Instead of looking at this list as the definitive list of the best games to play inUFO 50, I encourage you to look at it as a list of ten great games that deserve your attention. Truth be told, this collection is extremely strong, and it contains way more than just ten great games.
While I can’t promise that your favorite game of the collection will be in this batch, I can promise you that each and every one of these games is excellent. As such, you shouldn’t necessarily take this order as being a ranking of their greatness. They areallgreat.
There really are too many great games for this to be a comprehensive “best” list, so I have intentionally tried to pick a number of different genres.
#07
Genre
Arcade Platformer
There is a pretty great game out there calledDownwellthat tasks you with descending a vertical stage, acquiring upgrades as you go. Velgress feels very similar, but here you are climbing instead of falling. You will need to blast the platforms above you to make a path forward. Different surfaces will hold your weight for different amounts of time. The more stable they are, the harder it is to punch through them with your gun. And below you will always be a row of death-dealing spikes.
Vlegress is a fantastically fast-paced, fluid platformer. It is ideal for quick sessions and has an excellent feel to it. Your jump is as high as a Contra leap, and you have the ability to perform a fantastic feeling double jump. While this is one of the games with a more limited scope on this list, everything feels so incredibly dialed in. You will likely find yourself returning to this one with startling regularity, intent on climbingjust one more level.
#30
Tower Defense
This tower defense title will see you positioning your caveman troops alongside pathways, upgrading them with meat, and even dabbling in a little farming to help increase your funds. However, it won’t just be your troops battling it out. Your caveman will fight alongside them. Your little prehistoric pal even has their own bespoke upgrades that they can take advantage of.
Rock On! Island ends up feeling a little like a cross between a class tower defense game and Gauntlet. There are additional achievements for clearing stages without allowing a single baddie to enter your den as well. This entry is a rock-solid throwback and well worth your time!
#50
Beat ‘em up Shooter Shmup Stealth Rogue-Lite
Do you know what would be absolutely absurd? If the collection of 50 games happened to include a game that was actually five games in one. Wouldn’t that be utterly silly? So anyway, Cyber Owls is five games combined into one (insert the shocked Pikachu face here). That includes a side-scrolling shooter, a beat ‘em up, a stealth infiltration game, and a Wild Guns-esque shooter. Additionally, if you fail a mission, you need to recover that soldier by playing through a rogue-lite rescue mission.
Does that sound awesome to you? Because it really should. Cyber Owls is the culmination of the UFO 50’s ethos, which is a combination of incredible gameplay, mind-boggling variety, and amazing value. Needless to say, it is a total hoot.
#32
Puzzle-Platformer
The first Mortol game is like a platformer crossed with Lemmings. You need to cross a number of obstacles, and you do so by (morbidly) sacrificing your body in a number of ways to create platforms. Mortol II takes this concept and adds classes to it. You will still sacrifice your troops in order to progress, but now each comes with their own unique combat abilities and movement options. Additionally, the level is larger, and with a greater sense of verticality.
Mortol II’s use of classes really helps to give the game a great sense of variety. Everything kills you in one hit, so you will die frequently. Of course, sacrificing your characters will give you a huge advantage when circling back around, but, of course, you may feel the desire to push your luck a little. Thoughtful, strategic play will help you conquer the expanded world of Mortal II. It is a rewarding experience from top to bottom.
#13
Platformer
Mooncat feels very, very bad. Right up until it feels amazing, that is. The controls are counter to any platformer you have ever played. Instead of moving left and right with the D-pad, holdinganydirection on the d-pad will send you to the left of the screen, while holding any button will send you to the right. If you press the D-pad while holding a button, you will jump, press it again, and you will slam down on the ground. If you are holding a direction on the D-pad down, pressing a button will make you jump, and pressing it again will cause you to crash to the ground. If you slam down on an enemy, you will get a huge bounce. Ideally, you will want to bounce between enemies to get to higher platforms.
