UFO 50, the ambitious collection of 50 original retro-inspired games, has officially launched on Nintendo Switch following its earlier PC release. The anthology brings a treasure trove of 8-bit and 16-bit style experiences to Nintendo’s handheld-console hybrid, opening up this unique project to a whole new audience.
Developed by a collective of indie creators including Derek Yu (Spelunky), Jon Perry (Time Barons), Eirik Suhrke, Paul Hubans, and Ojiro Fumoto (Downwell), UFO 50 isn’t your typical retro compilation. Rather than repackaging existing classics, it presents 50 entirely new games designed as if created by a fictional company called UFO Soft across an alternate timeline spanning the mid-80s to early-90s.
The Switch release comes with exciting physical options through Fangamer, including a boxed edition that captures the nostalgic feel of picking up a new cartridge during gaming’s golden era. Alongside the game, fans can grab an official companion guidebook packed with details, walkthroughs, and lore, addressing earlier feedback about the need for more in-depth instructions for the diverse collection.
What makes UFO 50 stand out is the substantial nature of each included title. These aren’t bite-sized mini-games but fully realized experiences, with many offering one to five hours of gameplay each. The anthology spans an impressive range of genres: platformers, RPGs, first-person dungeon crawlers, puzzle games, roguelike deck builders, tower defense, stealth games, and more. Many titles include features that would have been impossible on actual retro hardware while maintaining the aesthetic charm of the era.
Around half the games feature multiplayer or couch co-op support, making the Switch version particularly appealing for shared gaming sessions. Standouts like Party House (a roguelike deck builder), Grimstone (a JRPG), and Mini & Max have already gained cult followings from the PC release.
Not just a bunch of bits
The collection has earned praise for its extraordinary scope—some dedicated players report spending hundreds of hours exploring its offerings without fully completing everything. Each game exists within a shared universe, with the collection framed as the output of a single developer evolving over time, complete with hidden connections and in-jokes for attentive players to discover.
UFO 50 is available now on the Nintendo Switch eShop, with physical editions shipping soon from Fangamer. While no announcements for PlayStation or Xbox versions have been made, the warm reception to both the PC and now Switch releases suggests the collection could potentially expand to other platforms in the future.
