UFO 50

This game (or rather collection of games) is a parody of Action 52 (look it up if you are unfamiliar) and I use that word "parody" in the most salutatory sense: whereas the 52 games that make up the latter are only marginally playable and in no way marketable on their own, these games are all tip-top and I could easily see them individually listed and priced... well, in a way that adds up to more than the current price-tag.

I do want to take some time to complain about the achievements though. While there is something for everybody here, not everything will appeal to everyone. You may notice some very low percentages of folks who get all the achievements. This is not because the games are particularly hard, but they are so diverse that few people will be interested in mastering certain niche genres of gameplay that would would not normally appeal to them. Therefore, the idea of assigning achievements for such-and-such number of completed games is not necessarily the way to go. I think it would have been better for the community if the achievements would indicate which games in particular we have completed (like one achievement for beating Grimstone, one for beating Cheetahmen... er, I mean Cyber Owls and so forth) thereby allowing us to share additionally what kind of gaming experiences suites our tastes and connect with like-minded gamers. I get that the devs probably want as many people to play as many of the games as possible and I am not sure anything can be done about that now, but it is what I would have done.

But yeah, all that aside, this collection is a masterpiece of world-building, innovation, and nostalgia. As I said before, there is something for everybody (especially if you are into retro-style games like me) while the variety, challenge and fun of these games makes it an excellent investment any way you look at it. Personally, I think it is almost worth having just for... nope! I promised myself I would not go into any of the games specifically. I have gone on enough as it is.

so nice of derek to include 49 other games with velgress

ufosoft was really ahead of its time, thank you for archiving these classics!

It's awesome. You may not vibe with every game, you need to accept that some of them are harder then others, but it's a great experience to try to understand new game, learn it and beat it or even master it.

Strong recommendation from me.

These aren't just some small mini-games - this is a collection of 50 quality games, many requires hours to beat! You may struggle at first at choosing what to play as most games here require some time to get used to. Unsurprisingly, many of them also feature mechanics that has became discredited in modern games (e.g. lives system) so there's a high chance your first impression will be negative. Keep this in mind and try to have an open mind for them.

Now, to the games that I liked the most (I will update this review as I play more games):

Night Manor is a point-click horror game where you try to escape a spooky mansion. Cliche? Yeah sure, but the story is interesting enough anyway - although the story isn't the highest point of the game. Where the game truly shines is puzzles! No other PnC game ever was going so smoothly for me: literally every quest makes sense, and I only really stumbled twice for the entire game, and I solved them anyway without any outside help.
Visuals and music create an incredible atmosphere and the lore bits, while telling a predictable story, still manage to slowly immerse you into the game's world.

Rakshasa is a ghost-n-goblins-like - a very punishing platformer where you're supposed to fight your way from the start to the end with no saves. Sounds horrible? It's not bad at all actually, as the game's runs are fairly short and I believe (I haven't beat the game yet) you can beat the game within 10-15 minutes. But the way to this goal is long, consisting of many, many runs trying to learn the enemies and your character's movements (as they're not very mobile...).
The game has many secret power-ups that you will find as you try to beat it again and again - thus making the early parts easier for you, making it easier to reach the later points and experiment there! And wow, the game has much to show you: visuals are really good and threat variety is nice, giving you a good challenge to overcome.

This would be an incredible game for the sheer amount of effort it most have taken alone.

But the unbelievable consistency and quality of the games within this collection is what really sends it through the roof. There are games in here that make the collection worth it on its own, like Warptank or Mini & Max, but making each of those games just one of 50 is unreal.

If you appreciate indie games, you cannot miss out on trying UFO 50, I promise you that you'll find a few all time favorites in here.

I've played a majority of the games now and honestly I already would have recommended it after a few of them, but they constantly surprise me with how deep and fun every single one of them are. This collection is incredible, nearly every game has been great and the ones I don't like feel more like they're not for me than that they're outright bad games. Definitely worth it for anyone who loves video games, there's something for everybody

This is a game collection that gives you 50 wholly unique games from a made-up timeline. That is a lot of game until you realize the games were fully inspired by real titles from the early 80s. This fact was a bummer at first. I couldn't get very far, nor understand what I was even playing. Once I got to '84, things picked up. The games started clicking, and I started to win/beat some of them.

This is not a collection of itch.io games that are each like 20 minute experiences. These are all significant games that are 1 hr+ specifically made for this title. If it entices you, get it, there's bound to be something you like.

