ESRB Rating: E+10 for mild cartoon violence and mild language.
Jeff recently introduced the kids to Cave Story for Wiiware, a re-release of "the most well-known indie game of all time". Jeff has been a fan of Cave Story for some time, and played the original on his computer a few years ago. The characters were simple and really captivated the kids attention. With its release on the Wii through the Wiiware store, we got to relive the simple joy that is Cave Story.
The story is simple on the surface, a peaceful planet inhabited by the bunny-like Mimigas needs rescuing from an evil force. You play a robot who has awoken from a "Slumber" in the planets' time of need. The enemies are all quite adorable which appeals to me and my children. It's easier to accept defeat when your enemy was a sweet little flying lump.
The controls are simple jump and shoot moves, although a jet pack gets thrown in to help with those hard to reach places. My 8 year old could manuever quite easily through the early levels. The enemy onslaught does get quite fierce at times, which could overwhelm the beginner-gamer. But experienced kids know that you just have to KEEP SHOOTING and they will eventually thin out. The bosses take relatively few hits, however they do take some skill. It's a short game, as my husband can get through the whole story in an afternoon.
All in all its a wonderful throw back to the simple but beautiful games of the 8-bit era. The music, art and story were all the work of a single man who goes by the moniker of PIXEL. Cave Story is an excellent way to share a fresh story with an older feel. It shows our kids that you don't have to have realistic graphics, music performed by a 100-piece orchestra or elaborate cut scenes to make a good game. In fact, some of the best are made to BE simple to show off the fun of the gameplay and the joy of completing a good story.
Jeff's angle: While Cave Story is certainly a cute game with some frenetic action (especially at the end), there are some mature themes present. PIXEL makes commentary on the use of weapons, the value of life, magic, insanity, and death. Of course, most people won't get to some of these topics in the course of normal gameplay. PIXEL has crafted an amazing game to play through with multiple endings, and getting to the true ending of the game is no easy feat if you don't know what you are doing. Fortunately, there are subtle hints sprinkled throughout for the observant. With a lack of blood, the game is definitely enjoyable to play with the whole family, especially with the huge boss fights for your kids to cheer you through!
Cave Story is probably too difficult for your kids to play though. My 8-year old son has a tough time with it, though he is getting better with practice in the game's boss rush mode. Yeah, that is where he practices his game play. Where better though? If you can't beat a boss, you can't progress through the game. If you can beat a boss, you obviously have the skill to press onward. Since Cave Story is made in the same vein as old 8-bit or 16-bit games, beating bosses involves identifying and memorizing patterns, a useful skill for my budding mathematician son. Finally, it'll help bolster his dexterity for harder games and other activities.
Overall, Cave Story is a great game to play with the whole family, whether just one person plays while the rest watches the story (which unfolds at a decent pace), or whether you swap between family members after bosses or retries.
My rating: E+10 for its increasing difficulty in gameplay and slightly mature elements.
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