How we fit an NES game into 40 Kilobytes
This video alone convinced me to support the devs. The amount of optimization skill displayed here is nothing short of amazing. Then on top of this they also succeeded in making a game that is quite fun, with a variety of enemies, traps, and bosses that you can face alone or with up to 3 other people, all locally.

Reject RTX, Embrace 8-bit graphics!

The mere existence of this game was the reason I bought it.

This game is simply excellent. Other reviews do a good job explaining why this is a technical marvel or why you should support the developers, but the last question is "Is it any good?"

Absolutely.

When I started playing, it felt pretty easy. I was zipping through levels and I knew it wasn't a very long game. I did get one or two Game Overs in the Normal levels but I probably finished the first 13 in an hour and a half.

Then you have the 13 Hard Mode levels. Definitely harder, but I still wasn't sure how long it would last. Great news, though: They really are unique levels in their own right. They resemble their Normal level counterparts, but it becomes a much tighter game with clever level design. And the difficulty keeps ramping up. Absolutely no death feels "cheap"; it always comes down to how well you play. And near-death experiences keep you feeling engaged.

The big thing for me is that I have not stopped learning things about this game, and I'm 9 hours in. I've seen "secret" sections in levels that I've just learned how to get to. I keep learning moves and items and things and it's exciting to be this close to the end without having it all on the back of my hand. I still have not 100% beaten the game, nor have I even played multiplayer yet. I can't wait!

Wonderful little platformer. You can play with up to four people locally, and believe it or not, it's actually designed to run on an NES. Like, seriously. I have a copy on an NES cartridge that works flawlessly. I really wish I had a multitap and two more controllers so I could experience it that way. Also friends.

I backed this project on Kickstarter and have been following this game for quite some time. It's a cute retro platformer that was originally created to be able to work on the Nintendo Entertainment System hardware and as such runs like you would expect an NES game to.

If I had to compare it to any NES game out there, I'd compare it to the likes of Super Mario Bros. Different sure, but it doesn't skimp out on the number of levels nor does it pull any punches when wanting to display it's graphics. For what it is, it's a marvel.

When deciding to get this game, ask yourself whether or not you are interested in an authentic retro gaming experience and whether or not you believe the cost of entry could be justified. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised if you're into these kinds of games, especially if you have the means to play with a few friends.

This game uses 40 KB better than most games use 40 GB.

This isn't fake 8-bit.
It literally is 8-bit.

It could fit on a NES cartridge and feels very authentic. But it has modern design principles and is very polished. It's cute and neat and fresh. Can't say enough good things about it and I consider myself to have fairly good taste.

And with "remote play together" there is no excuse not to have this.

Another Kickstarter backer here, I have been looking forward to this game for months. Micro Mages is a Nintendo NES game in 40KB, which was the size of a standard NES ROM cartridge when the NES was first released (and the same size as the original Super Mario Bros launch title). Later NES games would take advantage of techniques like bank switching to use bigger ROMs.
At the time of writing Morphcat has only put the game trailer on the Steam store page, not their other far more popular video which shows exactly how they fit the game into 40KB. It really is an incredibly well made video I promise you won't regret watching it, so HERE is the YouTube link.

A phenomenal technical achievement for sure, but is it actually a good game?
There's a huge number of "retro" games available on Steam and elsewhere, but real quality is lacking and very few are worth playing for any significant length of time. But Micro Mages is one of those few, so the short answer is YES! It really is a great game in its own right; so simple any casual player can pick it up for a quick session but plenty of content for the more discerning gamer.
Best enjoyed with 1-3 friends but still great fun in single player, the game oozes quality from every pore with so many cute little touches and extra animations. The more you play it becomes clear just how much care and love the developers put into making the game.

What we have here is a vertical scrolling 2D platformer, the Mario and Zelda influences are clear. The levels are diverse with a boss at the end of every third level. These boss fights are especially memorable, they tend to be big and spectacular without giving much away. With up to 4 players, various monsters, powerups, collectibles and fireballs all on screen at the same time you'd expect such a NES game to be constantly flickering right? Well it doesn't! There can be a little flicker sometimes which is unavoidable, but the developers have done such a great job of minimising this to the point you'll hardly ever see it.
Sound is great (for a NES). Effects are about what you would expect, but they really did a fantastic job with the music. Worlds 2 and 3 are my favourite, very catchy and atmospheric tunes that are well matched to the visual theme of the current world.

After completing the main game you'll find a new "hard mode" has appeared. While most games simply add more enemies or increase their health, Micro Mages does not take the lazy approach here despite the 40KB limitation. In addition to new palettes which give hard mode a different look, the actual layout of the levels are changed in certain ways to make them harder; such as some routes blocked off, spikes added to walls and slime/lava pits on floors. Yet another example of the kind of polish and attention to detail that turns a good game into a truly great one (try holding the down button or key, your mage will dance on the spot!). And even after you managed to defeat hard mode, there is a further challenge included which I won't spoil.

As for multiplayer, this is the best part of the game. It was clearly designed with co-op in mind, and there are a number of differences from the main game. Even when dead your buddies can still move around as a "ghost" and help out by slowing down monsters with freeze shot and opening loot boxes. There's also a unique multiplayer-only mode called "blood bonds" whereby you all die if one of you dies, it's like a hardcore mode.

The only criticisms I can think of are twofold: I would have liked more types of pickups and powerups. But the ones they have included are well thought out and balanced, I don't think any more could fit in 40KB!
The other is the launch price which is perhaps a touch on the high side, but once you see just what went into this game in the video above you may well change your mind. Still, this is likely to put off some impulse purchases.

Graphics: 10/10 - gorgeous, cute, almost no flicker, a stunning achievement.
Sound: 9/10 - Good sound effects but great music, catchy enough that it would have been an instant classic back in the day.
Longevity: 8.5/10 - A touch short but multiplayer is enormous fun, great hard modes to replay.
Value: 8/10 - based on the release day price, this is very subjective.
Overall: 9.5/10 - honestly one of the best games ever made for the humble NES.

Best 8 bit game I ever played, controls are so satisfying! Even ordered original console to play from the cartridge. Love it!