cave-story
Latest
Best of the Rest: Griffin's picks of 2010
Cave Story I am mad at everyone I've ever known for not telling me to play Cave Story before I grabbed it late last year. Within two months, I had beaten it four times across two different platforms. It's arguably the most charming game I've ever played, with deep layers of Metroidvania-esque exploration and a level of difficulty which expertly straddles the line between challenging and frustrating. It's one of the most polished games I played during the year, and if you find yourself with an overabundance of virtual Nintendo currency, you absolutely need to own it. Twice, if you have the means.
Cave Story comes to PAL WiiWare on December 10
. You know, we really feel for you guys across the pond. Since March, we've had ample time to explore Cave Story on WiiWare. Patiently, you guys waited, and today we're glad to report that there's finally an end in sight to your longing: December 10. Or is that 10 December? Developer Nicalis offered solace via Twitter, informing inquiring Europeans of the Cave Story launch date. In a later tweet, Nicalis clarified that the December 10 date applies to the entirety of the PAL territory, including New Zealand and Australia -- the game will set players back 1,000 Wii Points. %Gallery-33743%
NintendoWare Weekly: Cave Story, Cave Story
Another relatively awesome week for DSiWare, WiiWare and, yes, even Virtual Console, as Cave Story arrives in both portable form on DSiWare and demo form on WiiWare. DSiWare also features a port of Two Tribes' Mac/iPhone puzzle game Frenzic. The Virtual Console offers the wonderful Neo Geo puzzler Magical Drop 2.%Gallery-108408%
Nicalis teases Nov. 29 release for DSiWare Cave Story
Cave Story publisher Nicalis tweeted a November 29 release date for, well, something on DSiWare. "Guess what'll be available November 29th on DSiWare?!?," the publisher hinted. Luckily, this game of Guess Who? doesn't require the elimination of too many facial features, as Nicalis has only one known DSiWare project, and it's a good one: Cave Story. It may come as a shock to those of us who waited so long for the WiiWare version to arrive -- or those in Europe still waiting for the WiiWare version. It's only been two months since the initial announcement of the DS port!
Oh Yeaaah!! Here's Cave Story on DSiWare
Great news about the DSiWare version of Cave Story: it looks like Cave Story! See for yourself after the break.
Cave Story update fixes sound glitches, adds GameCube controller support
If you've been troubled by audio issues or other annoyances in the WiiWare version of Cave Story, go download it again from the Wii Shop. Nicalis released an updated version of the remake this week, which addresses those sound issues and more. According to the full list of changes we received from a reliable source, the looping in the original music has been improved, and the instrumentation in the remixed music is now mixed properly (so you can hear bass and drums, for example). In addition, the "typing" text noise is no longer far too loud. In non-sound-related changes, GameCube controller support has been added, and the "extra" modes are now unlockable instead of open from the beginning. Typos in the translation have also been edited, and transparency has been added to the graphics in several places, including when you open up the Home menu. NeoGAFfer sfried notes that if you've saved Cave Story to an SD card, you'll have to delete the game ("channel") and redownload it. Otherwise, you can just grab the update from the Wii Shop.
Nicalis details Cave Story's jump to DSiWare, WiiWare update coming
In a recent interview with the DS aficionados of Tiny Cartridge, Nicalis' Tyrone Rodriguez dropped a few details about the upcoming DSiWare port of Studio Pixel's delightful action-platformer, Cave Story. He explained that while the portable version will have some of the new features added in the WiiWare version launched earlier this year, Nicalis "kept it relatively lean in comparison mainly because this is more a perfect port of the original game." To that effect, there won't be any touch-screen controls -- instead, the bottom screen will simply display dialogue, player inventory and the world map. Rodriguez couldn't confirm any specifics on pricing or a release date, but said "I would love to have this out before Halloween," later adding "I'd be surprised if it isn't released before the end of the year." He also references an upcoming update for the WiiWare version of the game, which will "address a game-breaking bug and a ton of other fan-requested fixes." For more details on the future of the cavernous indie hit, check out the full interview on Tiny Cartridge.
