Micro Machines is a racing game developed by Codemasters and originally published by Camerica for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991.

Micro Machines received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the originality and two-player mode, although some criticised the sprites on some versions.

Players race in environments such as breakfast and pool tables, work desks, and treehouses, driving toy vehicles such as powerboats, helicopters, formula one cars, and tanks that can shoot other racers.

[2] Courses have a predefined path that racers must follow: if a player leaves the defined route for too long they are sent back to the track.

[5] In 1990, the founders of Codemasters, David and Richard Darling, were at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and were impressed with the popularity of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US.

Its two player mode, based on the 1983 Adventure International game Rally Speedway, does not employ split screen, a technique that is hard to achieve on NES hardware.

[2][6][8] The development team did not have access to official Nintendo documents, and their knowledge of the NES's hardware came from reverse engineering.

[8] They chose recognisable household environments such as tables, although the NES's limited graphics capabilities necessitates repetition.

Artist Paul Perrot converted the California Buggy Boys graphics using Deluxe Paint and a cross compiler.

[2][6] Graham stated that the artificial intelligence (AI) is basic by modern standards, and that it was difficult to replicate the multiplayer experience in single-player mode.

It was determined that just one binary bit was wrong, but many buggy ROM chips had already been manufactured, so a device akin to a miniature Game Genie was installed in the cartridges to correct it.

[9] Nintendo wanted development halted because Codemasters did not have a licence from them, and sued Galoob over the sales of the Game Genie.

The Mega Drive team changed the handling (giving it an "on-rails" feel), and most of the graphics merely required redrawing.

According to artist Brian Hartley, the main considerations were the colour schemes, and it was decided to keep the game with a cartoon style.

The Game Gear team were originally against the "on-rails" handling of the Mega Drive version, and wanted to revert to the NES drifting.

Reviewing the Mega Drive version, Computer and Video Games's Steve Keen lauded the vehicle movement and sound effects, and Paul Rand praised the multiplayer mode.

[10] Sega Force's reviewer praised the visuals and "colourful" graphics and the two-player mode, but described the sounds as "average".

[25] Sega Master Force's reviewer liked the originality and addictiveness, and described the Game Gear version as "fantastic".

[44] The Master System version was complimented by Mean Machines Sega for its two-player mode, describing it as "timeless", "great fun", and an "absolutely essential purchase"—but with "flat" graphics.

[42] Stuart Campbell of Amiga Power's praised the locations and control, although he criticised the "limited" single-player mode and lack of parallax scrolling.

[27] The vehicles racing in the environments was described by Steve Bradley of Amiga Format as "absolutely bloody brilliant", and he also praised the addictiveness.

[32] Skyler Miller of AllGame believed Micro Machines's graphics push the console's capabilities, and also liked the colourful scenery.

[24] GamePro's reviewer stated that the racing scenario variety and the vehicles being based on Galoob's Micro Machines toys made the game original.

[40] In a review of the SNES version, GamePro lauded the "cartoony" graphics and "cheerful" sound effects, along with the lack of car customisation to keep the gameplay "basic".

[49] Coming Soon Magazine's reviewer criticised the PC version's "simple" graphics, but thought highly of its addictiveness and "well-produced" animation.

[50] In 1996, Next Generation ranked Micro Machines as number 18 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", citing the "heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping action", split-second accurate controls, and perfect balance.