WOne of the first indie game superstars of the 2000s, Derek Yu started designing games on graph paper with his friend John Perry while still a student. When Yu’s first major success, “cave exploration,” became a hit, he and Perry decided to collaborate once again, this time as men in their 40s. This heartwarming backstory is reflected in UFO50, an ambitious collection of 50 games. The narrative structure was crafted by a fictional game company during the years of 1982 to 1989. Each game in UFO50 features the nostalgic Atari 2600 and NES aesthetics with chunky sprites and a retro chiptune soundtrack, but incorporates modern design elements to bring a fresh twist to the retro style.
Why 50 games? No one knows for sure. But Yu and Perry, along with their supportive developer friends, showcased their design talents across a variety of genres, both familiar and completely innovative. One standout is “party house,” where players must balance a mix of guests to throw the ultimate house party, scoring points based on the success of the event. Other games in the collection include “night manners,” a point-and-click horror story, “bushido ball,” an Edo period themed game similar to Pong, and “rail robbery,” a stealth action game where players take on the role of an outlaw robbing trains.
Creating 50 games was a daunting task for Yu and Perry, requiring immense dedication and effort. The end result of UFO50 is a testament to their creativity and highlights the vast possibilities within the realm of game design, even in the simplest looking games.
Source: www.theguardian.com
