Super UFO Fighter Review

Party games and couch co-ops never seem to go out of style, and for good reason - they not only distract us from the woes of everyday life, but they also bring us closer to the people around us (or our buddies online). With Super UFO Fighter, you can definitely bond with the people who matter to you most by taking them down in a neon-covered battle for gachapon supremacy even if it makes absolutely no sense.

The colorful pixel-art title's mechanics task you with smashing open capsule toys that fall from the sky as you search for the winning item that will reward you with that sweet, sweet victory. Random junk that you open from the capsules can be beamed up by your spaceship and carried on over to your chute of personal collectibles. When the winning item appears, you'll have to nab it before your opponent does to win the round.

The catch is that your fearsome foe can swipe your prized possession right from underneath you quite literally. Items you've captured under your tractor beam can be stolen by your enemy using their own tractor beam, and the battlefield turns into a mad struggle for ultimate possession as you both pull back and forth, each trying to bring a certain item away from the other's corner.

Of course, your suction powers aren't the only thing you have in your arsenal - you can also use your trusty melee attack to knock your opponent out cold so you can drag that winning item to your chute in peace.

"With Super UFO Fighter, you can definitely bond with the people who matter to you most by taking them down in a neon-covered battle for gachapon supremacy even if it makes absolutely no sense."

This is where the characters of the game come in. Each unlockable hero features its own unique strengths and weaknesses that suit different playstyles. Lulu is a good all-arounder, while Adamsia moves slowly with a heavy-duty punch that can easily take a foe out of commission. Acute, on the other hand, can zip across the arena like nobody's business - you can also switch up their colours if you're looking to spice up your cosmetics during combat.

The game features a variety of modes that can cater to solo fighters and co-op partners alike. You can team up with a friend whether locally or online, engage in rowdy battles with them, or journey all by your lonesome through the solo campaign (and find out more about the origins of the characters and unlock them along the way).

Super UFO Fighter's narrative does feel unique, since getting thrust into a space sports game where you Shwoop stuff is a great way to set the context for something as ridiculous as this. The mechanics are simple but fun, and really do offer plenty of opportunities for you to engage in a screaming match with your friends over gachapon capsules of random junk.

But while the premise is fun, I honestly felt like it was too easy to get tired of the game, and there wasn't a compelling enough reason to come back to it. There are plenty of other couch co-ops that are more engaging than this, to be honest, so picking up the game again after a while felt more like a chore to me than something to look forward to.

Super UFO Fighter | Final Thoughts

I did enjoy smashing open capsules as a digital way for me to vent out my frustrations on wanting to collect gachapons IRL, but the different locations and arenas didn't feel varied enough, nor did the characters have anything that made them stand out. You can check the items you've collected in the Museum, by the way, which also has some hilarious descriptions for random things like glow sticks.

Overall, it was okay to play Super UFO Fighter for the first few times mainly because of the adorable artwork and all the bells and whistles. Ultimately, its lack of content made me feel like it didn't have enough going for it to make me stay.

TechRaptor reviewed Super UFO Fighter on Steam with a copy provided by the publisher. The game is also available on the Nintendo Switch.