Initial release date: September 18, 2024
Platform: Microsoft Windows
Developers: Mossmouth, Moppin, Tyriq Plummer, Jon Perry, Paul Hubans, Mossmouth, LLC, Eirik Suhrke
Engine: GameMaker
Genres: Role-playing game, Platform game, Puzzle, Shooter game, Fighting game, Adventure, Strategy
Designer: Derek Yu
Publishers: Mossmouth, Mossmouth, LLC
It is not rare for indie developers to decide to create a game based on a specific retro era, usually from their youth. It’s not rare for certain developers to create games based on the specific constraints of a retro console, such as Shovel Knight and the latest Rugrats game, which were developed with the NES limitations in mind. But UFO 50 is something different, and far more ambitious. Instead of creating a retro-style game, Moss mouth (the development team behind Spelunky) decided to compile a collection of fully-fledged 8-bit games from a fictional platform they imagined. There are 50 of these in the bundle. An whole library for a system that does not yet exist.
It’s a daring accomplishment that took nearly six years to construct, and I’d be insane to attempt to describe all fifty games in this compilation. Let us begin by stating that the basis of UFO 50 is a historical archive of all games made by the fictional business UFO Soft for their LX video game platform between 1982 and 1989. This compilation contains a wide range of games, from simple puzzlers inspired by Rally-X and Splatoon to a platformer in which you control a football player kicking balls to defeat adversaries.
Do you wish to join an Owl Marines team in a pseudo rail gun arcade game? Then you’ll adore Cyber Owls. Bug Hunter seemed like a pre-X-Com game from the early 1980s, with turn-based strategic battle and even undertones of luck. In short, UFO 50 has something for everyone, making it practically impossible to be disappointed by any of its games. Almost all of them are more substantial than, example, an older NES title, even if the fictional description of several of these titles indicates that they were published three years before Nintendo’s iconic machine.
That’s one of my issues with UFO 50, but mainly in the sense that the games felt a little too current for a collection of obscure early 1980s classics. With several titles containing voice acting, extremely sophisticated colors, and all of them being shown in 16:9 as standard, they largely felt like a collection of fully fledged retro-styled indies, rather than what could have been found in a random Action 52-esque cartridge for an actual 8-bit system. But that’s a minor quibble when you consider that those games were designed to resemble the historical period in which they were originally produced.
My other little gripe? This is currently only accessible on Steam. UFO 50 is the type of game that would have been ideal for the Switch’s on-the-go capabilities. I get that you could theoretically play this on the Steam Deck or ROG Ally and have a great time with this mountain of stuff, but these retro-styled collections are ideal for Nintendo’s aging hardware. It’s essentially like having an even larger Switch Online library for a system that doesn’t exist. UFO 50 potentially contains as much stuff as the Switch’s NES online library.
I may not believe that UFO 50 fully succeeded in feeling like an actual compilation of 8-bit games released for a long-lost console in the early 1980s, with nearly all of its titles feeling like modern indies with a retro coat of paint, but when a good chunk of these titles are so much fun, that’s just anecdotal. What actually matters is that this is a package that provides an incredible lot of value for your money, covering practically any genre you can think of. Even if some of its games didn’t appeal to me, I had a terrific time exploring this library of “forgotten fictional titles”. Now, please do us all a favor and port this to the Switch right away.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 75%
Controls: 78%
Aesthetics: 72%
Content: 80%
Accessibility: 77%
Value: 82%
Overall: 77%
GOOD
Summary
“UFO 50” is a retro-style collection of 50 small games, each created with its own distinct charm and personality. While some of these games shine with engaging gameplay and creative concepts, others fall flat, feeling more like filler content. The pixel art aesthetic is nostalgic, and the overall package offers great value for the number of games you get. Though the collection is a bit of a mixed bag, it’s worth diving into for players who love old-school games and enjoy discovering hidden gems. It might not hit the mark on every game, but its variety and nostalgic appeal make it a fun trip down memory lane.