When it comes to video games, one thing is universal: releasing one is tough. But releasing 50? At once? That’s another boss level entirely. This is the challenge for the team behind UFO 50. This much anticipated 8-bit anthology of retro-styled games is finally due to release this September, seven years after its announcement. With 50 games included, the wait is justified.
UFO 50 is a jumbo variety pack of complete video games, each with its own title, genre and story. “They’re not minigames,” asserts developer Derek Yu and creator of 2008 platformer Spelunky, named one of the greatest games ever made. “Every game could exist as a full release on some 80s console or computer.”
The conceit that ties the collection together is that all these games came from one mysterious (and fictional) 80s video game company, UFO Soft, which developed the entire catalogue for an equally fictional games console. They are a mix of single and multiplayer, and include everything from puzzle games and platformers to tactical war games, RPGs, and some which don’t fit into a typical category at all – such as Pingolf, a side-scrolling pinball-golf hybrid, or Waldorf’s Journey, where you must try to bounce your flying walrus into your friend’s flying walrus. Each of them looks like it could have been released for the NES, but with distinctly modern gaming sensibilities. Think low-res, high-concept.
Some genres in the mix simply didn’t exist in the 80s – roguelike platformers and tower defence games – while classic genres bring new mechanics to their retro roots. “Take Mini & Max, for example. It looks like a regular platformer, but you can shrink or grow yourself anywhere to explore the world. You might find an entire microscopic city on an otherwise unassuming tile of dirt,” hints Yu.
And while some are simple arcade-style experiences, where aiming for a high score is the name of the game, others are much greater in scope. “Grimstone is one of the largest games in our collection. It’s an RPG, and I don’t think it’s crazy to say that it could take 20 hours to play through it,” reveals Yu. “UFO Soft’s history stretches from 1982 to 1990, and the games become more technically advanced over the years. As you explore the timeline, you’ll find that some games have sequels and recurring characters.”
One such character? The company’s mascot, Pilot, appears in many of the games – as well as the dedicated Pilot Quest, a top-down action game in which you explore dungeons and grow your home base.
The not-so-fictitious team behind UFO 50 are a six-strong supergroup of indie game developers, known for cult hits such as Spelunky, Catacomb Kids, Cadence of Hyrule, Madhouse and even card games such as Air, Land & Sea. The 80s gaming style is more than just aesthetic for this group. “Everyone on the team loves the mystery and allure of 80s games,” says Yu.
“You weren’t always sure what kind of experience you were in for, and that alone added an air of tension and excitement … They weren’t afraid to let you get a little lost as you played. Despite the limitations of the hardware, they felt more adventurous in their design.” The original Legend of Zelda was a particular reference point for Yu personally: “I remember playing the game while my dad drew maps, marking the locations of dungeons and secrets. It really felt like we were on an adventure together, working as a team to figure out where everything was and how it all worked. The graphics weren’t realistic, but the world felt so incredibly real to me.”
There is certainly a lot to explore in UFO 50: playing all of these games, uncovering their secrets and finding the connections between them could take months. But whether you’re intimately familiar with this era of video games or not, making those discoveries will be a lot of fun.