What starts off as an agonizing experience quickly makes you feel like a pro once you start rewiring your brain. We don’t get many games that try new control paradigms. I think Mooncat proves that this is a mistake. Mooncat is absurdly satisfying, and once you synergize with it, you will find that you have a remarkable amount of control. It is brilliant and completely unique. You have never played a platformer like it!
#14
Pong-Like?
Pong is a classic game, and we’ve seen a number of pretty unique takes on it. One of the best examples is Windjammers (and its very solid sequel). Bushido Ball is Windjammers mixed withSamurai Shodown. You have the ability to influence the ball as you slash it with a number of samurai warriors.
If you dodge into the path of the ball, before slashing at it, then you’ll put extra spin on the ball. You can also charge up and use a special move. Or, hey, you can double-tap the slash button to get a special move. These range from throwing a kunai to placing a bomb. It is so, so good. As a single-player game, it is a lot of fun, but it is even better when played with friends.
I love Windjammers. I think that game is brilliant. However, Bushido Ball is every bit as good as it. UFO 50 truly is a gift from above.
#39
Shmup
This is a classic style of shmup. It has three characters. Each of them has their own firing patterns and powerups. There are five stages in total, each ending with a boss battle. It looks awesome, it controls brilliantly, and it even has a bangin’ soundtrack.
The most unique element is the power-up system, where different combinations of the ‘E’ and ‘G’ pickups will yield different benefits. I don’t think this is the most unique title in the bundle. But while it may not change the way Shmups play in any dramatic way, Star Waspir is just another absurdly high-quality game in a package that is packed with 50 of them.
I wrote ourreview for CYGNI. Star Waspir is a better shmup.
#40
RPG
There are three fantastic core RPGs included in UFO 50 (with a handful of others that feature some RPG elements). I honestly think that all three of them are engaging in their own way. However, Grimstone is the one that I am placing here to represent the RPG genre specifically. Grimstone feels like a cross between the original Final Fantasy and Wild Arms, with a turn-based combat engine that heavily emphasizes timing (so maybe there is a little Mario RPG thrown in there as well).
Is it simple? It most certainly is, but it has vibes like you wouldn’t believe. It is a bite-size RPG that doesn’t wear out its welcome but still gives you the classic RPG experience. It is a touch grindy, so if that is something you dislike, you may want to focus on Valbrace instead (which is another excellent RPG), but for us goblins who like to walk in circled and see those numbers get bigger, this is definitely a gem.
I wrote ourreview for Reynatis. Grimstone (and every other RPG in this collection) is afarbetter game.
#43
Scrolling Shooter
Have you ever played the Pocky & Rocky games? They are fantastic, top-down scrolling shooters. Well, Elfazar’s Hat feelsveryheavily inspired by those games. This is a stunningly charming arcade-style title. It is bursting with character, and its gameplay is tightly dialed in. Once again, it is absurd that this is one of 50 games, as this could easily have been its own release.
One of the elements that I greatly appreciate is just how well-designed the stages are. Much like every other element of Elfazar’s Hat, these stages are all bursting with charm, they have a ton of variety, and every enemy you’ll encounter is clearly placed by hand. It is a top-shelf experience.
#22
Metroidvania
Porgy is a metroidvania that does something very few metroidvanias manage to do: it maintains a consistent level of difficulty. You will take a submarine into a relatively small underwater world. You will need to carefully manage your fuel, which you will expend every time you move and every time you take damage. At the beginning of the game, your exploratory missions will have to be pretty short. But as you salvage fuel tanks from the sea, you’ll be able to extend further and further.
Another fun quirk is that bosses aren’t locked to specific arenas. Instead, they’ll wander. Until you upgrade your weapon systems, you’ll need to hide from them. Porgy is definitely a lotmore streamlined than the majority of metroidvanias,but I honestly think that works to Porgy’s advantage. I think this may just be one of the best games in the genre. You’ll want to take a deep dive into this one!
