UFO 50 was the best game released last year. I'm still nursing a grudge against my editors for leaving it off our list of the best games of 2024, but now, finally, I'm too happy to care, because UFO 50 is on Nintendo Switch and getting an incredible-looking physical collector's edition and guidebook that I'm about to slam the pre-order button on.
This is essentially a collection of 50 NES-style retro games created for a platform that never existed, created by Spelunky dev Derek Yu and a handful of other notable indie devs. Yu described UFO 50 to me as something of "an open-world game in its own right," where the idea is to explore the library like you would a box full of forgotten NES cartridges, or even a folder full of ROMs for your favorite emulator.
It's a whole lot like Nintendo's own Virtual Console, in fact – an invitation to discover a forgotten trove of retro games you never got to play before. The collection includes just about every genre you can think of, from JRPGs and platformers to idle games, deckbuilding roguelikes, and even real-time strategy games, and most of these titles rival – or in some cases surpass – the classic games that inspired them.
I can't say enough good things about UFO 50, and that's why I'm so excited it's moved beyond its PC launch with this Switch release. But personally, I'm holding out for the new physical edition that just went up for pre-order on Fangamer, which comes complete with a retro-style strategy guide breaking down each of the 50 included games with gorgeous art, big maps, and nostalgic layouts. Am I going to start my quest to beat every UFO 50 game over from the start just because of a shiny new physical Switch edition? It's looking increasingly likely.
UFO 50's inspirations from the best NES games are plain to see.
