CaveStory
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Cave Story+ out for the Mac App Store with new content
Cave Story is a freeware PC game that came out back in 2004, a 2D action platformer created by a one-man team named Pixel. Since then, it's come out on quite a few consoles (I've got it on my DSi, though it's on the Wii as well), and now it's available as Cave Story+ on the Mac App Store. The app is US$9.99 and available for download right now. Wait a minute, you might be asking: Why do we have to pay $10 for a game you just called freeware? Good question. The original PC title is still downloadable for free, but the Mac App Version is a plus version with new graphics and music created for the WiiWare upgrade, as well as a new level called the Wind Fortress. Pixel is also reportedly planning to add more content to the Mac App Store version in the future, and this is such a lovely and awesome game that it's worth supporting with a few bucks anyway. If you've never played Cave Story and you enjoy a good "Metroidvania" platformer, you're in for a treat this weekend. Go pick Cave Story+ up right now.
Huzzah? Cave Story may be headed to WiiWare [update]
This is definitely the best possibly-fake news we've heard in a while. Apparently, Doukutsu Monogatari (Cave Story) creator Pixel has asked everyone developing ports of his masterpiece (including the PlayStation 3 Linux version) to stop their work.According to Amigaworld.net, who reported on the cancellation of the Amiga OS4 version, the reason for the cutoff of port projects is that Cave Story is planned for release on WiiWare. The implication here is that this version of Cave Story will be official and Pixel-approved (or, ideally, Pixel-developed). We hope this is true, because we would love to play Cave Story on the Wii, and we'd love to give Pixel some money for the privilege.[Update: Amigaworld redacted the previous statement. Apparently it's all some kind of misunderstanding.][Via Indie Games]
The dirt on Cave Story DS, Cave Story-engraved DS
Praised by almost everyone who's played the freeware PC title, Cave Story is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the "Metroidvania" genre, a polished action platformer embellished with endearing characters and a catchy soundtrack. No matter how many times we're reminded of the fact, it always astounds us that the game was designed and developed by a single programmer, Daisuke Amaya, or Pixel, as he's more commonly known. As you might should know, homebrew developer Ravenworks has been working on a DS port for Cave Story. As it turns out, however, Pixel doesn't own a Nintendo DS, so it would be unlikely that he'd be able to play the port once it's completed. In fact, he hasn't owned a handheld or home console since the Nintendo 64! Isn't it a crime nowadays for gamers in Japan to not own a Nintendo DS?To keep Pixel out of jail, Ravenworks and the rest of the "All Things Studio Pixel (ATSP)" LiveJournal community raised $410 and put together a care package of handheld treats as a "thank you" for the DS-less developer's work. Here's everything the group purchased and sent: Onyx Nintendo DS Lite system (laser engraved with Cave Story characters and a message that reads, "Thank you") R4 cart with 2 GB microSD (for playing Cave Story DS! and perhaps DS development one day?) DS carrying case Mother 3 Game Center CX So, how did Pixel take to the package? You can read his reaction, as well as the community's reasons for picking those two particular games for their offering, past the post break! We also used this effort as an excuse to catch up with Ravenworks on Cave Story DS's progress. %Gallery-22693%
LttP: Cave Story homebrew impresses
Nearly a month after Joystiq spotted it, we finally had a chance to sit down and play the excellent PSP version of Cave Story. The PSP version of this freeware game has the loving approval of Studio Pixel, the game's original creators, and is "based entirely on Pixel's original code."The game is absolutely massive, offering just as much (if not more) gameplay as many retail games. We were really impressed by the fluidity of the port. A homebrew-enabled PSP will be required to play this incredibly well-crafted platformer/shooter -- check it out here.[Thanks, dexrrr!]
Fully playable Cave Story PSP demo released
That was ... fast! Just a few weeks ago homebrew demos were released of Cave Story ports for both the DS and PSP. Looks like ufo_z is nearly finished with the PSP version and has unleashed release candidate one, playable from beginning to end with a few minor bugs due to the stretched screen size. It's not the final version, and at the speed things are going it might be a good idea to wait a few days for the bugs to be squashed. But it's free, the game's creator has given it a thumbs up, and if you have PSP capable of playing homebrew games, the thought of a portable Cave Story will probably make you too giddy to wait.
