Do not be fooled: Mikeyeldey95 could look so much like Home windows 95, however it isn’t truly the entire Microsoft working system reprogrammed to run on a Sega Genesis (aka Mega Drive) cartridge. As technically spectacular as that may be, it is one thing rather more enjoyable: a game-meets-concept-album of twenty-two chiptune songs programmed to run on actual Genesis {hardware}, offered in a deeply trustworthy recreation of the Home windows 95 UI filled with minigames and easter eggs. Even Clippy makes an look.
Mikeyeldey95 instantly launches right into a summery bop known as ‘Plug and Play’ over a pretend Home windows startup display and desktop, the place you possibly can select from a pretend net browser (with a useful Hamster Dance bookmark), a music participant, and an electronic mail inbox containing novel digital letter correspondence. Because the theme right here pulls immediately from Home windows 95, although, the true motion is within the Begin menu. There are minigames tailored from traditional bits of Home windows historical past just like the 3D Maze screensaver and music visualizers that recreate different iconic bits of design just like the bouncing playing cards from Solitaire.
The upbeat chiptune music makes messing round with Mikeyeldey95 worthwhile, and greater than only a little bit of enjoyable nostalgia. Each observe feels prefer it might’ve come from a rad ’90s platformer or beat-em-up, and I believe a couple of of them, just like the funky “Labradump” and melancholy “5 Digit Years,” would’ve match proper into arguments over whether or not the Genesis or Tremendous Nintendo had the superior sound chip.
I am mighty tempted to purchase one among these bodily carts for my Sega Genesis, however you possibly can nonetheless expertise Mikeyeldey95 even when you do not have an previous console mendacity round. A ROM is on the market for obtain on Itch.io and is simple in addition up in an emulator. Or you possibly can stream the album on Bandcamp, minus the cool Home windows pores and skin.
Thanks, RetroRGB.
