History VideoGame / PartTimeUFO

* BonusDungeon: The Treasure Island, a set of new levels in the Switch version consisting of three rooms with multiple treasures to find [[spoiler:and a BonusBoss]] under a time limit.

** In the Switch version, Urashima (the turtle) and Inaba (the hare) from ''Kame Sanpo'' appear in the job book illustration.

** The highly esoteric sense of humor found in many of HAL's previous games, most notably ''Kirby'' and ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', is also very much present here, featuring a large amount of sight gags and parodies of western and Japanese everyday life.

* VisualPun: A vehicular alien using a built-in claw to maneuver items into a designated goal? Sounds like a [[https://segaretro.org/Category:UFO_Catcher UFO Catcher.]][[note]]Crane games with two-pronged claws are known as UFO Catchers in Japan thanks to the popularity of Sega's titular sci-fi themed line.[[/note]]
* WeAllLiveInAmerica: Galactic currency looks an awful lot like Japanese yen. How much you get for a job also seems to match yen rates as well.

* CreatorCameo: In the mobile version, the HAL Egg logo appears as one of the food items Jobski can collect in the Restaurant levels. In the Switch version, the egg-shaped Inutamago (the dog in the HAL Laboratory logo) appears instead.

* AncientAstronauts: Subverted in the Construction Site levels, but the second job does specify that Jobski would have to time travel to Ancient Japan and help build an ancient temple while avoiding attacks from ninjas.

** "[[spoiler:Tatakau]] UFO" ([[spoiler:Fighting]] UFO) for the [[spoiler:battle on the moon]].
* BonusDungeon: The Treasure Island, a set of new levels in the Switch version consisting of three rooms with multiple treasures to find under a time limit.

* MultiPartEpisode: [[spoiler:The Moon levels, which involve fighting aliens (Moon 1), then a robot brought in by one of them (Moon 2), then finally making sure the pilot doesn't escape. (Moon 3)]]

* AstralFinale: The Moon levels, which [[spoiler:pit you against a group of StarfishAliens trying to take over Earth]].

* AliensStealCattle: Subverted; the first place Jobski helps out is a farm, where the local farmer even gives the, the idea to look for work while it's stranded on Earth. One of the later farm levels even inverts it, as Jobski is using its claw to help load cows onto a truck.

*** Dr. Dharma, the scientist from the Lab stages.

* ChristmasEpisode: The Toy Shop levels from the Switch version are always set in a toy shop in the wintertime, where Jobski has to arrange all the toys around into a container and make sure it's sealed. the Image Share screen even gives Jobski a Santa costume and bag, along with some reindeer.

* ChristmasEpisode: The "Toy" Levels from the Switch version are always set in a toy shop in the wintertime, where Jobski has to arrange all the toys around into a container and make sure it's sealed. the Image Share screen even gives Jobski a Santa costume and bag, along with some reindeer.

* BootstrappedTheme: The theme used in the High School levels was also used as the main theme in both the mobile and console trailers for this game.

* AuthorAppeal: Many of HAL Laboratory's games feature [=UFOs=] in some way (primarily the UFO ability in the ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' series, as well as a costume in ''VideoGame/BoxBoy''), and this game takes it further by having a UFO as a playable character.
* BilingualBonus: The soundtrack has a synthesized voice sing a phrase relating to Jobski in Japanese:

* BraggingRightsReward: Getting all the medals in the game earns the Medal King crown, which comes with a red flowy cape.

* {{Retraux}}: The touchscreen mechanics and pixel art aesthetic make it look like a long-lost UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game. The high school levels also feature [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMy8ugzPL6s a chiptune rendition]] of the game's leitmotif, also tying in with the pixel art graphics.

** The plot starts when Jobski crash lands on Earth, and we follow the little guy as they raise enough money through part-time work to get home.

* AliensStealCattle: Subverted; the first place Jobski helps out is a farm, where the local farmer even gives the, the idea to look for work while it's stranded on Earth. One of the later farm levels even inverts it, as Jobski is using their claw to help load cows onto a truck.

** Nearing the end of the Treasure Island Mode, [[spoiler:Jobski comes across two military-like treasure hunters (both with unusually green skin compared to all the other humans in the game) , whom set out to stop Jobski from getting away with the treasures collected. Considering that this is a game about extraterrestrials spending life on Earth, it’s possible they themselves may not even be entirely human at all.]]
* AndYourRewardIsClothes: A few of the unlockable costumes can't be bought, instead relying on Jobski getting medals from their jobs.

* InnocentAliens: Jobski means no harm, they just want to get enough money to get back home.

* SentientVehicle: Jobski the UFO, naturally. Previously, they seemed to be the only one of their kind. The Switch version now includes a second red UFO as a Player 2 for ColorCodedMultiplayer.