Nicalis confirms Cave Story DSiWare, European release for WiiWare version
That small piece of artwork in the Nintendo Power table of contents today didn't represent a new look for Cave Story -- it was actually art by Mikael "Orioto" Aguirre, commissioned by Nicalis in honor of the announcement of the DSiWare version of the game. In an email statement, Nicalis confirmed said DSiWare version, saying that "the game is actually DONE, we're currently in final testing internally." In addition, the long-awaited European version of the WiiWare game (even longer-awaited than the North American version!) is "still scheduled to be released." Update: Nintendo Life posted three screens, revealing the "classic" Cave Story look, with an added map on the DS's bottom screen.
Cave Story for DSiWare listed in Nintendo Power
If you like playing Cave Story (and who doesn't) and you like being away from your TV when doing so, you're going to like this. The table of contents for the latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine spills the beans on a DSiWare version of Pixel's wonderful, wonderful game about a mysterious, underground civilization of rabbit people and the giant lunchboxes who terrorize them. We've contacted Nicalis, who made the remake for WiiWare, for more details on this DSiWare version, so we can find out more about the features and (intended) release date. In the meantime, it's quite enough to imagine having an excuse to play Cave Story again.
NintendoWare Weekly: Cave Story, Game & Watch
You know what you're downloading on Wii today without having to look at the full list. In fact, we'll save you some time: Cave Story is the full list. In what we still regard as a pleasant surprise, Nicalis's remake is actually, for real, being released today! The only thing better than actually getting to play Cave Story today would be getting to download it for free -- which you just might be able to do, if you follow @nicalis on Twitter and take part in the dev's daily giveaway. DSiWare is also home to pleasant surprises today, in the form of three DSiWare versions of Game & Watch minigames. %Gallery-33743%
Cave Story includes playable Curly Brace
In case anyone is still on the fence about paying for a WiiWare version of a freeware game -- although a couple of years of anticipation have probably killed that -- this Cave Story video (after the break) shows something pretty appealing: a second playable character. And not just any character, either. Curly Brace is a fan favorite, appearing in the game in a capacity we won't discuss too much to avoid spoilers. We're checking with Nicalis now to learn more about her inclusion -- whether she's part of the initial download or DLC, and how her presence affects gameplay. Worst case scenario: we find out on Monday when the game comes out. [Update: Nicalis has confirmed to Joystiq that Curly mode will be included with the initial download!]
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Cave Story
This week's most noteworthy Nintendo Channel item is by far the Developer's Voice video on Cave Story above. Next week, we'll finally get to play it. How pumped are you? Like, beyond pumped? We sure hope so! Head past the break for the rest of this week's content. %Gallery-33743%
WiiWare screens and trailers from Nintendo Media Summit
Nintendo had a few awesome new WiiWare announcements at its Nintendo Media Summit, most notably, Cave Story! Most notably in the field of games we didn't know about, new Art Style games! The series hasn't been on Wii since the DSi came out, but now we've got Light Trax (a Wii version of the original bit Generations game Dotstream) and Rotozoa (a game about multi-tentacled organisms absorbing creatures of the same color) to look forward to this spring. Check out the trailer for Light Trax above, and see a trailer for Rotozoa, as well as screens of Max and the Magic Marker, WiiWare's WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, Rage of the Gladiator, And Yet It Moves, Super Meat Boy, and Cave Story after the break. Oh, man, Cave Story!
Cave Story out on WiiWare March 22
Finally. Update: Developer Nicalis has confirmed the release date and noted that the extra modes previously announced as DLC -- Boss Rush and Sanctuary Time Attack -- are now included with the initial download, "so there's no need for additional downloads or purchases." Nice! %Gallery-33743%
Interview: Nicalis's Tyrone Rodriguez on Cave Story, La-Mulana, and more
Nicalis, the developer of the anticipated Wii remake of the indie hit Cave Story, briefly noted in a Christmas Eve blog post that the WiiWare game had been delayed into 2010. It seemed like a good time to check in with Tyrone Rodriguez, head of Nicalis and producer on the title. Rodriguez spoke to us a bit about the progress of the remake, as well as Nicalis's other projects, Nicklas "Nifflas" Nygren's physics-based platformer NightSky and another WiiWare remake of a retro-style cave exploration platformer, La-Mulana.
