UFO 50 is a masterful compilation of retro-style games that invokes the sense of delightful discovery at the heart of the 8-bit era.
By Steve Watts on September 18, 2024 at 12:17PM PDT
Discovery in video games has changed over the last 40 years. While we are arguably in a golden age of creativity and innovation in the medium, it’s a different type of creativity than when games were in their infancy—learning to crawl, grappling for new ideas, and guessing at best practices. Modern-day games have become largely standardized, and that’s mostly for the better. But when we look back at retro game collections like the NES Classic or compilations from Digital Eclipse, we’re often remembering the trailblazers, not the oddballs. That’s what makes UFO 50 so special—it invokes the sense of wild experimentation and surprise that you would find in a cross-section of the earliest video games.
The pitch is simple: UFO 50 is a compilation of fictional retro games made throughout the 1980s by a prolific developer called UFO Soft. They range from 1982 to 1989, and span across the entire gamut of retro genres. The presentation leans into this, as selecting a game for the first time has you blowing the dust off of it. You get the sense that you discovered these forgotten gems in an attic or garage sale. And for the most part, the games carry the design and story aesthetic that was common in ’80s games, which I would describe as “sci-fi pulp as reimagined by early computer programmers.”
In reality, the games were crafted by a team of contemporary developers, spearheaded by Spelunky’s Derek Yu. Opting to create not just a single retro-style game but an ambitious suite of 50 is a monumental endeavor. Contrary to expectations of simple minigames, these titles echo the size and depth typical of games from the 1980s—smaller by today’s standards, yet not diluted in their retro authenticity.
Though UFO 50 does not unfold a linear narrative, the overarching meta-fiction of UFO Soft adds a layer of depth. The evolving company logo, the increasing complexity and refinement of games, and improved artistic direction and quality-of-life features illustrate the fictional timeline. Each game includes developer notes hinting at intertwined plots within the studio, covering aspects like leadership and key personalities. Notably, sequels showcase an early form of iterative development, resulting in distinct gameplay evolutions from similar foundational concepts. In particular, the game Night Manor—a point-and-click adventure—offers a look at early cinematic innovations that could have been influential within this fictional universe.
The simplicity of controls in many early games means they are often learned through play, which can be frustrating at times, especially when more complex mechanics are introduced, as seen in games like Devilition. Others, like Mooncat, challenge players with unusual and unintuitive controls. This realism mirrors the historical gaming landscape where developers experimented with complex board-game-like mechanics or unique control systems, even though such challenges sometimes made patience wear thin among the plethora of available games.
Despite their retro foundation, many of these games incorporate unique twists or features that set them apart within their genres. Players have the option to favorite games for easy access later, and as games become more polished with progression, the inclination to revisit and fully explore each game intensifies. UFO 50 allows for a flexible playthrough in any order, offering rewards—like decorations for your garden and a golden cartridge for each game completed—acknowledging deep engagement and completion.
To give a taste, here are mini-reviews of some of my favorites in the compilation:
This puzzle platformer offers a range of minions ready to sacrifice themselves for the common good, with both resources and lives coming from the same collective pool. Each minion can perform a “ritual”, such as embedding into walls, transforming into a stone block, or detonating passages, allowing you to advance through stages by strategically deciding when and how to sacrifice them. It was succeeded by Mortol II, later in the set, introducing a more intricate class-based system for using your altruistic minions. However, the simplicity and appeal of the original game remain captivating.
A dodgeball-inspired combat game featuring samurai characters, where you use your katana to deflect incoming projectiles back at opponents. Besides requiring precise timing, each character possesses unique abilities, offering ample opportunities for replay and skill improvement.
Camouflage presents an innovative puzzle experience grounded in stealth dynamics. Playing as a chameleon, mostly defenseless, you must make it to your safe haven while dodging vigilant predators. Utilizing your ability to blend in by changing colors according to the tile you’re on, you carefully strategize your path to acquire new camouflage patterns. The game includes additional challenges like collecting items and safeguarding a baby chameleon, which adopts camouflage as well, significantly increasing the difficulty.
Possibly my favorite surprise of the bunch, Party House is an ingenious puzzle game with mechanics similar to modern deck-builders. You’re given a strict number of turns to throw a series of parties, and you control the guest list. Each guest comes with bonuses to your cash and popularity—cash expands your house, and popularity goes toward inviting new guests. Some guests have “Troublemaker” attributes that will attract the cops, while others might sacrifice some popularity for cash, or vice-versa. Dancers stack as a multiplier for popularity. One party-goer even brings a random friend who risks overloading your party and summoning the fire marshall to kick someone out.
