http://wii.ign.com/articles/107/1078862p1.html
I am getting this tomorrow night after I get off work. Anyone else? Also that is the Ign review if you wanted to know what it about.
March 19, 2010 - Playing Cave Story is like discovering a fantastic NES game you somehow missed back in the day. New retro games are all the rage recently with efforts like Mega Man 10 and Dark Void Zero, but Cave Story did the old school thing back in 2004. It's a cult hit on PC and hopefully a new audience will enjoy it now that it's available on WiiWare. Cave Story just feels right on a Nintendo system.
Although Cave Story plays and is presented like an NES game, the tale is more mature than what we were playing in 1987. You control a young boy who awakens in a dangerous cave and sets out on a quest to determine his purpose. He encounters a village of creatures that resemble rabbits called Mimigas and learns they have been nearly wiped out by an evil doctor. The boy must defeat the doctor and his underlings to rescue a captured Mimiga named Sue. While I realize that description doesn't sound very sophisticated, it's the way the plot unravels that makes it feel like a grown-up, twisted fairy tale. The storytelling here is way ahead of anything on the NES. You aren't given any explanation at the beginning; instead, you'll discover what's going on and who you are as you go.
Cave Story plays like a hybrid of Metroid and Blaster Master. You explore underground caves, do a lot of tricky platforming, upgrade your weapons, and search for secrets. You'll experience a few cheap deaths, but the game avoids being frustrating until the very end. Most of the time you're able to save and heal with regular frequency, but the climax sends four boss fights in a row at you with no chance to rest -- and that's not even quite the end of the game. It's pretty obnoxious when you make it to the fourth boss, die, and have to go back and do it all over again. And probably again after that. There are three endings to see (bad, normal, and good) and the game is cleverly designed to allow you to view them all.
You'll find some very cool weapons and gadgets in the caves. Some are given to you as part of the story, but you'll have to search for the more powerful weapons. Cave Story uses an upgrade system much like Blaster Master, meaning enemies drop experience points that will increase the level of your equipped weapon -- but that level will also go down as you take damage. Around halfway through the game you get a jetpack, which is one of the most fun items you'll ever play with. There are numerous moments in Cave Story that will delight you, actually, from returning lost puppies to their owner to a recurring boss named Balrog that likes to make Kool-Aid Man-style entrances.
Cave Story's old school soundtrack is wonderful, although chiptune purists may notice that it's not all authentic NES music. Most of the tunes have that very recognizable 8-bit sound, but at times they drift into more elaborate electronica that wouldn't be possible with the NES' modest sound chip. That's not a complaint; I'm just pointing it out for the retro gamers.
The only real problem with Cave Story is that you've been able to play it for free for six years. Hardcore gamers (the audience for this title) tend to be careful with how they spend their money and I totally understand if they are suspicious about paying for something they can legitimately play for free. But, whether it's being given away or monetized, there is no getting around the fact that Cave Story is a terrific game and developers Studio Pixel and Nicalis certainly deserve to be rewarded for their talents. A few new modes have been added for this premium release. Sanctuary Time Attack challenges you to complete an extremely difficult maze in the shortest time possible. Boss Attack lets you take on every boss from the game. And Curly Story replaces the main character with the fan-favorite character Curly. Oh, and Cave Story runs in widescreen here on WiiWare.
Closing Comments
Cave Story is one of the best "NES" games ever made. It tells an elaborate tale full of endearing characters, fun boss fights, and satisfying weapons. The polish and tight controls are on par with what you would have found in a first-party Nintendo NES game. Delightful, whimsical, and curious, this is a game that begs to be explored.
