Cave Story ~ Doukutsu Monogatari

[Starrodkirby86]

Somehow, Japan always brings some of the greatest gems ever into the world, like Super Mario Bros., Sonic, Final Fantasy, and other epics...And yet here we go, another epic pops up somewhere along 2004.

I might as well give you the exact description Pixel, the [sole] developer of Cave Story, gave for his game.

Cave Story is a jumping-and-shooting action game.
Explore the caves until you reach the ending.
You can also save your game and continue from where you left off.

Although it may seem simple, this game is far from it. The actual gameplay itself is very reminiscent of the Castlevania and Metroid series, as it has been compared to commonly, positively. Pixel worked on this masterpiece for a total of five years, and what came out of it was one of the most addicting and best Freeware games ever.

There is an actual storyline to this. You are stuck on a floating island. You're a robot who, to just simply put it, got struck with amnesia. But it is soon that you learn a new ruler has arrived on the island and is plotting to rule the world through an intricate plan requiring red flowers. The premise may seem stupid, but I'm removing some key points.

What makes the best part of the game is some of the difficulty. It's not totally frustrating, but you would need some deep platforming skills. The final secret level, the infamous Sacred Ground, is absolutely brutal and can basically rape your butt if you don't know how to consistently keep yourself unhurt the whole time. I prompted myself to post this thread after beating the stage...which took me...a week or so...to finally defeat.

Game Screenshots:

Spoiler: ShowHide

Spoiler: ShowHide

The game is also coming for the Wii on WiiWare. The game had a whole Vectored graphic change, and I must say, it looks dazzling. The music is also remixed, but fortunately it is a toggle feature (In Cave Story, the music is 8-bit).

WiiWare Screenshot:

Spoiler: ShowHide

Download:
Cave Story Deluxe Package (Contains automatic English patch)
Cave Story (Macintosh Version) (JP)
Cave Story (Macintosh Version) English Translation Patch
Cave Story (Linux Version)


If you already have Cave Story and have beaten the Sacred Ground with the Nikumaru Counter, please post your time here!

The time I just got is a slow 9'00"3. :/ But hey, it's my first time beating it...Playing it safe was always a good method.

[Diokatsu]

Looks stupid....
*downloads*

[Vell]

might have to play - when i get a new compy several years from now.

[KRoP]

I can't find any Gum Base for a bomb. ;_;
HEEELP MEEEE

[Starrodkirby86]

I can't find any Gum Base for a bomb. ;_;
HEEELP MEEEE

You already talked to Malco right? That dumb robot. XD

Go talk to Kazuma, the guy trapped in the shelter again. He'll give you the Gum Key. Then go all the way to the right and finish the fan puzzle. Enjoy the boss battle. :X

[KRoP]

Thanks!
*goes to boss to get pwned*

[winkio]

I got to the final cave, but then I read about the different guns that you can get (the nemesis and the spur) so I made a new game and saved, and then realized that it overwrote my old data...  I'm back at sand zone now.  This time, I'm not taking the machine gun (even though it lets you fly...).

[Starrodkirby86]

I got to the final cave, but then I read about the different guns that you can get (the nemesis and the spur) so I made a new game and saved, and then realized that it overwrote my old data...  I'm back at sand zone now.  This time, I'm not taking the machine gun (even though it lets you fly...).

I hope you weren't frustrated when that happened...When I was trying to get to the secret stage the first time I realized I messed up something indefinitely and couldn't get it. I was at the Plantation as well. So I had to restart the game all the way back.

Sand Zone in my opinion is one of the more..."frustrating" places in the game if you don't have the Machine Gun...since there's those Skeletons...+_+

[winkio]

Nah, it's not too bad: the game goes much quicker the second time.  And yep, those skeletons suck.  I have gotten in the habit of using missiles more though, which is actually helping a lot.

EDIT: MUCH quicker.  the hidden version of the final cave is  much easier, in my opinion.  But the final bossess suck!  I never have more than like 15 hp by the core.  It's not fair!

