As the title indicates, Macbat 64: Journey of a Nice Chap is for players who enthusiastically gobbled up N64 3D platformers in the ’90s. With so many developers going for NES and SNES styles, I respect a game that looks to the N64 for inspiration.

You play as the titular bat, helping a parrot collect six keys needed to enter the Kiwibbean’s water factory to restore production. While the plot isn’t anything special, the characters you meet all manage to have a fair amount of personality within the limitations of a couple of lines of dialogue. You can chat with all of them. One even has a fully voiced cameo from Grant Kirkhope!

The levels you’ll explore are small but diverse. None should take more than a few minutes, but they look and play uniquely. Some are straight collectathons, while others have little puzzles to solve. One plays in a 2.5D fashion à la Kirby 64. There’s even a kart racing level.

My favorite is Tubular City. The sky’s bathed in neon purple, and the platforms are Rubik’s Cubes. At The Twin Palms Mall, you can play a minigame in the style of Zelda II and talk to someone looking for Sarah Connor. Small ’80s surprises like these (and more) perhaps don’t fit the overall ’90s tone, but they’re a lot of fun and not overdone.

As fun as it all is, it doesn’t last. In fairness, you do unlock a Bonus-Book with a few extra levels, but they aren’t as fitting or polished, and thus not as enjoyable. Macbat 64 clocking in at 90 minutes does leave me wanting more. But, I suppose it’s better than having Donkey Kong 64 bloat. For only $1.99, how much can I complain?

If you have an hour or two to spare, Macbat 64: Journey of a Nice Chap is pretty good for the inexpensive price. The blurry visuals and the subpar camera are part of the nostalgic charm. The fun characters and level designs have me hoping for a more substantial sequel. So, pick this one up to help make it happen.