Cave Story+
Review
Choose Your Own Story 06.06.17 updated with
Podcast/YouTube unboxing links
(alternate title: the Super
Nintendo PC game I missed)
by Rydia Q Vielehr Podcast
review with The Wolf Doctor!
Note * are put before and after a few
spoilers.
“Playing
Cave Story+, I felt like
the Dad in The Wizard
(the 90's movie with Super
Mario 3 and Fred Savage),
staying up late playing Zelda
II. Don't judge me!!!”
Before a few days ago, I had never
played any variant of Cave Story,
and only vaguely heard the title and
glanced at a picture in a magazine
somewhere (Game Informer? Nintendo
Force? Who knows!)
HOW DID I MISS CAVE STORY?
There’s a time and a place for
everything and that time is now.
I photoshopped something.
What is Cave Story+?
Unique, challenging platformer where you choose
your own story. Explore using various weapons
and items while encountering strange bunny-like
inhabitants of an unknown world.
You might absolutely fall in love with Cave
Story+ if you like these
titles: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, A
Boy and his Blob, Chrono Trigger,
Super Metroid, Lone Wolf book
series (ya, I went there, has ANYONE else read
those?)
History
The original Cave Story, designed and
written by Daisuke Amaya (nickname Pixel), was
first released on computer. Eventually, Indie
Developer Nicalis ported various versions of Cave
Story to Steam, WiiWare/DSiWare, and the
Nintendo 3DS. However, there is fabulous news
for anyone looking to get into Cave Story
now or long-time fans of the series. The
Nintendo Switch version releasing on June
20th, 2017 is both digital AND physical!
PHYSICAL OBJECTS ARE COOL.
Music
Upon opening the game, I could tell that the
soundtrack for this game is memorable - on par
with Chrono Trigger & Secret of
Mana memorable. “Scorching
Back” is my personal jam - think “One of
Them is Hope” x “Schala’s Theme.”
Graphics The graphics are a mix of 8-bit and
16-bit style, nicely done. Even though most
of the characters you interact with are
similar creatures, you can still tell them
apart. When characters are talking to you, a
little portrait of them pops up with a
different animation to help bring them to
life. One minor issue: a few times I had a
problem telling which parts of the
background were background and foreground
were foreground (can I stand on this
object?), but it did not detract from
overall gameplay.
Controls
One of the keys to a good platformer is solid
controls. Cave Story+ has them. Speaking
of controls, you can play with the Pro
Controller (my personal favorite), both Joy-Con
(attached or detached), or a single Joy-Con
(ahhh scary die at your own risk!). You can also
feel the HD Rumble feature (OH YEAAAH!!) For
anyone used to playing platformers on their NES,
you might find yourself attacking when you meant
to jump… hence, go into Game Options and turn
Flipped Input to On.
Gameplay
There are three difficulties to Story
Mode: Easy, Original, and Hard. I was too afraid
for Hard, so I went with Original. The game was
tough, but not too hard and I beat it without
only a little violent screaming at the screen
about two of the bosses being unfair (they
really were not once I saw their attack pattern
- okay, I still hate that tank thing - it can
die in a hole as far as I am concerned). You
will need to pay a little attention for the
platforming in the last area (zubats everywhere
and spikes!).
The level design is also extremely
solid… I think this is the first game with an
underwater area and underwater combat where I
did not consider throwing a controller out the
window. Cave Story+ contains a variety
of level types with fun traps and challenges
(find all the dogs!). There are invisible
objects... Hint: use Map System to help you find
things. * (just like in
Super Mario style, one of the bosses has a
save point and life refill point hidden near
it THANK YOU!) * You will also find
yourself returning to areas - sometimes they
will have changed... or maybe you will have a
new way of exploring said area. Amusing: a room
that has hardly anything in it but a fish (and a
fish-shaped locket) is shaped like a fish.
Cave Story+ does a fine job teaching you
how to play without having a tutorial.
You start the game in a room with a save point
and a way to restore your life, then graduate to
an area with harmful objects (do not touch
spikes duh), then enemies are near, and finally
you attain your first weapon. New areas usually
have a creature that might warn you about some
hideous hazard (if you are fortunate enough to
talk to them before getting devoured or finding
the hazard). The enemies are interesting and
widely diverse (countdown to d00m and b00m
monster made me flee the screen and I seriously
need a sand dinosaur skeleton head to chase me
in real life).
Arms! You are going to find a serious
amount of weaponry to tell your story. At
various points, I got the option to swap one
weapon for a different weapon (which I did not
always take). I was giggling with glee when I
got a Machine Gun that let me fly in the air.
With sweet names like Nemesis and Fireball (the
latter is so succinctly simple, mmm fire), you
KNOW translation did done goodest on every
aspect (there is even a Cthulhu reference!)
Story
This is not your standard “Save the Princess” or
“Beat the Bad Guy” plot. You wake up not knowing
your name or where you are… in a cave… and start
your own story. Your actions and how you answer
questions change what will happen in the game.
THIS IS AWESOME. One of the early plot twists
really surprised me. Just like any good drama,
there are pockets of sunshine and shadows of
darkness. On the one hand, the humor is very,
VERY funny. Who ARE these tiny Little People?!?
The signs and some of the <insert warning for
you can't/shouldn'/t/seriously don't do that>
text is hilarious. Also, what kind of timeless
game doesn't have you play dress up! On the
other hand, the sadness… well… I am still sad. I
still can’t help but wonder if I made the
correct decision with certain actions and
responses.
Yet, if there is ever a sequel, I really hope
Pixel brings back the recurring boss. I don’t
know if he was inspired by the Kool-Aid Man, “OH
YEAAAH!” but I love him. He should be at all
parties.
Info about Cave
Story+ for Nintendo
Switch
HD Graphics (pretty!)
Four Unique Endings (high replay factor
with different difficulties)
Challenges (Boss Rush, Leaderboard, etc)
Jukebox (listen to songs you have
unlocked in these styles: Cave Story+, Remastered,
Famitracks, or Organya)
Physical Copy bonuses (GameStop
Exclusive):
Random Chibi PVC keychain of
Quote, Curly, or Balrog
(torture I want them all!!)
Branded Microfiber Pouch Cave Story+ Famitracks
Soundtrack Mini Audio CD (ooo!!!)
32 Page Full Color Instruction
Book
Nintendo Switch Cartridge (I
can’t wait to taste it!)
Retail Price: $29.99
Overall
I highly recommend Cave Story+! For
players new to the series, I suggest going in
blind to best allow full immersion into the
elements of discovery and wonder. For
experienced Cave Story aficionados, I
want to tune my skills and challenge you on the
Leaderboards! Plus, with the Nintendo Switch,
you can play not only on your fancy TV but also
on the go! I can't wait to drag my friends into
the story with local co-op being being patched
in FREE later this summer.
Make your own choice about what you want to
happen. Choose your own Story. Just like a good
Choose Your Own Adventure Book, you can play
again and again and try to shoot for a different
ending. * (I am so sorry,
Curly, I felt like I could have saved you and
almost tried different stuff, the tears). *
Save well. Save wisely… and Game On!
Thank you for reading.
Thank you, Nicalis,
for the game
Thank you, Pixel,
for creating such a wonderful story.
Come game in person or
online with StreetPass
Boston or Switch
& Play NYC!
...keep scrolling if you want to see the end
of the end credits of Cave Story+ at
the end of the page for my first ending.
