Unoriginal but fun little platformer
Microman is one of those little known characters who starred in a couple of shareware titles which, although fairly simple in appearance, actually make for some entertaining enough platforming action. Microman himself is the brave test subject who volunteered to be miniaturised while wearing a top secret weapons suit, but after the experiment went wrong and exploded, killing everyone involved, Microman found himself alone in a bizarre world where just about everything is bigger than him and seems out to get him. The scene is thus set for some inventive arcade-style fun, where players step into the tiny shoes of Microman and must make their through a series of side-scrolling levels, jumping, avoiding and blasting their way through enemies including robot dogs and caterpillars, flying discs and various types of gun turrets. Several power-ups are available, including multi-shot guns, heat seeking missiles and the ability to jump higher, while several nasty bosses also rear their ugly heads. While Microman certainly isn't original, it does have a certain charm which comes from its well designed levels and tightly controlled action. The game is reminiscent of things like Commander Keen, Pitfall, Ghosts & Goblins and even Contra but remains enjoyable enough despite its lack of innovation. The challenge is pitched just about right, with difficult but not frustrating levels that will test your reactions and trigger finger in an enjoyably frantic fashion. If you're a fan of old school platformers, then Microman is definitely one to seek out.
