Definitive Version of “Cave Story” Now on Mac

Wow! The latest version of my favorite pixellated platformer just kinda appeared on Mac! Cave Story+ landed on Apple’s App Store (mine’s downloading as I write this) today and it comes with a lot of extras thanks to the last year’s Wii port. On the docket is a new translation, remastered soundtrack, usb gamepad support (huzzah!) and a new level by creator Daisuke ‘Pixel’ Amaya not available on other PC versions.

Yep, I’m going to play this game once again! And what’s up with the 3DS Prinny rumors?

- Andy

Mother 3 is Fantastic. Captain America? Meh.

Of course I would finally return to GGG! on the same day that Kyle responded to our inactivity — I’ve never been known for my timing. But regardless of his post and not knowing just how much I’ll be able to contribute in the future, I just want to add… Mother 3 is a fantastic game. And I wouldn’t have known about it if it wasn’t for GoodGameGet. Well, I would have heard of it, but I wouldn’t have cared and I wouldn’t have played it. For that I owe GGG! so much.

I really understand how Kyle is feeling, though. Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in the hype and commercialism, not to mention the “professional enthusiasm”, but then just end up feeling like your soul is being sucked dry. All entertainment industries are like this. They exist to try to get you to consume easily and cheaply produced crap because of your interest in the good stuff. I won’t claim to know where exactly Kyle’s head is at right now, but I think we’ve all been there to some extent.

Seriously, if I hear one more person try to convince me that the Captain America game is worth “checking out” I’ll go nuts. It might not be a bad game, but there are so many games that have been released in the last thirty years that most people haven’t played, cost much less than $60 and are far more worth our time than a stupid Captain America movie tie-in. Games like… Mother 3.

Or the sublime Retro Game Challenge. Seriously, go buy that game, it’s like $15 now.

But then, I think, we just have to stop and embrace what it is we love so much about this hobby. Mother 3 is the perfect example. I can’t read a word of Japanese. If it wasn’t for the fan translation — or the passion others had for the game — I would never have played it.

The original Cave Story is another great example of this, and all kinds of people still love it enough to encourage remakes on other platforms. Just today, I received this fantastic case made by Etsy artisan whataboutki. All his work celebrates what’s great about games.

I guess I don’t really know why I’m writing this post. Partly, I’d love to encourage everyone to go find a classic you haven’t experienced and relish something that played a role in making our favorite hobby great. Partly I wanted to rant about stupid movie tie-ins. But mostly I wanted to say, “Hey Kyle, I hear you, man.” And I think I’ll go play some more Mother 3. I haven’t finished it yet, which is just a shame… I think I’ll do something about that tonight.

- Andy

What happened to Cave Story?

First of all I apologize for you having to watch that On The Spot intro.

Secondly I’m not trying to be a hater - but seriously this just looks awful. I have nothing against NIS either, because no one could ever make a Cave Story remake with polygons and a 3D effect that would look better than this to me.

Even if it was on better hardware.

The issue is that primitive graphics were a key part of Cave Story’s original charm and now that’s been discarded. I also don’t like the updated 2D graphics when the game came out on Wii Ware.

I just don’t see the point, because Cave Story came out during a time in which it could’ve had the graphics that it’ll have on the 3DS, but it was a design decision to make the game with sprites.

All this updating to Cave Story dilutes the game’s value for me and it’s sad to see something so pure and simple become so aesthetically destroyed by technology and misdirection.

- Kyle

Cave Story 3D: Not Sure What to Think

NIS America (the folks who put out the Disgaea and Prinny games) has announced they will be releasing a 3D version of one of my favorites, Cave Story, on the Nintendo 3DS utilizing a “spline-mapping” technique that will build a 3D world directly from the original 2D one.

The good news is they’re being joined in this endeavor by the original creator of Cave Story, Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya, and Wii/DSi Cave Story developer Nicalis, so I’m sure the integrity of the original will remain intact.

But what if the dark side of the game industry is behind this as well? Instead of creating games that suit this new medium, I fear a trend where more “previously published” games will be adapted to it. Cave Story seems to me the perfect example of a line not to cross. It’s not that I fear for a favorite, but Cave Story was so great because it hearkened back to a time before polygons. It was a fantastic game despite it’s old-fashioned design.

In the end, games are a business, and companies will take advantage of successful tiles. I don’t have a problem with that. But all we need to do is look at the failure of games like Sonic the Hedgehog to find critical success on modern consoles to see the opposite side of the coin.

Maybe a generation of young gamers who avoid pixels with a passion will embrace this new version of Cave Story, and that would be great. I want everyone to play this amazing game.

I’m just worried that, once again, technology, not innovative design or creative inspiration, is defining the path of our favorite hobby.

- Andy

(image via gamespot)

The Biggest Day on DSiware!

If all the hints and hopes and hullaballoo are true, then Monday, November 29th may end up being the most important release day in the roughly two year lifespan of the DSiware service.

Cave Story, arguably the most important, if not best, indie game of the last decade (and one of my personal favorites), should hit DSiware around noon in North America (and hopefully around the world too — not sure how that works). Created by one man, Daisuke Amaya, over a five year period, it is one of the most polished and balanced retro platformers out there. You can tell that every pixel was placed with care. If you haven’t played this game, you should. It’s free on PC and Mac, available on the Wii and is now portable thanks to game developer Nicalis.

Update: It’s available! Yay! Don’t let the 1000 pt. price dissuade you, it’s worth every penny. Nintendo has also added the frantic puzzler Frenzic for 200 pts. I have that on my Touch and it’s a really good, if nerve-wracking, puzzler.

- Andy