Four decades after its launch, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is more than just a memory for gaming enthusiasts. It has become a platform for new inputs with an impressive level of polish and excitement. The homebrew scene for the NES has grown over the past two decades, significantly boosted by the emergence of tools such as NESmaker that made the development process more accessible.
An example of the creativity in this sphere is the work done by the team at Morphcat Games, who have made a name for themselves by building games from scratch using the assembly language of the 6502 processor. They have recently released a game called “Micro Mages”, which was inspired by the NES-era platformers. The creators, Julius Riecke and Nicolas Bétoux, set themselves a challenge of limiting the game size to just 40 kilobytes, just like the original NES Super Mario Bros game.
The internet is full of comments expressing excitement and wonder at the game, with many mentioning that, had it been produced during the NES’ prime, it would have been a significant gaming achievement. What’s more, physical copies of Micro Mages can be played on original NES hardware, offering a gaming experience that feels modern, visually appealing, and supports up to four players.
“Creating a ‘Nintendo game’ was a dream since I was young,” says Riecke. Emphasising the inspiration they drew from games like Kirby’s Adventure, the Super Mario Bros. series, and Mega Man 2; he says, “these games have a high level of polish, taking care of each detail. Truly impressive and inspiring.”
This level of admiration and dedication towards the vintage hardware can also be seen in the way they code, as they use assembly language, which gives them control over every detail of the NES. This kind of control enables them to push the console’s limits beyond anything seen back in the day.
Bétoux expresses his excitement about NES’ graphics limitations, which he finds to be a challenge that fuels creativity. And it looks like there is no stopping them. They have already released two more games – Böbl and Spacegulls, which also push the boundaries of NES capabilities.
According to the pair, physical cartridges and manuals add to the charm of the whole experience. Their partnership with Broke Studio has enabled them to release physical copies of their games, contributing significantly to reviving the old-school gaming experience. Interestingly, the appeal of their games isn’t just limited to fans who grew up with the 8-bit era. They’ve noted that new gamers also enjoy the nostalgic physical experience.
Despite their love for vintage hardware, Morphcat is also thinking about the modern consoles, with a project planned for 2024. “All this fun keeps the NES alive,” says Bétoux, signaling their continuous passion for gaming.
Vocabulary List:
- Admiration (noun): A feeling of respect or approval towards someone or something.
- Assembly Language (noun): A type of low-level programming language that is specific to a particular computer architecture.
- Boosted (adjective): Increased or raised.
- Challenge (noun): Something that requires great effort and determination to overcome or achieve.
- Creativity (noun): The ability to use imagination and original ideas to create something new.
- Dedication (noun): The quality of being committed to a task or purpose.
