Micro Machines
Tiny cars, giant fun
Codemasters' 1991 top-down racing game featuring miniature vehicles racing across household environments—breakfast tables, pool tables, and garden paths.
Overview
Micro Machines (1991) was Codemasters’ top-down racing game that shrunk players to toy-car scale. Racing across kitchen tables, bathtubs, and workbenches, it combined inventive track design with frantic multiplayer—and on the NES, it was famously unlicensed.
Fast Facts
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Codemasters |
| Publisher | Codemasters (self-published) |
| Designer | Andrew Graham |
| Innovation | Household environments as tracks |
| Sequel | Micro Machines 2 (1994) |
The Unlicensed NES Version
Codemasters couldn’t secure an official Nintendo license. Their solution:
| Challenge | Codemasters Solution |
|---|---|
| No license | Reverse-engineered NES hardware |
| Lockout chip | Bypassed with voltage spike |
| Distribution | Camerica partnership in North America |
The cartridge was a distinctive gold colour, marketing its unlicensed status as a feature.
Track Design
| Environment | Hazards |
|---|---|
| Breakfast table | Cereal bowls, milk puddles |
| Pool table | Pockets as pits |
| Bathtub | Soap, water hazards |
| Garden | Sandpits, worm holes |
| Workbench | Tools, sawdust |
Multiplayer Innovation
| Feature | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Screen elimination | Fall behind, lose a point |
| Same-screen racing | No split screen |
| Four players | J-Cart adapter on Genesis |
The J-Cart (Joypad Cart) included extra controller ports in the cartridge itself—another Codemasters hardware hack.
Vehicle Variety
| Class | Examples |
|---|---|
| Sports cars | Fast, poor handling |
| 4x4s | Slow, good grip |
| Boats | Water-only sections |
| Tanks | Can push opponents |
| Helicopters | Fly over obstacles |
Legacy
Micro Machines proved licensed toy brands could make compelling games without following the LJN playbook of cheap cash-ins. Its household-scale concept influenced countless top-down racers.