Cave Story+: A Story Worth Retelling

Earlier this year publisher Nicalis ported their hit "The Binding of Issac" over to the Nintendo Switch and it immediately sold out in stores. It was only a matter of time until they decided to make another one of their games available. Fast forward a few months and June 20th marked the official release for Cave Story+ on the Nintendo Switch.

While Cave Story was originally released on Steam back in 2011, Cave Story+ has received some noticeable upgrades with the Switch port including a new soundtrack, new modes, and enhanced graphics. The limited edition physical copy comes with very nice artwork, a 32 page instruction manual and even a mini-CD containing the games new soundtrack.

When describing Cave Story, one can't help but to compare it to Metroid in the aspect that it is a platforming shooter/exploration game. Cave Story is about a robot in a cave, who wakes up one day with amnesia and after some exploration finds a village of rabbit creatures called Migmas. In the past, the Migmas were nearly wiped out by an army of robots, the only thing that saved them is a mysterious red flower that when eaten, transforms the Migmas into huge ferocious beasts. Throughout the game, you slowly recover your memory and solves the mysteries of the Migmas and the cave itself.

The 16-bit game is packed full of mystery, and has you wanting to keep playing to find out more. While it may be fun, it is also brutally difficult at times. The game takes no mercy on making you rerun an area from your last save point, so be prepared to employ some strategy and learn the movements of enemies to make things more enjoyable.

One unique aspect of Cave Story is the leveling mechanic. Whenever you defeat enemies, you can pick up golden triangles that raise the level of the weapon you have equipped. Gaining a level makes the weapon more powerful and can lead to improvements such as an increased firing rate or the number of projectiles fired with each shot.. While you have the ability to power these weapons up, careless game-play will do the exact opposite as you lose weapon progress each time you are hit.

With Cave Story+, there are different options for music but the remastered soundtrack is where this game really shines. The melodies of the game can and WILL get stuck in your head and it really sets the tone for the entire game.

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While Cave Story may be an older game, it is most certainly worth picking up on the Nintendo Switch. If you haven't played the game yet (like myself), or even if you have before, this version comes with so many upgrades that make the gaming experience better.

Overall, Cave Story+ rounds out with a solid 9/10. The game is wonderful, entertaining, however it is a bit difficult at times which makes it not for everyone. If you're looking for another great title to try out on the Nintendo Switch, give Cave Story+ a try and you will not be disappointed!