As a die-hard aficionado of all things retro, I must say that UFO 50 has truly struck a chord with me. It’s like these developers have peeked into my nostalgia-filled dreams and crafted a collection tailored just for me!
In 2012, rumblings about a game called Spelunky for Xbox 360 made their way to me, and I ended up trying out the classic free version of the roguelike platformer on PC to see what the hype was about. I fell in love with it, and I ended up buying the remake for Xbox 360 as well. This was one of my first indie game obsessions.
Amongst my all-time favorite games is the 2013 remake of Spelunky, initially released by Mossmouth. Across various platforms it has been ported to, this game holds a special place in my gaming collection, so much so that I purchased a PlayStation Vita primarily for portable access to Spelunky and another beloved title, Hotline Miami. My impulse to possess games I adore on multiple platforms is somewhat problematic, but Spelunky seamlessly integrates into my gaming routine due to its addictive “one more run” mechanic, captivating soundtrack, and ingenious game design.
Initially, I became convinced that I would purchase anything produced by Mossmouth. However, the upcoming project from this developer appeared a bit overly ambitious. It turned out to be UFO 50, an assortment of 50 games crafted by the minds behind Spelunky, Downwell, and others. Originally slated for release in 2018, UFO 50 was finally unveiled on Steam last month. Since then, I’ve been thoroughly engrossed with it since acquiring it for my Steam Deck, and the delay has proven to be well justified. In truth, I’m finding it challenging to determine its exact position among my top five games of the year. Despite not having completed every game in the compilation yet and still waiting to explore six of them, it’s already making a strong impression on me.
50 UFO Soft titles arrive as a collection for the imagined LX console, each game harkening back to the 80s gaming era. The initial game was created and launched in 1982, with subsequent games following through until 1989, culminating in the 50th title on the menu screen. These aren’t simple demos or low-effort games; instead, they are fully-fledged productions that span different sizes and genres, faithfully embodying the challenge, visuals, and gameplay characteristics typical of the time. The collection also features sequels demonstrating technological advancements over time, as well as hidden mysteries yet to be unraveled by me.
Initially, UFO 50 seemed incredibly ambitious, yet delving into it recently has left me with the feeling that I’ve barely scraped the surface of this expansive collection. Out of its 50 games, merely two are role-playing games. At first, I intended to focus solely on these two for the site, but each game I sampled was remarkable in quality and attention to detail, prompting me to expand my scope and cover the entire suite. This brings us to our latest RPG Site exploration, UFO 50. While the preamble leading up to this wasn’t intended as a nod to the development timeline of UFO 50, I felt it necessary to provide context for why this release holds significant importance.
Experiencing the initial startup of UFO 50 was somewhat intimidating. The screen displayed fifty dusty and cobweb-covered game cartridges, allowing me to pick any game and jump right into play. Unlike other systems where I had to unlock content, here everything was accessible from the start. I opted to approach it similar to old shareware CDs or demo discs from magazines, except this time, I got to enjoy full games.
Initially, I began perusing lists to find golf-related games, given my frequent engagement in both actual golfing and its digital mini-games. You may wonder why golf, right? Well, I spend a lot of time enjoying golf and fishing video games. By mistake, I ended up on Paint Chase instead. Paint Chase resembled a mix of classic racing games and the popular game Splatoon in an unexpected way. To be honest, it wasn’t what I anticipated at all, and since I jumped into this game without any prior knowledge, nearly every title comes as a delightful surprise.
After that, I sought out something more substantial and stumbled upon Grimstone, a Wild West-themed turn-based RPG from UFO 50’s 50’s. This game was remarkably reminiscent of the difficult and slightly unbalanced RPGs from that era. Among all the games in this collection, Grimstone is one of the largest, if not the biggest. The second RPG I found is called Divers; it’s another challenging game within this assortment.
Instead of being deeply fond of Divers compared to Grimstone, my top picks among games include: Pingolf – a fun blend of pinball and golf; Golfaria – an engaging golf adventure; Mini & Max – a thrilling platformer; Party House – a challenging strategy game; Star Waspir – a fast-paced shoot ’em up; Warptank, reminiscent of VVVVV; and Onion Delivery, a captivating arcade game.
Since I’m a fan who cherishes retro gems such as the Taito Milestones and regularly purchase Hamster’s Arcade Archives releases for Switch each month, UFO 50 appears to be a game tailor-made for my preferences.
Many games within UFO 50 offer a convincing representation of the difficulty, visual style, and sound quality that would be typical for their fictional release years. However, what truly sets them apart is the inclusion of contemporary mechanics or genre elements that were not commonly found in games from the 1980s.
Among the best gaming experiences I’ve had this year, UFO 50 stands out as a rare gem, almost unparalleled in its nature. It seems like an extraordinary release that might not be replicated again due to the exceptional value (offering 50 games for just $25) and the high-quality gameplay achieved after nearly a decade of dedicated work on various titles.
Although I haven’t completed most of the games in UFO 50 yet, some still being new to me, I’m eagerly anticipating an official guidebook that will cover all aspects in a few years. Until then, I’m having a great time sharing insights and playing UFO 50 with friends who are also progressing through the numerous games together.
One area I thought UFO 50 came a bit short of is the lack of any sort of fake manual scans, concept art, or game box renders as we see in other retro collections from SNK or Capcom. I felt like this would have added to the experience, but it is not a trivial amount of work. Hopefully, we do see something like that added in some form later on. I wouldn’t even mind buying it as a supporter DLC or bonus digital artbook. The history tab is a nice addition though with what it adds to the fictional history of the developer.
Initially, some games were more challenging due to the absence of user manuals or guides. However, I eventually realized that this was intentionally designed for a greater challenge. Back in the day, when I used shareware CDs and demo discs, there were no instruction books. Instead, I learned by exploring and experiencing the game myself. This felt like uncovering an ancient console filled with games catering to various tastes, offering high-quality multiplayer options as well.
One final element of the package I want to highlight is the soundtrack. With over 300 tracks, UFO 50’s sound design from Eirik Suhrke might be their best work yet with how varied the songs get across genres.
2024 has been a dream come true for me as a gamer! I naively believed that the RPGs released earlier in the year had secured my top picks, but boy was I wrong. This year seems to have been tailor-made just for me, delivering one amazing game after another. I can’t predict what my favorites will be by December, but UFO 50 keeps getting better with every game I play from it. Just like James raved about Nine Sols, I feel that UFO 50 is destined to create even more waves when it eventually comes to consoles. Until then, I tip my hat to UFO Soft and Mossmouth for transporting me back to the golden age of shareware gaming with this fantastic collection of retro gaming gems!
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2024-10-10 11:26