For when you’re tired of the same ol’ same ol’, or just feel like trying something new in-between awesome releases like Mario Galaxy 2 and Red Dead Redemption, this new feature, Video Game Adventures, is here to spice up your gaming life.  So, all aboard the S.S.V.A.!

This is the new Wii port by developer Nicalis, with higher graphical resolution

Cave Story is a game that was created by one man, Daisuke Amaya, aka “Pixel” (his official site with other free games here).  He created the game over a 5-year period, and released it in 2004 for free on PC.  Pixel has stated that Super Metroid had a big influence on the creation of the game.  In addition to creating the entire game himself, Pixel also made the music, and guess what, in some cases, it’s as good or better than a lot of the music from past generations.  Cave Story has been downloaded and played hundreds of thousands of times, and it has just recently gotten a Wii-ware release for 1200 Wii points ($12).  The Wii-ware version has the original game, but you can also mix and match the old and new graphics and music to your liking.

A comparison of the original and new graphics for main character, “Quote”

The main character who is strangely named, “Quote”, can jump and shoot.  Yes, that’s it, but trust me, it’s all you’ll need to have fun.  He can shoot left, right, up, and even down if you’re in the air.  You’ll acquire new weapons during your adventure, and like Metroid, you’ll need to search for items (hearts in this case) which will increase your maximum health.  There are a variety of enemies and bosses to challenge you, and throughout the game, you’ll essentially be exploring terrain and killing enemies.  Just past the beginning section of the game (2 hours in?), you’ll have the opportunity to get a new machine gun that will allow you to shoot downward to fly.  The weapon’s ammo decreases as you use it, and recharges when you’re not using it, so you can’t fly forever, but I had a lot of fun flying around and doing air battles.

Playing this game, you might get the feeling that you’ve uncovered some never-released 16-bit game.  I loved playing this game, because lately I’ve been playing too many new 3D games on my Wii and Xbox360, and after awhile, I just want something different.  So, if you’ve ever enjoyed playing Mega Man, Metroid, or any game that’s similar to these two, I urge you to explore that gaming landscape; play some Cave Story!

Cave Story can be downloaded for free at Miraigamer.  I had my Logitech PS2-like controller hooked up, and it worked without me doing any setting up.  Don’t touch the keyboard controls though, because they might override the controller and you’ll have to restart the game!  You could also support Pixel by buying the Wii-ware version!

Well, that’s it for this adventure, but be sure to join our next voyage as we set sail to a new land filled with magic, puzzles, and strategy!

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