There is something for everyone in UFO 50. The consistency of quality is amazing. Every game has some interesting twist, secret, or thoughtful design that I didn't expect. I have finished 21 of the games, which has taken me 95 hours so far, and I still can't wait to play more.

An absolute steal for the price. It's full of polish, variety, attention to detail, innovative ideas and catchy tunes. Most people who don't like it just got filtered by the difficulty, even though none of the games featured are unfair or even as hard as the ones from the era they draw inspiration from.

I gotta say, at the end of the day, I did not enjoy my time with UFO 50. I lived and played through the era they are aping and, well, they get a lot of it right. But the really high difficulty of most games, the lack of manuals, the purposefully janky controls, all lead up to an experience that's nostalgic but not fun, not for me anyway. I tried every game, and beat 3. The lizard game was my favorite because it wasn't as hard as the others.

For those that enjoy retro games, this is a 10/10. The difficulty is good, the games hook you in, there is tons of variety so there are games for everyone. You may not like every game, but the games that win you over will win you over hard. It is also an interesting art piece about the evolution of a developer without shoving that in your face. It is tied for my GOTY 2024. It is also the perfect Steam Deck game.

I've barely scratched the surface of these games, and it's been an absolute delight each time I try a new one. There are games in this collection that I legit want sequels for. Perfect execution of nostalgia and just plain fun games.

There is an incredible amount of detail and love put into this game. I have almost 40 hours into this and have not even cracked open 25 games yet, and that is not because I'm not curious about them - I simply love the ones I've played too much to move on quite yet. I love games that make you feel nostalgic even if they're brand new, and this game explores just about every genre of retro game you could imagine, and more. Highly recommend!

i dont really know how they managed this but every game ive tried so far has been surprisingly deep and fun. the fact that the games have a retro vibe but have a lot of modern QoL touches really helps a lot. the difficulty on some of them is definitely up there though.

I am quite baffled at how good this game really is. I bought it on a whim after reading the concept of the game and realizing that a number of the developers were creators of some other Indie games that I was a fan of. I ended up bouncing around a bit when trying out all 50 and really expected to be disappointed by some of these games, but one after another was a banger. By the time I had played all 50 I even went back to a few that I wasn't a fan of and ended up liking them as well. It's truly amazing how many of these games are well done with extremely fun concepts, replayability, and peak art design. UFO50 shot up to my game of the year and is steadily rising as one of my all time favorites. If you are a fan of indie or retro games you will love something in here, I guarantee it. I have 45 hours and I feel as if I have only scratched the surface of this game, which is frankly very exciting. Nice job developers, you really made something special here.

An alien bootleg collection of gems both small and large. Totalling an immense 50 games, all of which are joyfully complete experiences, UFO 50 has something for everyone. Racing games, platformers, puzzlers of all shapes and sizes, combat-focused games, full-fledged JRPGs, and more.
Not only is the sheer quantity of games something to behold but the quality is nothing to scoff at either. Sure, some of the entries are better than others but most, if not all, of the games are worth playing and at 25 euros it's a steal.

remember the time before you had a "real" console/pc & used to get gifted those all in one, plug & play, composite cable, battery operated joints? it's like that but better <3

This is my GEM for 2024, A modern game with a strong retro style that reminds you of the 80s and 90s. The modern design is great and I feel like I am a kid again. 10/10.

Game of the year, potentially for multiple years. Impossible to properly articulate what a special thing this is.

I really want to like this, and there is a few games in here that I think I would really love - but the fonts are just so insanely inaccessible I just.. can't read any of it. And of course, the games that I was drawn to the most are the ones where you kinda gotta read (Night Manor my beloved).
In addition to the fonts, the controls are feeling very slippery and imprecise in many of the games which I guess is part of the "retro" theme, but it just lead to a lot of frustration and sudden deaths which felt unfair. I tried both keyboard and mouse and controller (PS4).

I think you just have to *really* love the older games and everything that comes with them - all the good and the bad.

This game is the definition of quantity over quality. Most of the games are decent but none of the ones I played really felt like they justified the collection(especially with its pretty steep price tag for an indie game). Most of the games have the complexity of flash games you could find for free. Nothing in this pack is awful but there are far better and far cheaper(often free)options if you're looking for a small retro indie game. Get it on a major sale if small indie games are you're thing but I really can't justify the base price for what it is.

