The Mutation Micro Series-Tin Toy, Castle Kingdoms And Tommy Gun

You might remember a post I did a while back about the return of Mutation Software, where Adrian announced plans to re-release some of his classic titles to test the waters. Well, the games launched a few weeks ago as planned—and the best part? All three sold out within hours!

Now, if you’re thinking, “Oh no! I forgot to place my order!”—Don’t worry. Adrian is already hard at work on a second production run, which is expected to be ready early next month.

Let’s kick things off with the one I’ve always had a soft spot for—Tin Toy Adventure, a charming platformer that remains my personal favourite of the bunch.

Tin Toy Adventure…

The first thing you’ll notice about the Micro Series games is the unique packaging—they come in tiny jewel cases, unlike anything I’ve seen before. I have to admit, I initially expected them to arrive in standard jewel case packaging or something more traditional.

These new cases are roughly the size of a floppy disk, and the build quality feels solid and well-made from what I can tell so far.

The box art has also been updated since the original 2006 release (more on that later). While I did like the old design, this new version looks far more polished and professional, exactly what you’d expect from a modern retro release.

Tin Toy Adventure comes on two floppy disks—the maximum number these compact boxes can hold.

One minor downside to this packaging is that the back cover art is hidden beneath the floppies, so you’ll need to remove the disks if you want to see it.

Here’s a look at the back of the box—there are no screenshots or detailed information, and the manual is limited to just a few lines. But honestly, who really needs a thick manual for a game like Tin Toy Adventure?

That said, the first disk includes instructions as well as a hard drive installer, so there’s no real need for a printed manual at all.

The floppy labels look great and feel very well made, too.

Each box includes a sticker—at first, I thought it was a coaster—that features an image of their upcoming game, Wiz, a brand-new title for our beloved Amiga.

I also have the original versions of these games and want to share some photos to show how those boxes compare. After seeing them, I’m sure you’ll understand why I wanted to own both editions—and why you might want to as well.

The first version came in a traditional CD case with completely different art, and as you can see, the print quality is far from the 2020 version.

Here’s a look inside the CD case. The floppy disks feature simple labels and are held securely in place by a unique attachment system inside the cover. The only downside, once again, is the back cover, which only reveals the floppies rather than screenshots or additional artwork.

If you haven’t picked up the game yet, I highly recommend it. It’s a solid title, and the new packaging makes it well worth adding to your collection.

Added some animGIFs for you guys.

Next up in the series is Tommy Gun, a classic crosshair shoot ’em up.

Tommy Gun…

I never really enjoyed Tommy Gun all that much. While the graphics and style are solid, the gameplay just didn’t click with me, even though I’m a fan of similar shooters like CABAL and Operation Wolf. Still, I couldn’t resist picking up this new version, of course.

The cover art on this release is truly stunning. I love the vibrant use of colours, and in my opinion, it’s the best-looking box among the three new releases.

The game comes on a single floppy disk, and just like the cover, the disk label looks fantastic.

The back of the box is equally colourful and well-designed, rounding out a visually impressive package.

Added some animGIFs for you guys.

The third game is Castle Kingdoms, a game that many probably never played but should give a chance, as it is a solid game that deserves more recognition thanks to its action-adventure RPG-ish feel.

Castle Kingdoms…

The box art for Castle Kingdoms, like the other two titles, is well-designed with great use of colour and style. The front cover is my personal favourite for this one, but the more I look at the floppy disk label, the more I appreciate that too.

It’s a solid title overall, and I strongly encourage you to go online and grab a copy while you still can.

I’ve also added a few animated GIFs for you to enjoy!

So that wraps up all three games for now. As mentioned earlier, these are re-releases—games many of you have likely played in one form or another. But now’s your chance to show your support and own them in these beautifully packaged, collector-friendly editions.

Oh, and yes—there’s one more thing worth mentioning: all the boxes come with matching spines. That means collectors will definitely want to grab the entire series to avoid any frustrating gaps on the shelf later down the line.

Back in the day, I never managed to get my hands on the original Tommy Gun and Castle Kingdoms boxes, but thankfully, I was able to pick up the Mutantology compilation a few years later to help fill the gap.

Mutantology…

The compilation itself is solid in terms of game content; ten great titles in total, including three commercial releases. It also features the excellent Blitz Bombers and Dream Cars, which are both fantastic additions.

However, I’ve always had the impression that the compilation felt a bit… unofficial. The print quality is poor, the CD-R feels cheap, and the label design is honestly quite dreadful. It gives off strong Epic Marketing or Alive Mediasoft vibes—if you know, you know.

So, what’s the solution then, you might ask?

Go online, order these 3 new re-releases from Mutation Software website right now to support and to show that the Amiga is still alive and that it might be worthwhile to develop brand new games for, they ain’t expensive and you can even buy them as digital downloads too if you got no room or interest for the boxes. 

For Prices and more information, go to the Mutation website.