As an older gamer, you'd think I have a fondness for retro games. But I don't. I grew up when simply playing any video game was exciting, even if the game itself was bad. UFO 50 changes that. First released last year on PC and recently ported to the Switch and Switch 2 on Aug. 7, the unique indie title flips the script with a collection of 50 "retro" games that actually never existed.
UFO 50 is a collection of fictional retro games designed to look like they came out in the Apple II, Amiga and NES era, but built with modern gameplay ideas. Unlike pixel-art indies like Stardew Valley or Dave the Diver, these games stick to just two buttons and a d-pad, making the old-school design feel more authentic.
And precisely because of that, UFO 50 isn't for everyone. To enjoy this game, you really have to dig, for lack of a better term, gaming. That may sound pretentious coming from a reviewer, but the collection is both an homage to an important era of video games and a reimagining that weaves in modern concepts and ideas.
Even though UFO 50 debuted on PC last year, it feels right at home on the Switch and Switch 2. The Switch has long been a haven for indie games, and developer Mossmouth's collection fits perfectly into that tradition. Its 50-odd titles are great pick-up-and-play experiences -- you can knock out a race or level in just a few minutes, making it an ideal "toilet time" game. More importantly, though, these games shine on a smaller screen, giving you that cozy, retro feel of curling up on the couch with the kind of handheld magic older games used to deliver.
There are how many games?
As the name suggests, UFO 50 packs 50 games (plus one secret extra). Each title is unique, though some share mechanics, and a few are directly connected. The collection is framed as a catalog of games for a fictional system, the LX console, created by the equally fictional UFO Soft. In reality, developer Mossmouth -- the studio led by Spelunky creator Derek Yu -- "found" this catalog in an abandoned warehouse and released it for modern consoles, weaving dozens of mismatched games into a cohesive, chronological web of lore.
On the game select screen, you can dive deeper into each of the 50 titles. All are said to have been developed in the mid-1980s, representing different points in the studio's timeline, with inspirations ranging from movies and newspaper articles to even a worker's pet.
Yes, this is a tower defense game that looks like it could have been on the NES. Mossmouth
The 50 games span the genres popular at the time -- platformers, racing and various puzzle games -- but each comes with a bit of a twist.
There are games like Bushido Ball that resemble classic retro titles. This one, for example, plays much like the Neo-Geo game Windjammers -- only with samurai. Fist Hell is a Final Fight-style beat 'em up with zombies, where enemies are programmed to exploit certain angles, making it a particularly tough challenge.
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