Not for me, difficulty is too much in some of these games. There are a few good/decent ones out of the games i tried.

10 out of 10. a genuinely incredible feat of pure artistry. these devs are effing magicians.

there isn't a single dud in this entire collection. genres of games that i wouldn't personally give the time of day present themselves here in a way that is engaging and had me jumping out of my seat (not something i thought a strategy game would ever do). even if a game doesn't fully click, the vision for where it sits both in terms of UFOSoft's fictional history and the intentions of the game's design make for a captivating experience.

sit down with each of these games and give them some time. something really special sits at the heart of each of them. play with a friend too if you can! there's so many great co-op and head-to-head experiences to be had in here too.

some personal stand-out hits;
- the Campanella series (Planet Zoldath, Campanella 1, 2, & 3, Pilot Quest)
- Barbuta
- Mooncat
- Magic Garden
- Avianos
- Mortol
- Bushido Ball
- Night Manor
... and you'll probably find more!

Play Forever!

Forget Game of the Year, this is Game of the Decade. It's an immaculately designed collection that truly understands the nature of NES games. (Almost) every game is shockingly deep, astoundingly clever, original, and legitimately challenging. The Cherry'ing mechanic really takes things to the next level, as well. This game gives me hope for the future of games.

The spiritual successor to Action 52, except this time it's everything Action 52 wishes it could've been.

Absolute masterpiece. I've already sunk over 20 hours into this game and I still haven't played all the games in the collection. I expect to easily reach over 100 hours in the next few months.

Don't be turned off by the high difficulty like I was at first. These games are difficult - there's no doubt - but if you stick with them and learn their intricacies you'll soon master them and have a blast while you're doing it. I've now beaten several games I once thought were impossible.

The 8-bit graphics are perfectly done and the music is excellent too. This game is a must-play on steam deck in my opinion. I tried it on PC and just didn't enjoy it nearly as much as on deck. Once this goes to switch I expect it will explode in popularity.

This might sound like I'm exaggerating, but UFO50 made me love videogames again. For the first time in a while I'm super excited about the steam winter sale because I'm buying short, chill, fun-first games and playing little chunks of them at a time rather than forcing myself to play through something that requires a lot of my attention and trying to complete them one at a time. I'm also pretending that the new games I buy are more UFO50 content because I honestly cannot get enough of this. Incredibly special, and easily made it to my favorite games in the short time it's been out!

Great co-op and singleplayer games brings back nostalgia
This is a game that i needed for a long time.
it has so many diffirent types of games from metroid vania to roguelikes and tower defences its amazing!
every game i completed so far i really liked and aiming for getting as many gold and cherry disks as i can.
completing a game feels like you acomplished something huge wich is a great feeling!
I love it !! 10/10 <3

I've barely scratched the surface, but this game is like a cake that bursts flavour everywhere. Every single game I've played feels like an new and unique indie game with little to no flaws.


I am so excited to indulge in the rest.

About half of the games within UFO 50 would be worth buying and reviewing. There is something for everyone. It can be a little alienating at first but once one of the games gets its hooks into you cant stop playing. Then you learn there is a game within the game and a game withing the game withing the game.

One of the greatest video games I've ever played. The music is incredible, the graphics are charming, and the gameplay is top-notch. Each game is full of wonderful little wrinkles that change the way you play as you move from beginner to expert, learning surprising new mechanics and developing skills. Obstacles become opportunities, benefits become potential liabilities, and your appreciation for the care put in to each sub-game grows the more you play. UFO 50 stands as an incredible accomplishment in game design. It is hundreds of hours of fun and an absolute steal at $25. No matter who you are or what interests you have, this game is worth the price.

Right as I cozied up to UFO 50 for the first time, "dusting off" carts and feeling a sense of wonder with each new game, my brother passed away.

It sucked. And it continues to be the worst. But this game truly felt like it was by my side in the months since. It's a game meant to be played in pajamas, with real or imagined friends looking over your shoulder—like my brother once did—rooting you on into the late hours of the night.

It's that surprisingly great NES game you rented on a whim in the ’80s, except it’s fifty of those cartridges at your fingertips at once.

