Dr. Micro

Dr. Micro is a cooperative platform game released in 1983 by Sanritsu, challenging players to thwart the plans of a mischievous scientist and dismantle his creations. The gameplay unfolds across three distinct single-screen stages. Initially, two players navigate a series of moving platforms while shooting enemies that populate the screen; later, one player controls a floating ball to eliminate foes and open an exit before the ball disappears entirely, requiring periodic refills from below. The final stage takes place on the scientist's assembly line, demanding careful maneuvering around machinery and confronting two imposing robots guarding his laboratory. The game’s design incorporates a unique mechanic where vital resources gradually deplete, potentially foreshadowing later developments in the platform genre. Distinctive features include detailed animations, such as one character’s lifeboat following him across the first screen, and an unexpectedly familiar soundtrack featuring music from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Dr. Micro employs a vertical-screen format, controlled with a four-way joystick and a single button; it is designed for two simultaneous players.