2024’s most ambitious game recaptures the lost joy of the 8-bit era

This story is part of Save State, a bi-weekly column focused on the evolving nature of retro gaming.

Sometimes, I’m nostalgic for a feeling, not a specific game.

I’ve learned that about myself while playing UFO 50, a new game from a star-studded lineup of indie developers, including Spleunky’s Derek Yu, Downwell’s Ojiro Fumoto, and more. That massive collection of 50 original 8-bit games (“developed” by a fictional ’80s studio called UFO Soft) offered me a sense of discovery I haven’t felt uncovering new video games in a long time.

One of my favorite games early on in the package is Mortol, a platformer where players must sacrifice themselves to clear obstacles and get through a level. I adored it but assumed it was a one-off in this sea of 50 games. That’s why I was shocked to discover that it had a full-on sequel in the package, one that radically reinvents a formula that I had no idea existed until I stumbled upon it.

As someone who covers video games, not much surprises me about this industry I love anymore. UFO 50 brings that lost energy back. While its retro aesthetic and fictional “lost games” premise are what initially drew me in, it’s the unique kind of nostalgia the package taps into that makes it appealing. As Mossmouth’s Derek Yu tells me in an interview about the upcoming game, that feeling is only possible thanks to a commitment to authenticity that goes beyond simply 8-bit lip service.

An original throwback collection

UFO 50 is a collection of 50 original retro-inspired games. The conceit is that they are all supposed to be from a forgotten game developer, UFO Soft, that released games between 1982 and 1989 on its LX console. That hook is what initially drew me to UFO 50. I’m a sucker for games like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics as they offer insight into their creation and allow me to experience them chronologically as players did back when they were released

The UFO 50 development team worked to recapture that authentic vibe