Not that it's some sort of magical fix for crushing grief, but it’s an incredibly warm, nostalgic, and wonderfully crafted experience. It’s "Nintendo Hard" at times, but never in a way that feels like the game hates you. It truly understands the magic of the best classic 8-bit games while seamlessly weaving in fun, modern mechanics.

For the completionists: I can’t think of another game I’ve ever played that felt this satisfying to 100%. At the same time, I can’t think of one that so perfectly hands you a controller and says, “Here. Pop in, play what sounds good. And jump into something else if you want.”

Just an incredible video game feast. I absolutely adore this thing.

I really, really want to like UFO 50 for a wide variety of reasons, but almost every game (except for the masterpieces that are Mini & Max and Pingolf, and a couple decent others) is really boring *and* way too hard, with the classic old school game design of really simple and uninspired mechanics stretched over the entire game, the playtime being created exclusively by unfair difficulty and limited or nonexistent lives.

There are a couple other games that seemed like they could be good, but that failed to capture my attention for long. Valbrace had a nice little combat system, but has gigantic maze levels, and you restart the entire level when you die. Grimstone is apparently a fan favorite, but I got bored out of it after a few minutes because... you know, JRPG. I also didn't find Night Manor interesting to play.

Even assuming those 3 are actually pretty good and it's my fault, the rest of the games are still very flawed. Many positive reviews I see are just old gamers saying they like UFO 50 because of nostalgia, and that's not really a valid reason to say a game is good.

I'm extremely mixed on this game, but overall I have to give a thumbs up. The best way I can describe UFO 50 is to ask if you've ever heard of those old "250 in 1" Nintendo carts. If you have, it's like if one of those was made with competent programming and great game design.

A couple of the games are addicting like old arcade games, some of them are classics I wouldn't have expected like tower defense- there's even a horror-style point and click title in here!

Where the game falls apart for me is how hard and antagonistic the AI can be in some of the games. There are a good ten or so games I can't play because the AI is programmed like a Skynet terminator intent to kill my enjoyment.

Overall, good game. Shout-outs to Night Manor, Pilot Quest, Porgy and Bushido Ball.

Combatants and Lords of Diskonia can take a big bite out of my ballsack.

Not clear how this can exist but it does. You'll hate some games, and love many others. Highly recommended.

Incredible game. Start with Party house or Avianos and then everything else is just gravy. Cannot believe how many of these games I love. Also, play it with someone else if you can, like a friend or your partner. Even if you don't play the 2 player co-op, it's really fun to choose various games and figure out how they work together and pass the controller back and forwards.

Ufo 50 is a game that i find very impressive but i generally dislike most games featured the reason is that the game has a frustrating difficulty at times. But the concept is so cool and the games are so unique that i always want to keep playing. I personally find the game to hard to enjoy at times. I do want to beat a lot more of the games but the game can be unforgiving and punishing that being said if you appreciate gaming as a artform and its history but its worth the price and should get more attention.

This game taps into a concept I find deeply fascinating: fantasy or parallel-universe consoles and the imagined history of video games. If you’ve ever played consoles with prebuilt games, tried those classic “XXX in one” cartridges, or more recently experimented with retro consoles like the Playdate or PICO-8, you’ll know exactly the kind of nostalgic joy this collection evokes. It captures the excitement of discovering a wide variety of gameplay styles and games you’ve never encountered before, all from the comfort of your home with a single console or cartridge.

The games in this collection are surprisingly solid in terms of quality. These aren’t PICO-8 or Warioware-style microgames, they feel like full-fledged NES-era games, without the limitations of 8-bit platforms (although it replicates them sometimes just for the sake of vibes and nostalgia). There’s a great balance overall, especially in genre variety. Nearly every genre you can imagine is represented, with an excellent mix of action and strategy games. One standout is a game that features FIVE distinct and well-developed gameplay styles in a single game 😱

The games vary in length and difficulty, offering something for everyone. There are simpler, score-based games for quick play sessions, as well as challenging, "story" driven titles that demand time and skill to master. Around half the games also include local multiplayer modes - both competitive and cooperative - which is always a welcoming addition. I especially enjoyed that some games have sequels, recurring characters, and images that carry over from one game to another. This only further enhances the "lore" of this fictional video game history.

The collection also includes some thoughtful quality-of-life features. For instance, games that lend themselves to multiple levels, like puzzle games, often have an autosave feature so you can leave and return without losing progress (though there are still games that require beating them in one go). Most platformers include a handy mechanic where you can drop down through platforms by pressing jump + down - a small but welcome touch that modernizes the experience without compromising the retro vibe.

