EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Pingolf

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Pingolf

Author: The Secret Lives of Games April 25, 2025 Duration: 1:34:35

We're joined by Ben Wilson (Saltsea Chronicles), John Axon (Capybara Games), and Scott Anderson (Unity) to discuss Pingolf, the 31st game in the UFO 50 collection.

"Each year the best golfers in the galaxy show up to compete at the UFO Invitational."

Next week: Mortol II

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

Discussed in this episode:

Desert Golfing
https://store.steampowered.com/app/757040/Desert_Golfing/ 

Golfing on Mars
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1340570/Golf_On_Mars/

Cursed to Golf
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1726120/Cursed_to_Golf/

Executive Golf DX (Playdate)
https://play.date/games/executive-golf/

Yoku's Island Express
https://store.steampowered.com/app/334940/Yokus_Island_Express/

Scott's Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/impossible.bsky.social

John's Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/johnaxon.bsky.social

Ben's Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/zerofiftyone.bsky.social

Ben's Crosswords
https://zerofiftyone.net/

The End of Gameplay by droqen
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3120040/The_End_of_Gameplay/

31 Unmarked Games by droqen
https://droqen.itch.io/31-unmarked-games 

Episode 69 – Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson
https://eggplant.show/69-building-a-better-bridge-with-ben-wilson

Episode 129 – Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils
https://eggplant.show/129-reinforcing-worldbuilding-through-gameplay-with-spoils 

A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria
https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-golfaria

 

https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow 

http://discord.gg/eggplant

https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

 

 


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Epilogue: Final developer interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11:35
We're joined by (most of) the developers of UFO 50 - Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Tyriq Plummer, and Paul Hubans - to close out our series with a project-spanning discussion of their development process, how they'r…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Finale Eggstravaganza - LIVE! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:10:23
Full audio from our epic live series finale, packed with previous series guests, tarot readings, mad libs, touching listener letters, and so much more. Come laugh and cry with us, say goodbye to UFO 50, and hear what's n…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - [REDACTED] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52:55
We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV) to discuss [REDACTED] hidden within the UFO 50 collection. Massive spoilers ahead! Next week: Eggplant: The Secret…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Cyber Owls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:32
We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Gexfeld, A Good Videogame), Shawn Alexander Allen (Treachery in Beatdown City), and the one and only Rand Hall (UFO 50 Voicemailer Extraordinaire) to discuss Cyber Owls, the 50th and final*…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:12
We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything), and Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV) to discuss Campanella 3, the 49th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's time for Pilot to r…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Seaside Drive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:59
We're joined by Daniel Mullins (Inscryption), Tonda Ros (Blue Prince), and Glove (UFO 50 Historian/ska podcaster) to discuss Seaside Drive, the 48th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Nothing's more relaxing than a nice lon…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Quibble Race [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:16
We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Jackie Vecchitto (Trombone Champ), and Xalavier Nelson (Strange Scaffold) to discuss Quibble Race, the 47th game in the UFO 50 collection. "In the seedy world of Quibble racing, so…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Combatants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:09
We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) to discuss Combatants, the 46th game in the UFO 50 collection. "The evil Red Ants have taken your land! Fight Back…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mini & Max [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:45
We're joined by Billy Basso (Animal Well), Ben Wilson (Saltsea Chronicles), Kayin (I Wanna Be The Guy), and Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything) to discuss Mini & Max, the 45th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Mini and he…