As far as plots go, you play as a little UFO that crashes onto an Earth farm by accident. Not wanting to leave the place a mess, it cleans up everything that got scattered from the impact, and the farmer's so impressed he introduces it to the concept of getting paid for a hard day's work. This inspires it to start looking for work while it's still on Earth and get used to life there.

The game is a score-based system with a time limit, where excellence in your jobs means higher pay. Gameplay relies on picking up various items and bringing them to a designated goal site. Much like real-life crane games, there are only two methods of input: a joystick to maneuver the UFO, and a button to make it pick up and drop items. Also like crane games, precise movements are necessary to get higher scores: each item you bring to the goal nets an extra 10 seconds, with an bonus added if the main mission is completed in time. All levels come with three additional missions to complete, typically involving stacking the items a certain way, collecting a certain item that may be hidden, or even making sure your stack doesn't topple over.

The game was released for smartphones in 2017. While it's a standalone title, The UFO would later make cameos in the ''VideoGame/BoxBoy'' series as well as HAL Egg's second title ''Kame Sanpo''.

** The plot starts when the UFO crash lands on Earth, and we follow the little guy as it raises enough money through part-time work to get home.
** Ankh herself is said to have originated from somewhere other than Earth, even as to call herself a ‘space gal’ when greeting a returning Jobski. How long she’s been on Earth is unclear, but it’s assumed she’s been there a while before the UFO’s arrival.
* AliensStealCattle: Subverted; the first place the UFO helps out is a farm, where the local farmer even gives it the idea to look for work while it's stranded on Earth. One of the later farm levels even inverts it, as the UFO is using its claw to help load cows onto a truck.

** In the full Trailer for the Switch port, the UFO finally gets the MeaningfulName of Jobski, which its Japanese pronunciation means "to like jobs".

** Nearing the end of the Treasure Island Mode, [[spoiler: the UFO comes across two military-like treasure hunters (both with unusually green skin compared to all the other humans in the game) , whom set out to stop the UFO from getting away with the treasures collected. Considering that this is a game about extraterrestrials spending life on Earth, it’s possible they themselves may not even be entirely human at all.]]
* AndYourRewardIsClothes: A few of the unlockable costumes can't be bought, instead relying on the UFO getting medals from its jobs.

* BilingualBonus: The soundtrack has a synthesized voice sing a phrase relating to the UFO in Japanese:

* CharacterInTheLogo: The UFO's claw appears in the title logo.

** [[VideoGame/BoxBoy Qbby]] occasionally appears in the UFO's apartment [[spoiler:and in the background of many stages after beating the game]] (in the Switch version he cameos in stages from the start of the game, though he doesn't appear in the UFO's apartment), and several Twitter posts have the pair hang out. Some of the posts also imply the UFO admires Franchise/{{Kirby}} as well.

* ContinuityCreep: While there are a few recurring locations in the game, the later stages start to tie into one another. The creation of a funky-looking mech (obstenibly to protect Earth) ends in [[spoiler:the same Mech coming to the rescue when the UFO fights the star aliens.]]
* CreatorCameo: In the mobile version, the HAL Egg logo appears as one of the food items the UFO can collect in the Restaurant levels. In the Switch version, the egg-shaped Inutamago (the dog in the HAL Laboratory logo) appears instead.
* EasterEgg: In the mobile version, tapping on Qbby when he appears in the UFO's apartment unlocks the Qbby's UFO costume, which sadly "can't make boxes". The Switch version has an alternate method of obtaining it, as Qbby cameos beyond the apartment.

* InnocentAliens: The UFO means no harm, they just want to get enough money to get back home.

* MundaneUtility: For such a versatile claw, the UFO is often seen using it in bonus art for changing the channel, eating food, or other day-to-day things.

* SentientVehicle: The UFO, naturally. Previously, it seemed to be the only one of its kind. The Switch version now includes a second red UFO as a Player 2 for ColorCodedMultiplayer.

* VirtualPaperDoll: The more money you earn, the more costumes you can buy for the UFO. They're [[NotActuallyCosmeticAward not purely cosmetic]], though: most of them will provide some kind of stat boost, such as the Safety Helmet allowing you to stop faster, or the Juggling Clown hat giving the claw a wider swing.

* {{Retraux}}: The touchscreen mechanics and pixel art aesthetic make it look like a long-lost UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game.

* BootstrappedThemeTune: The theme used in the High School levels was also used as the main theme in both the mobile and console trailers for this game.

* AlienAmongUs: The plot starts when the UFO crash lands on Earth, and we follow the little guy as it raises enough money through part-time work to get home.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Ankh, the blue-skinned BedlahBabe running the shop (as much as the game's art style can allow, anyway).