[KRoP]

  That dragon twins boss keeps annihalating me.  I can barely survive the first half, but once they start constantly spewing fireballs it's hopeless.  Maybe if I didn't have to restart the level every time I lost . . . -_-

[Starrodkirby86]

  That dragon twins boss keeps annihalating me.  I can barely survive the first half, but once they start constantly spewing fireballs it's hopeless.  Maybe if I didn't have to restart the level every time I lost . . . -_-

Make sure you're a nice amount of HP left. Having the Spur makes the battle extremely easy and laughable. If you don't have the Spur, spam the Machine Gun or missiles at the mouths of the Sisters. The Bubbler also makes a good weapon because of their wide range to kill a lot of Fireballs. The Blade can make a good weapon, only if you can maintain the level.

Don't hesitate to use that Life Pot. This will be the last boss you'll face before getting another Life Pot, unless you're playing the Hard Route.

[winkio]

The trick with that boss is to shoot each dragon as soon as it opens its mouth.  If you deal enough damage, it will close its mouth and not spew fire.

And i beat the core!  finally.  now to take on Sacred Ground.  I got pwned at the part after all the falling blocks.  And what weapon do you have?  The machine gun, the snake, or the spur?

[Starrodkirby86]

I got pwned at the part after all the falling blocks.  And what weapon do you have?  The machine gun, the snake, or the spur?

Yeah, the whole part with all those Butes raping you is definitely a pain in the arsefrookle. I finally developed a near-full-proof method of passing that, but I usually make small mistakes that frustrate me throughout the course. The boss after that is easy after you develop a good pattern, and good luck against the last last boss...

Asking Krop or asking me about that question? o_o For me, although the Snake makes perfect for a speed run, I used the Spur because of its strength. I'm not ready to do a reflex Nemesis switch yet.

[winkio]

I was asking you.  I like the spur for its damage as well, but I can't help but think that the snake could help a ton trigerring the explosive thingies and the machine gun could let me fly, providing I could level it up enough it the first part...

[Starrodkirby86]

I was asking you.  I like the spur for its damage as well, but I can't help but think that the snake could help a ton trigerring the explosive thingies and the machine gun could let me fly, providing I could level it up enough it the first part...

The Spur doesn't give any leveling which makes it the perfect use for the Sacred Grounds. The Snake can destroy those Deleets as long as you level it up to 2 or higher, which you can for the first part. The Machine Gun loses all of its value when it goes to Level 1, and the Booster 2.0 works well enough. Controlling the Booster 2.0 is key for the whole stage...

But the weapon that wins everything is the Nemesis as long as you don't make it to Level 3.

[winkio]

Hmm... that is interesting... I might actually try that.  Nemesis is pretty powerful, and has good fire rate.  Just gotta make sure to plan correctly so I don't get hit level 3 too often.

[KRoP]

The Bubbler also makes a good weapon because of their wide range to kill a lot of Fireballs.

I got the bubbler thinking it was the worst weapon in the game, but now it actually has . . . use. :p
Also, I don't have the spur, nor do I know how to get it.  I'll try the battle a few more times, this time usin' the lifepot, and see if that gets me anywhere.

[Starrodkirby86]

The Bubbler REALLY stinks on Level 1, but at Level 3 it really shines, especially at Grasstown. Mowing through enemies has never been easier.

You can obtain the Spur by hanging on to the Polar Star no matter what, which means you can't trade it for the Machine Gun from Curly or trade it with the Snake from Chaba. After you have the Polar Star and return to Mimiga Village, go back to the Hermit Gunsmith for some wise words...

[winkio]

oh lol I realized why it was so hard for me: i thought that those angel spawns were infinite, and that I had to fun thru.  So much easier to kill them.

[KRoP]

I think I must've done something really, really wrong.

  So I go through the cutscene at the egg hatchery.  I climb the wall and go through the level at the planation.  But instead of finding the core, I only find an alternate to the final cave of the game.  The entire rest of the game is void of people, save for the old lady at the Sand Zone.  Can I still go and find the core, because otherwise I'm probably going to end up starting over.