UFO 50, a collection of 50 single-player and multiplayer games from Spelunky studio Mossmouth, will launch for PC via Steam on September 18, the developer announced.
Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:
About
UFO 50 is a collection of 50 single and multiplayer games from the creators of Spelunky, Downwell, and Catacomb Kids. Explore a variety of genres, from platformers and shoot ’em ups to puzzle games, roguelites, and RPGs. Our goal is to combine a familiar 8-bit aesthetic with new ideas and modern game design.
- 50 Brand New Games – These are NOT minigames or microgames! Although the size of each game varies, every one is a complete experience with its own title screen, intro, and ending. Some are small arcade-style games but there are also larger open-world adventures and a JRPG that could take many hours to beat.
- An Alternate Universe – According to the story of UFO 50, the games were all created by a fictional 80s video game company that was obscure but ahead of its time. Some games are sequels to other games in the collection and various characters appear in multiple titles as part of a shared continuity.
- An Instant Library – All 50 games are available to play at the start! The concept was inspired by multicarts, retro collections, and the experience of going to a friend’s house and perusing their game library. Jump in and out of games at a whim – exploring the collection is part of the fun!
- Authentic But Also Modern – We carefully chose what elements to modernize. Every game shares a unique 32-color palette and we took great efforts to make them look and sound like actual 8-bit titles from the 80s. On the other hand, it was important to us that UFO 50 was fun and surprising for modern players, so we chose not to limit ourselves to the genres and design conventions of the past.
- Versus and Cooperative Play – Roughly a third of the collection features local multiplayer, including cooperative play and versus. You can compete head-to-head in a new fighting or strategy game… or team up to beat a classic arcade game from an alternate timeline. It’s great for groups!
Here are some of games you’ll get to play in UFO 50:
- Campanella 2 – The sequel to Campanella (another game in UFO 50), Campanella 2 features procedurally-generated levels where you can explore in your UFO but also hop out to enter shops and dangerous caves. You play as the intrepid treasure-hunter Isabell, but she hasn’t always been a hero – by playing the entire collection you can learn more about her past.
- Quibble Race – In this unique sci-fi “horse-racing” game, the goal is to win more money than your opponents, but why stop at betting? Thanks to the seedy alien underworld, you can hire thugs to tamper with the race or even sponsor your own quibble to earn extra credits. But your opponents can do the same, so the question is… how well can you anticipate their actions? Up to three players can compete in this turn-based game of betting and bluffing.
- Pingolf – A fan favorite at PAX, Pingolf is another fun multiplayer game that mixes golf with pinball. As you navigate 18 holes filled with bumpers, trampolines, and other crazy obstacles, a dot matrix display will light up at the bottom of the screen to cheer you on!
- Seaside Drive – Sometimes you’ll want a break from long, open-world games and challenging strategy titles, so why not jump into a straight-forward arcade-style action game like Seaside Drive? But even in a popular genre, UFO 50 brings something new to the table—in this case, Ojiro Fumoto (the creator of Downwell) designed a stylish car-based shoot ’em up where “drifting” across the screen is how you power-up your gun.
- Grimstone – Yes, there is a full blown JRPG in the collection! Grimstone follows many conventions from 8-bit console RPGs, but is streamlined for a modern audience. Also, to make combat more engaging, we added a skill-based component to battles and encounters on the overworld can be strategically avoided. The story takes place in the American Wild West, where somehow the land has been swallowed up by Hell! Creating your party from the ashes of a burned-down saloon, you’ll be looking for answers as to why it happened.
And that’s just five games! Out of 50! So come join us and enjoy this collection of 8-bit classics from another dimension! There’s something for everyone!
Watch a new developer diary below.