The Charge:
Wake up in a dark cave with no memory and just a gun. Take control and learn a world power, stop a delusional villain!
Opening Statement:
Playing Cave Story (Dōkutsu Monogatari for you hopeless purists out there) on the Wii will most likely conjure up strong feelings of nostalgia within gamers who were around in the 8-bit era. It’s like discovering a great NES title for the first time, or stumbling across a slice of fried gold long since missed. The only difference being that Cave Story is no retro throwback title, it’s not a series relaunch, or a cheap cash-in on the success of Mega Man 9 or Dark Void Zero. Cave Story, if you must know, was doing the old school thing before old school was even in vogue. This game is a labour of love, crafted by a single gamer back in 2004. It enjoyed cult success as a freeware PC title, but does that mean it’s not worth forking over 12 bucks to play it as an actual console title? That’s a question for Will Smith.
Awww Helllllll NAW!
Facts of the Case:
Cave Story is the tale of a long forgotten robot, a race of rabbit-like creatures, a mad scientist and evil witch seeking to enslave the world, and a loveable toaster named Balrog who has a penchant for making Kool-Aid Man styled entrances. If you’re not already sold on the toaster, it’s also only twelve bucks.
If this screenshot doesn't charm the pants off of you, you're probably not wearing any pants.
The Evidence:
Why would any gamer in a lucid state of mind pay even a miniscule amount of money for a game that has been available free for six years? It’s not as if developer Pixel (the charming pseudonym of Daisuke Amaya) and the port team at Nicalis have completely rebuilt the game from the ground up, fine-tuning the presentation with slightly updated visuals and a completely reworked soundtrack. It’s not like they’ve thrown in new difficulty levels, or a challenging boss rush mode, or a brain-tickling time-attack that pits gamers not only against the clock, but also against a maze of truly insidious design. Hell, at the very least they could’ve given gamers the ability to play through the game as the protagonist’s spunky love interest. Not to mention the complete failing at not only offering up all this new goodness alongside a pixel-perfect translation of the original title, with its three different endings and hours of fun game play completely untouched. Gamers who have played through it before also share the knowledge of a great side-quest that ramps up the difficulty if they should choose to resist picking up a powerful weapon, only to face a devious stage underpowered for the promise of a greater reward. The sort of whispered game secret we used to gleefully talk about at recess.
This is oddly what my dreams look like.
Cave Story feels and plays like an ode to older titles like the Metroid franchise, or the long-forgotten NES gem, Blaster Master. The entire game is spent spelunking around treacherous subterranean caves, participating in a metric ton of precarious platforming. It plays exactly as it should, feeling like a delightful romp through an era long since past. Weapons are upgraded through a scaling experience system that dances a fine line between awesome and cruel, ramping up in power as glittering gold triangles are picked up from fallen foes, but losing its bite if the player takes too much damage. The weapons are all a blast (props for the Macross-nod on the cluster missiles and the use of the heavy machine gun’s recoil for boosts), and the jet-pack is the most fun I’ve had platforming since King Arthur first learned to double jump on his SNES debut.
He fights and he smites with repulsor rays!
Rebuttal Witness:
If there is a single complaint to be had with Cave Story, it would be the fact that gamers have been able to enjoy it for free since 2004. Sad fact is, most of the hardcore gaming set (the target audience of titles such as this) aren’t stricken with much disposable income, and therefore plan long and hard about what games they are willing to spend their hard-earned cash on. Regrettably, that sometimes means developers like Pixel go long unrewarded for crafting labours of love like Cave Story. Pickier players may very well find Cave Story a little too linear for an adventure title. The level design lacks the complexity of a Metroid game, with the exploration coming in bite-sized chunks. And the control at times takes a little getting used to, as the player character, Quote, possesses a very floaty jump mechanic, and follows the same momentum rules as Super Mario. The controls are very tight, but unlike anything most modern gamers will be used to. Oh, and there have been some reported instances of missing percussion tracks from the remixed soundtrack, but this is promised to be corrected in an upcoming patch.
Looks hectic? Just break out a little of that Mexican Judo.
Closing Statement:
Cave Story is a shining collection of kick-ass gaming memories that most of us have never experienced before. The thrill of using the monstrous recoil of a fully-powered machine gun as a make-shift double jump is the type of moment that can bring a smile to even the most jaded gamer. It’s as if the unsung best game of the early 90s was re-released two decades later, only not. Pixel’s little indie game that could is a whimsical tale filled with endearing characters, some heart-wrenching twists, and the same sort of high octane, giggle with glee game play that is all too infrequent these days. It deserves a measure of success. Tight controls, a fun retro vibe, and a level of polish that defies its meagre origins, this is one cave that begs to be explored.
Toasty!!
The Verdict:
Platform: WiiWare
Developer: Studio Pixel
Publisher: Nicalis
Release Date: March 22nd, 2010
Rated: E10+ for Everyone 10 and up.
By Jon Mercer
