Navigate a Desktop in Cute Platformer, MainFrames, Out Now

Indie studio Assoupi and publisher The Arcade Crew have released MainFrames, a platformer in which players need to guide a cute floppy disk across a desktop screen. It’s available on PC and marks the debut title from French developer Assoupi.

In MainFrames, players can create new paths for Floppy by rearranging program windows and jumping between frames. The further the player gets, the more they’ll encounter cheeky daemons peeking out from behind the scenes to sabotage Floppy’s efforts.

“Each level loads up new challenges, from tests of logic to boss fights powered by the OS itself,” Assoupi said in a press release. “MainFrames’ uplifting journey also features backdrops inspired by classic PC wallpapers; you’ll traverse pixel-perfect landscapes of desktop islands, cyber forests, and digital deserts while guiding Floppy on a nostalgic interface.”

Save As

Although floppy disks haven’t seen much use since the days of the Amiga, they’ve since become shorthand for saving a file, even for players who have never seen a real floppy disk in their life. However, in MainFrames, Floppy’s primary function isn’t so clear-cut and he needs help figuring out what he’s useful for.

From the subtle curve of a CRT monitor to the partial background reflection as if the player is really looking at a physical screen, MainFrames looks and feels like a retro platformer from the 16-bit days of gaming. However, its cute pixel art hides a variety of puzzles that stand in the way of Floppy’s journey of self-discovery.

“While challenging at times, MainFrames’ mischievous level design and welcoming world offers a fair platforming experience that won’t leave you feeling defragmented,” Assoupi said in the press release.

Assoupi was founded in 2020 in France by Théophile Garnier and aims to create games that are small in scope but big in ideas.

The Arcade Crew focus on titles with creative gameplay and have published a variety of games, from platformers to deckbuilders, including KUNAI, Blazing Chrome and Cross Blitz.