Some people love it, and other people loathe it, but almost everyone concurs: Cave Story is an important game.
Does that sound dumb to you? Well, it probably should. The word “important” as it relates to videogames has been worn out to the point of near-worthlessness. People state that Modern Warfare 2 is important because it has a scene where you’re a celebration to the deaths of innocent people, or that Heavy Rain is important because it brings “choose your own adventure” gaming into the HD generation, but neither of those games have yet proven their impact on the future of videogames.
Cave Story is different. It’s proven to be important. When it was first released on PC in 2004, it showed us things about videogames that some of us had forgotten, and others never knew in the first place. It showed us that the techniques and tropes of NES-era game design can still be relevant in the post-cartridge era, something that Capcom and Nintendo have since capitalized on in a large way. It showed us that indie games could be “artistic” and be inviting, and not just one or the other — something that the developers of Braid and the Bit.Trip series have definitely taken to heart. Perhaps most importantly, though, Cave Story showed us that one man can make a videogame all by himself, and end up with something that’s just as compelling a game made by a development team of hundreds. Though we are yet to see the true impact that this will have on the game industry, it’s already become clear that many aspiring game developers see Cave Story as proof that anyone with enough passion and determination can become a game developer.
These are just a few of the reasons the game has developed an ever-growing, ever more ravenous fan base. Thanks in no small part to that fan base, the game has been re-released on WiiWare, but not without a few changes. Most notably, Cave Story isn’t free anymore. So now that more than five years have gone by since its release on the Personal computer, is Cave Story still important? More importantly to your wallet, now that Cave Story costs $12, is it worth paying for?
Hit the jump to find out.
Cave Story (WiiWare)
