Miles & Kilo

About

Miles & Kilo is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by Michael Burns and was released on November 30, 2017. It received very positive reviews from players.

After their plane is downed by a mischievous specter, Miles and Kilo must find a way to escape a haunted archipelago. Help them run, jump, surf, swing, and slide their way through 36 levels in this fast-paced retro platformer.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

Skip User Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Fun and addictive fast-paced platformer/auto-runner with tight, responsive controls and well-designed levels.
Charming pixel art style and immersive, catchy chiptune soundtrack that enhance the retro arcade atmosphere.
Replayability is increased by ranking system with S ranks, achievements, and a time attack mode for competitive players.

The game is relatively short, with most players completing it within a few hours, and limited content might disappoint some.
Technical issues such as input lag, micro-stuttering, forced full-screen mode, and lack of windowed mode option detract from experience.
Some achievements are frustratingly difficult or poorly designed, and the trial-and-error nature of boss fights and certain segments can feel annoying.

gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
47%
18%
The gameplay of Miles & Kilo is praised for its smooth, addictive platforming that blends traditional control with an auto-running mechanic, offering varied and challenging experiences through two distinct characters. It combines retro 8-bit charm with modern design, encouraging both casual play and skillful mastery through performance grading and level objectives. While generally celebrated as one of the best platformers on Steam, some criticisms include the lack of windowed mode and limited level variety.
- “Miles & Kilo does a good job at taking us back to retro arcade-styled games with addicting yet challenging gameplay, combined with smooth experience and charming 8-bit pixel graphics.”
- “The gameplay features two characters with different styles: Miles offers precise, traditional platforming control, while Kilo dashes forward uncontrollably, requiring quick reflexes to jump and dash through obstacles.”
- “The game encourages both casual play and skilled performance by grading each level based on coin collection, fruit pickup, and completion time, rewarding players with ranks from C to S.”
- “The game features two characters with distinctly different gameplay styles: Miles offers traditional platforming with precise obstacle control, while Kilo dashes forward uncontrollably, requiring timing to jump and avoid dangers. This mix adds variety but the uncontrollable aspect can be challenging.”
- “There is no option for windowed mode, forcing players to play in full screen only. This can be inconvenient for those who like to multitask or switch between applications during gameplay.”
- “While the game mixes platforming with occasional runner mechanics, this combination can feel inconsistent and may not appeal to players looking for a purely traditional platformer experience.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
9%
8%
The music is widely praised for its relaxing, immersive, and charming summer vibes, featuring a great, varied soundtrack that complements the game's vibrant pixel art and challenging gameplay. Players find it enjoyable and non-repetitive, enhancing the overall experience with adventurous chiptune elements that suit both relaxed and competitive playstyles.
- “It has relaxing summer vibes and a charming soundtrack with fun gameplay.”
- “It is polished, has a great soundtrack, has tons of challenge with completely fair consequences, teaching, and design.”
- “There's variety in the level design and also multiple songs in the game, so it's not the same thing over and over.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The graphics receive praise for their charming, bright, and colorful 8-bit retro style that pays homage to classic NES-era games while offering more detail and smoothness. This nostalgic pixel art aesthetic, combined with well-made visuals and chip tune music, creates a timeless and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game's graphics effectively capture the appeal of vintage platformers with a modern polish.
- “For what is, at first glance, an unusual knock-off/lookalike of the much-iconic Super Mario Brothers that defined the platformer genre in the mid-1980s on the old NES, Miles & Kilo does a rather good job at taking us back to retro arcade-styled games with addicting yet challenging gameplay, paired with smooth experience and pixel 8-bit graphics that have a unique, timeless charm.”
- “The game is divided into 5 worlds, each with 7 levels including a boss fight. The graphics are done in an 8-bit style, but the game looks brighter, more colorful, and more detailed than anything on the NES.”
- “Charming characters with fun and witty dialogue are coupled nicely with well-made 8-bit graphics that pay homage to old NES titles.”
- “Not sure if it's the art style, level design, or mechanics.”
- “The graphics are bright and colorful but lack polish.”
- “Graphics are retro-style with charming pixel art, but could be smoother.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The story serves mainly as a basic setup for the gameplay, revolving around recovering plane parts to escape an island, but is considered minimal and not deeply engaging. However, completing the story unlocks a "time attack" mode that offers a challenging, competitive extension for players seeking more content.
- “Each bad guy steals a part to their plane and they go on a quest to recover their lost parts, put the plane back together, and get off this island.”
- “On that note, once the story mode has been completed, a new game mode will unlock called 'time attack', which acts as a recorded playthrough of all 36 levels, racing against the clock with each death and failed attempt counted—something expert platforming fans will love for bragging rights!”
- “A new game mode that unlocks after completing the story mode allows for more competitive play for those itching for more challenges.”
- “In any case, the story of the game is really not much of a story.”
- “In any case, the story of the game is really not much of a story.”
- “Each bad guy steals a part of their plane and they go on a quest to recover their lost parts, put the plane back together and get off this island.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from frequent micro-stutters and freezes that can cause input to be missed, significantly impacting gameplay and leading to frustrating deaths. Stability issues are a major concern for players.
- “The biggest issue is that the game frequently micro-stutters/freezes, completely omitting your input.”
- “I have had so many deaths during my playthrough for the last achievement due to these freezes.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game is relatively short, taking about four hours to complete, its unlocked time attack mode and achievement hunting provide engaging replay value reminiscent of classic titles.
- “It's not a very long game as it took me only 4 hours to get all the achievements, but there's a time attack mode that gets unlocked after you beat the game once which adds a little bit of replay value, especially if you're going for all achievements.”
- “Somewhat short but very replayable, like the lovable titles of the old days.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s optimization is well-designed, rewarding players with ranked performance based on objectives that promote both casual play and skillful efficiency. This system encourages repeated attempts to improve time and achievements, enhancing replayability and personal improvement.
- “Seeing as you are graded on your performance in each level via either a C, B, A or S rank depending on how many of the three objectives of each level that you meet, (that being how many coins you've collected, how many fruit you've picked up and how fast you completed the level) it encourages both casual gameplay on a player's first playthrough as well as more efficient and skilled methods for future attempts, be it for achievement hunting or for getting the best time record possible.”
- “Great soundtrack, nice pixel art, actually good bosses in a runner game, a rather high difficulty at times and a game that pushes you to improve yourself by ranking your performance.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers an exhilarating and immersive experience that evokes strong feelings of excitement and motivation, even for players not typically drawn to speedrunning.