Cave Story demo released for PSP, DS
Two homebrew programmers have just released demos for DS and PSP versions of the freeware PC game Cave Story. A previous attempt by Variant Interactive to publish the game commercially has apparently fallen through, though the company has not officially confirmed this. Fortunately for us, dedicated homebrew programmers aren't content to let the masterpiece remain computer-bound.Ufo_z, working on the PSP incarnation, has received approval from Pixel and has finished coding up through the first boss encounter. Working on the DS game is ravenworks who has taken a slightly different approach and is re-writing the game to fit the DS system's hardware. Both attempts show a lot of promise and run well on the actual systems or an emulator. Download the DS demo and PSP demo.
New Cave Story: DS demo released, pants soiled
With the approval and source code of Cave Story's father, Pixel, homebrew developer RavenWorks has spent the past year porting the indie classic to the DS. We've called the PC title to your attention before, praising it as one the most charming and polished titles we've ever had the pleasure of playing. The project was originally bound for the GBA, but RavenWorks eventually migrated his code and rewrote the graphics engine to take advantage of Nintendo's new hardware. Current plans for the touchscreen include a map display and a "tap-to-switch-weapons interface" (accompanying L/R weapon switching).Cave Story: DS's newest demo allows you to explore the game's levels and mess with NPCs, its memorable soundtrack playing all the while. Though scripting, weapons, and many other features haven't been included yet, we're just happy to see that progress is still being made on the port. Make sure to download the demo and let RavenWorks know that his efforts are appreciated!If you don't have the homebrew tools necessary to test this early build, we have a few screenshots for you to preview in our gallery. You can also disguise yourself with a Mimiga mask and sneak past the post break for some shakycam video we dug up.%Gallery-4284%
Cave Story patch allows you to switch main characters
A new patch by Efraim Siounis for the freeware platform adventure Cave Story lets you play as one of nine different characters from the game. Simply grab the pbm file from Efraim's site, rename it to "MyChar.pbm", and drop it in the /data directory under the Cave Story folder. When you start the game all main character sprites will be magically switched. Currently you can play as Curly, Toroko, Jenka, Sue, King, Crown, Booster, or a dog. It doesn't change the game much, but you'll have something new to stare at as you discover another excuse to play through the game ... again.
Cave Story music inspired by ... polka?
By now we've all played, re-played, and generally gushed over Pixel's freeware platformer Cave Story. The game is so good, we've even fallen in love with the soundtrack. But did you know one of those tunes is a remixed polka song? Yes, polka. And we're not talking Weird Al-style Polkamon, either.The music that accompanies the Finnish dance Letkajenkka (often referred to as Jenkka) bears a striking resemblance to Jenka's theme (track number 16) from Cave Story. And by "striking resemblance" we mean it's the exact same song morphed into a chiptune-style piece. Kinda makes us wonder if, deep down, some twisted part of our being actually enjoys polka.[Via Independent Gaming]
Wii Warm Up: PC games
Every week, the Virtually Overlooked column seems to lead naturally into a topic of discussion. This week, since we talked about a delightful freeware game, we're thinking about PC games in general. Let's say our wishes come true and Cave Story becomes a Virtual Console download. The floodgates would be open for classic PC games to make their way to the Wii. It's not that far fetched-- Japan's getting MSX computer games. What would you want to play? We'll give everyone Doom as a freebie. That'll be ported to the Wii somehow, by someone. Doom on any piece of electronics is an inevitability.
Virtually Overlooked: Cave Story
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.Doukutsu Monogatari (Cave Story) is a free-roaming side-scrolling action adventure game developed over five years by a Japanese designer who goes by Pixel. You can download Cave Story right now and play it on the computer on which you're reading this article, PC or Mac. It's completely free. We have a copy on our own computer that we've played through many times. So why do we want to pay money to play it on the Wii? Because it's that good.
Cave Story, a freeware game heading to the PSP
It seems like Sony is starting to make a habit of taking freeware games and bringing them to their video game systems. First it was Flow on the PS3, and now it's Cave Story on the PSP.However, I may be going out on a limb here, but I think it's safe to say Cave Story will receive some drastic graphical improvements before it reaches our hands. At least I hope it does. The game is being developed by Variant Interactive and should be released in 2007.In case you're like me and have never heard of this game before, it's about a boy who wakes up inside and "delves into the rocky tunnels in search of clues to his where abouts and his identity. Meanwhile, a mad doctor makes use of an enchanted crown to enslave a race of rabbit-like creatures, known as Mimigas.As the boy travels through the cave, searching for an exit, he meets Sue, a mimiga unlike all the others. Soon he is caught up in an adventure beyond imagination as the fate of both human and mimiga races hang in the balance," according to Variant's website.How do you guys feel about having to pay for a freeware title, even if it's been upgraded?[Via Kotaku]
