Music Power Up is a new retro-styled sim from developer microStudio where players take on the role of an upcoming video game music composer. The game is set in the 80s and pays homage to those burgeoning times with bold pixel art and plenty of chiptune action to enjoy. The aim is to rise to the top and get hired for the best games. There are business meetings in the pub, magazine reviews critiquing the music made and the opportunity to upgrade the equipment from payments of the work.

It’s not just making the music and sound effects for games. Once the work is done, players will be able to play the arcade games and experience the final results for themselves. Music Power Up is slated for a Steam release in 2025 but has already received awards for its ingenuity. It won the IndieCade 2024 Audio Design Award this week. The IndieCade jury declared that they were “blown away by the breadth of gameplay experiences focused on the performance and playfulness of music”, praising the game for its meticulously crafted soundtrack and sound effects, innovative minigames and variety of mechanics.