Cave Story coming 'after the new year' with new difficulty modes
Cave Story, first announced in October 2008 for release that same year, has missed 2009. In a blog post, Nicalis confirmed that the remake of the brilliant freeware title won't be available until "after the new year." The last we'd heard, it had been submitted to Nintendo for approval in November, so it's likely that the holdup is with the platform holder. In more positive news, Nicalis also revealed what the deal was with the alternate-color Quote sprite that it's been teasing on its Twitter account: it's the outfit the player character wears in the new Easy mode, one of three difficulty modes. Hard Mode, which gives you only 3HP and no missiles, features Quote in blue with blonde hair. The developer also has "a LOT" of DLC planned, "AND we're taking possible requests." Finally, as a little stocking stuffer (or ear stuffer), Nicalis posted three remixed Cave Story tunes. Huzzah for the holidays!
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: E3 interviews
This week, the Nintendo Channel has been flooded with a variety of interviews about big upcoming Wii titles. There are interviews with the folks behind FFCC: The Crystal Bearers, Red Steel 2, Cave Story, and, as you can see above, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. So, hit up the video above, then if you want more E3 interview goodness, be sure to boot up your Wii and check out what's on the Nintendo Channel.%Gallery-47570%
Nintendo celebrates one year of WiiWare
On May 12 of last year, Nintendo of America launched the WiiWare download service with Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, LostWinds, Defend Your Castle, Pop, VIP Casino: Blackjack, and TV Show King. Today, on the one-year anniversary of that launch, Nintendo sent out a video featuring the highlights of the service's 81-game lineup.For all the complaining Nintendo fans do about WiiWare, and Nintendo system releases in general, all the games presented in this video make for a pretty strong year of releases. In the press release about the anniversary, Nintendo gave us reasons to be excited about the next year of WiiWare, including Cave Story, Icarian: Kindred Spirits, Super Meat Boy, Cave Story, Bit.Trip: CORE, Cave Story, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and CAVE STORY.
Nintendo of Europe reveals April-June WiiWare/DSiWare releases, including Cave Story
As mentioned in the announcement of Squibs Arcade, Nintendo of Europe is holding a WiiWare (and DSiWare) media summit this week. During the event, Nintendo released a list of WiiWare and DSiWare games planned for release between April and June. On WiiWare, the biggest news is Cave Story! Even though we knew it was scheduled for release in April or May, seeing more confirmation of that (for more regions) is great! Swords & Soldiers is also on the way. In addition, there are also a few games we haven't heard much (or anything) about. Each game has a brief description in Nintendo's announcement. Bonsai Barber Cave Story ColorZ Crystal Defenders R1 Icarian: Kindred Spirits LIT Overturn: Mecha Wars Robocalypse: Beaver Defense Spaceball: Revolution Squibs Arcade Swords & Soldiers Water Warfare In DSiWare, the most exciting title (to us) is Nintendo's Art Style: PiCOPiCT, a retro-Nintendo-themed puzzler with reinterpreted NES music by YMCK. A Little Bit of... Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: Maths Edition Art Style: PICOPICT Mighty Flip Champs! Mixed Messages Pop Superstar: Road to Celebrity Real Football 2009 [Via NintendoLife]
How Night Game got to WiiWare
The silhouette-style puzzle platformer Night Game represents the first WiiWare release from Knytt creator Nicklas "Nifflas" Nygren. Nifflas and Tyrone Rodriguez from developer Nicalis spoke with Gamasutra (specifically, Joystiq alum Eric Caoili!) about the new game and about its home on WiiWare.Surprisingly, Night Game, which still isn't its final title, wasn't intended for WiiWare at first. Rodriguez made the call to put Night Game on WiiWare early in development. Nifflas told Gamasutra that "I've always wanted there to be a PC build of (Night Game), since many of my fans have been waiting for this game. I however respect Tyrone's decision here." Adapting the game concept to the Wii Remote led to a change in control mapping that "would have been an advantage even on a PC version. "It was GoNintendo's RawMeatCowboy, according to Nifflas, who put him in contact with Nicalis, and therefore indirectly led to Night Game becoming a WiiWare title.
