Mikie – from Japanese Arcade Classic to Atari XL/XE Revival

Mikie is one of the most unusual and humorous arcade games of the 1980s. What seems like a simple story about a high school student trying to escape from class turns out to be a clever, fast-paced action game. Now, 40 years after its original release, Mikie has made its way to the Atari XL/XE in a stunning fan-made conversion.

The Arcade Original

Mikie was released by Konami in 1984, and distributed in the U.S. by Centuri. In Japan, it went by the title Shinnyū Shain Tōru‑kun and was set in an office, not a school. For Western audiences, Konami re-themed the game to take place in a high school, casting the player as Mikie – a mischievous student trying to collect hearts and reach his girlfriend, all while avoiding teachers, janitors, and security guards.

The game was originally available on arcade cabinets and was later ported to platforms such as BBC Micro, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Amstrad CPC, Acorn Electron, and SG-1000.

Gameplay and Stages

Mikie features fast-paced action across several inventive levels:

• Classroom – Push students out of desks to collect hearts while dodging the teacher.
• Hallway – Navigate to the correct exit while avoiding janitors and slippery floors.
• Locker Room – Smash lockers with your head to find hearts; dodge bouncing basketballs.
• Cafeteria – Throw roast chicken at chefs while gathering hearts.
• Dance Hall – Avoid the dance instructor and fellow students while collecting hearts.
• Sports Field – Gather hearts from football players and escape in a red convertible.

The original game featured catchy chiptune arrangements of The Beatles songs, such as A Hard Day’s Night and Twist and Shout. After completing all levels, the game loops with increased difficulty.

Atari XL/XE Conversion

In 2024, Polish developers brought Mikie to the Atari XL/XE platform in a faithful port. The project was led by Krzysztof "Vega" Góra (code & graphics), with Krzysztof "Kaz" Ziembik (graphics) and Michał "Miker" Szpilowski (music & SFX).

The Atari version is based on the BBC Micro edition but significantly improved:

• Full-color, detailed graphics
• Smooth animations and lively characters
• Accurate music reproduction and retro sound effects
• Runs on Atari 130XE (disk version) or 64KB RAM (cartridge version)

The cartridge version (v1.13) offers faster gameplay, more animations, and better visual fidelity. It also supports flash memory for high score saving and updates.

Physical Edition

A boxed cartridge edition was released, complete with a color manual and professional packaging. The cartridge is flashable, allowing players to update the game or store high scores. It's considered one of the most polished homebrew releases for the Atari XL/XE.

Conclusion

Mikie is more than a quirky arcade throwback – it's a game packed with charm, challenge, and clever level design. Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated Polish team, Atari XL/XE owners can now enjoy this unique title in a version that arguably surpasses the original.