Every season is wonderful, and they all offer something to love and something to hate. We all have our favourite, but no matter yours, you’ll have stories you can tell about your adventures during each one. Mina and Michi take this idea and use it for their classic indie tale.
Developed by LightUp Games and Ratalaika Games and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a puzzle inspired adventure title. A wholesome tale that has two friends working side by side to solve puzzles while defeating the enemies they face. This 2D title is full of indie vibes with its colourful nature, pixelated images, and far-fetched story.
Mina and Michi takes you back to early console titles.
This solo or couch co-op indie title takes inspiration from early console games. The simple stages, basic enemies, and straightforward puzzles allow you to enjoy the colourful world you explore. If you play this solo, you must control both characters independently, this can be tricky initially but you soon become used to controlling the pair. It excels as a co-op game and is much more enjoyable if you can find a gaming partner to take this on.
The game’s premise is straightforward. You take a journey across each of the seasons, solving simple puzzles that involve pushing boxes and triggering pressure plates. You collect silver keys to unlock gates, gold keys to open chests, and defeat each enemy to open purple doors. The enemies increase in difficulty the further you progress, becoming stronger and faster and each season culminates in a boss fight. These enormous creatures have a simple attack pattern and a little practice enables you to defeat them with ease.
A wholesome tale of friendship.
Without teamwork, you’ll fail to progress. Each of the characters brings unique skills that help you on your journey. Mina can unlock doors and chests, whereas Michi cannot be hurt. Using each one correctly is key to victory, and this is where co-op mode makes this a more pleasurable experience.
During each level, you’ll collect gems, new powers, and stat upgrades. Your new abilities unlock new areas and help you defeat your opponents. They ensure the gameplay is balanced and at no point is it either too easy or difficult. It’s an entry-level puzzle adventure game that is accessible to gamers of all skill sets and is great for families to tackle together.
Mina and Michi lacks detail but is nice to look at.
With its basic style, and colourful vivid tones, this won’t wow you, but it is pleasant to look at. The sprites are all simple and scream early console influence. Your foes look like coloured blobs, but they are apparently ghosts….who’d have guessed. I liked the change in the landscapes that matched the season, this prevented the simplistic style from becoming tiresome. The basic labyrinthine worlds are fun to explore and offer a bit of a challenge to navigate.
The wholesome tale is reflected in the heartwarming music. The upbeat tunes follow you as you make your way across the seasons. They are not overpowering and offer a pleasant distraction from the action on the screen. The 8-Bit sound effects matched the game style and the old-school influences.
Neither the audio nor the graphics offer anything new, but they are well constructed and deliver a pleasant gaming experience.
New mechanics are added regularly, but it’s easy to play.
Once you get over the difficulty of controlling both characters, you’ll find this an easy game to play. Mina and Michi regularly add new mechanics, but this doesn’t complicate the gameplay. With a simple tutorial, you’ll understand how to use each power and what they do. The controls are responsive and the simple layout makes it easy to understand.
Though most of its elements are well designed, it sadly lacks replay value. A small achievement list is easily unlocked and once you complete the story there are few reasons to return. Its first playthrough is enjoyable but short, and the option to play couch co-op adds an extra layer its peers’ lack.
Mina and Michi is short and sweet but it doesn’t reinvent the wheel.
With so many indie games available, it’s unsurprising they follow a similar pattern. Mina and Michi is guilty of this and doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It’s fun, cute, and offers enough to make it worth your time. It’s inexpensive so I recommend you to buy it here! Take a colourful adventure across the seasons and work together to overcome your many foes.
