** for tomorrow now, soz. Hope that helps, although I may come back...

*

**

PostRe: Micro Machines by **smurphy** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:13 pm

I had once of them on N64. It was bloody awesome.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Iron Nan** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:13 pm

The 'character' of MM was almost entirely down to the enviroments, pool tables, scholl desks, lab equipment, restauraunt tables and the always awesome speedboat race in the bath. 8-)

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Use_The_Forks** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:15 pm

And the drag race around the toilet seat! That were a class touch!

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Return_of_the_STAR** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:19 pm

I had 2 micro machine games for the mega drive. They were awesome. I have fond memories of those games especially 4 player on the 96 version. I would guess that it was probably my most played game along with Sensible Soccer.

Can’t quite remember which version of the game I had – either Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament or the ’96 one.. Was brilliant fun though as a multiplayer game.. Usually just me and one of my brothers – but when we got an extra controller we played 3 player thanks to the (quite awesome) J-Cart.. What made it great was the simplicity of it – all happening on the one screen, no weapons and the top down perspective. Then there was the superb levels, favourites being the race around the bath and the pool table tracks. Never got on with V3, possibly because I never gave it a chance, but mainly because it just wasn’t as good. Like the Sonic series, Micro Machines just doesn’t work properly in 3D.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Fishfingers** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:47 pm

This game was great, but it was marginally beaten in terms of quality and awesomeness by Super Skidmarks.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Moggy** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:48 pm

I would love it if this came to Live Arcade (Megadrive versions!). Do Codemasters still hold the licence though?

I had the version with the J Cart and must have spent weeks of my life playing it against mates and my brother. The pool tables were always my favourite levels.

PostRe: Micro Machines by **Ironhide** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:12 pm

mokeyjoe wrote:Micro Machines was excellent. But if you like that you really should try Mashed. It's essentially the same core gameplay, and it's lots of fun in multiplayer.

Mashed was gooseberry fool, Micro Machines wasn't.

Micro Machines

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