A new project called Micro Karting is bringing the spirit of kart racing games like the world famous Super Mario Kart to the Amiga platform. Now it is here with yet another update, that gives the game sound!
What many forget is that a large number of 3D games released commercially on the Amiga were original creations. Instead of relying on ports, developers built these experiences specifically for the Amiga hardware itself. This was quite unique compared to other platforms at the time.
Micro Karting is however here to show that mode7 is really possible on Amiga it seems, which is awesome. Read On…!
A Mario Kart-Style Racer for Amiga
Developed as a work-in-progress by bubu7te, with music by JMD. Micro Karting is not yet a full game, but rather a proof-of-concept exploring whether a 3D-style kart racer can run on Amiga AGA hardware without shortcuts.
Everything is written in raw 68020 assembly, using hand-optimized routines and fixed-point math to squeeze as much performance as possible out of the system.
Unexpanded Amiga 1200 is the target
What makes this game project for Amiga’s with AGA especially impressive, is that it runs on a completely unexpanded Amiga 1200, Amiga 4000 or Amiga CD32!
While performance improves with Fast RAM or accelerators, the demo already achieves smooth and responsive gameplay on stock hardware with only 68020! Something that is rarely seen with this type of pseudo-3D racing engine.
But with GRIND pushing 68000 OCS and ECS Amiga’s gaming further, while Micro Karting pushes the AGA Amiga’s. Xtreme Racing etc from 1995 needs a 68030 to look good etc.
In-game music in Micro Karting Demo 3
The latest demo version of Micro Karting introduces several important improvements, including the highlight of including in-game music, and the addon of enhanced track feedback. Players now can feel when their game character go off-road, with the kart shaking and slowing down, adding a much stronger sense of interaction with the track.
Technically, the project relies on chunky-to-planar conversion techniques, demonstrating how modern optimizations and clever coding can still push the Amiga far beyond what many thought possible.
The Amiga has already seen impressive racing titles such as XTreme Racing and even kart-style efforts like Virtual Karting. However, Micro Karting explores a more modern take on the concept, focusing on smooth performance and gameplay on stock Amiga 1200 hardware.
Micro Karting is still in full Development!
The developer makes it clear that this is still a tech demo.
The game is not done yet. It is at the stage of being unfinished, experimental, and constantly evolving. The real goal is not perfect graphics, but achieving responsive and enjoyable gameplay under extreme hardware constraints.
Micro Karting is a reminder that even decades later, the Amiga scene continues to experiment, innovate, and surprise. Amitopia loves the amazing Amiga community that shapes it’s future and the developers behind Micro Karting is for sure part of it.