I’ve played for about 20 hours and completed only around a dozen of the 50 games, and I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. Beyond just beating the games, there are tougher challenges to tackle in each one, as well as collectibles tied to specific in-game achievements. For completionists, this adds a lot of replay value.

If you’re a fan of retro games or have an appreciation for the medium as a whole, this collection is a must-have. The sheer variety and quality of gameplay packed into this anthology are incredible, especially at such an affordable price. Honestly, I’d love to see a similar project focused on early 3D graphics - I would kill to see something like that.

UFO 50 is a fantastic collection of games spanning many genres. Each game is incredibly polished with it's own lore, music and easter eggs. At less than 50 cents per game, even if you don't love them all, you'll still find enough to get your money's worth. These aren't mini-games either. These are full games that will take at least an hour or two (or sometimes a lot more!) Don't make the mistake I made playing Barbuta first and judging harshly.

A few favorites in no particular order:
Mooncat
Mortol
Kick Club
Warptank
House Party

Nothing I can add to the conversation that hasn't already been said. This is a 100% strong recommendation.

Had to refund because a lot of unexpected hospital bills (American posting) but god damn this game was good for the few hours I got to play it, looking forward to rebuying it when I can

You'll get nostalgia for games you've never played before. You'll feel like it's the 80s again and your friend's mom just bought them a new console and they have ALL the games. Incredible experience. Mossmouth should be proud.

im not a fan of every game in this collection, but it has enough good games that its worth the 25 bucks.

Indie GOTY for me easily.
I haven't played a collection of games let alone indie games like this that brought back so much classic nostalgia for me from when I was a kid without going back and playing those games.

Please give Barbuta a genuine chance it is so good once you know what you're doing.

in don't normally write reviews however this is genuinely one of the most incredible gaming projects i've played in a long time. the amount of games in this collection that could stand by themselves is crazy and there is nothing more satisfying then golding/ cherrying another game. i just hope this project gets even bigger then it already is because it deserves it!

What if Action 52 for the NES was actually really good and much cheaper? You get UFO 50, and it's already a GOTY contender for me. It's also the perfect Steam Deck kind of game.

A great time and if you skip every game by Derek Yu you'll have a better time than if you don't

TIP: You can see who made each game on Wikipedia :D

I...don't like it? I don't like it. I can't believe I'm saying this but I really don't like UFO 50.

I herd about UFO 50's development like 2 years ago and I thought it was a brilliant idea.
A game collection in the spirit of the infamous "Action52" but each game being a gem in their own right.

Unfortunately, what appears to have happened is pliability was sacrificed in the name of a meta narrative.
I've herd though people more in touch with things then me, that some games had features removed prior to release to make them harder or less polished.

It isn't just a lack of features that hold the games back, but confusing additions that you likely would never see in games of the era, Example: The Cowboy RPG that requires you to play a mini game for every party member's attack. I didn't see such mechanics in RPGs until modern day and then it was just for one special attack. The draw of older style turn based RPGs(for me at least) is the "zen like" state you can enter into for grinding to happen as you just watch numbers go up for your party. However the game in question requires your full attention the entire time your playing and it makes the experience feel tedious.

Much of my experience has been like this with UFO 50, the tedium is getting in the way of the fun and we left those sorts of design flaws behind for a good reason.

I can tell every Dev on this collection fucking slaps and I can't wait to see what else the can create unhindered by the restrictions of this collection.

Hey you, over there!

Do you like retro games?

Do you remember those totally legit game cartridges you got off...uh...let's see...eBay! Yeah, let's go with that. Those cartridges with 100-in-1 games which had 50 variants of a game where you play as some totally legally distinct red man that can jump and then 50 variants of a game where you can have a totally legally distinct yellow rat creature as a pet?

Well, what if I told you that there was an indie game that embodied those game cartridges, but instead of a ton of wacky, no fun, weirdly colored games, you got 50 games where some of them are decent at their worst and some of them absolute BANGERS at their best?

Yeah, get this game right now. Indie games represent. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find more time to sneak in some more games of Superpowered Samurai Extreme Table Tennis VS Battl- *cough* I mean, Bushido Ball. And also Man-Sticks-His-Head-Into-Wall-To-Create-A-Platform Platformer...I mean Mortol.