The party commences, a random assortment of your rolodex of party-goers shows up, and you tabulate your cash and popularity to put toward the next party, all while steering toward some particular win condition like having four aliens attend a single party. It’s shockingly compelling, and easy to keep the party going for just one more turn late into the night.
The is one of the shortest games of the collection but also one most suited to multiplayer. The Big Bell Race is pure game mechanics: You’re a spaceship navigating through a boxy maze-like racetrack while bouncing off the other racing ships and grabbing power-ups that create track hazards for your competitors. A single tournament is eight quick races, but the competition can be fierce, and you can always play two-player to bump elbows against a friend.
At first glance, Warptank appears similar to the classic Blaster Master tank segments, but it’s the “warp” in the name that really sets it apart. At any point, your tank can flip from floor to ceiling or to opposing walls. Navigating a stage is a delicate balance of avoiding traps and taking out enemies by frequently gaining access to new vantage points, giving it a fierce action-game feeling that also tickles your brain.
This platformer, reminiscent of Warptank, introduces a unique twist in the metroidvania genre by allowing the player, an alien soldier, to change gravity polarity with a double-tap jump action. This mechanic cleverly utilizes the game’s environments and adversaries, making it possible to invert stages on demand, akin to Symphony of the Night’s inverted castle scenario, but under the player’s control.
Pingolf modernizes the concept of sports in gaming by combining golf with side-scrolling platform mechanics and pinball elements, set against a sci-fi backdrop. The game features tricky bends and bounce pads, offering a gameplay experience somewhat akin to the innovative Cursed to Golf, yet it remains distinct in its approach.
Fist Hell revives the charm of retro games through its pixel art and unique premise involving zombie combat with melee and improvised weapons. This game offers humorously gory interaction reminiscent of the boldness seen in ’80s titles. With four characters available, it promises extensive replayability.
In Valbrace, a blend of nostalgia and innovation is found in its first-person dungeon-crawling RPG format, reminiscent of classics like Dungeon Master. High-quality presentation and unusual, pattern-based magic system using the D-pad enhance the gameplay, providing a resilient learning curve through spell memorization and mapping, even after character demise, which ensures easier subsequent runs.
A side-scrolling action game that follows the tradition of Ghosts & Goblins, this game challenges you with waves of demons accompanied by a distinctive revival system. Highly susceptible to attacks and often defeated, you can revive yourself by maneuvering through the spirits on a spiritual plane. With every demise, the number of demons increases, escalating the challenge to reclaim your physical form.
This game represents less of a nostalgic re-creation and more of a bullet hell anomaly, incorporating elements rare for NES-era games. Named Star Waspir, it features an intense risk-reward gameplay with constant power-ups positioned dangerously close to enemy attacks. This design offers rigorous, reactive combat that revitalizes the genre through a vintage lens.
Set in a mythical version of the Old West, Grimstone introduces a classic JRPG experience starting with an angel saving adventurers from a fire-engulfed saloon. These adventurers group together to chase outlaws. The visuals remind one of early Final Fantasy titles, yet it innovates with a timing-based combat system that adds contemporary flair.
Imagine a strategy game infused with elements of air hockey titled Lords of Diskonia, where you gather resources from villages to fund an army of knights, archers, and champions. However, the battlefield here is unconventional, with your troops represented as varying-sized disks that collide with enemy units upon attack. This approach not only shifts the strategic genre but also adds a lively, tactical element to gameplay.
The concluding installment of the series cleverly critiques the pervasive Turtle-mania of the late 1980s, when nearly every animation studio and game developer attempted to craft their version of sassy, franchise-ready animals. In “Cyber Owls,” players join a squad of elite owl warriors, navigating diverse levels tailored to match the unique abilities of each character—from brawling to covert operations. This installment not only varies greatly in its gameplay but also adds a sense of cinematic flair, beautifully capping off the fictional narrative of game development across the decade.
“UFO 50” is a bold masterpiece. Many of the games are captivating enough to justify complete playthroughs, while even the less polished entries include fascinating innovations or concepts. What makes this collection superior is the opportunity it presents to delve into a pool of unusual and artistic video game experiences. This isn’t just reminiscing the sweet, familiar past—it’s about recapturing the thrill of encountering the unknown anew.
