Life+ Interrupted

In early 2009 (or, more likely, in late 2008), someone who goes by the name Pastel started working on a "thematically organized, largely nonlinear Metroidvania" game called Life+.

According to Pastel, the game is "more similar to Doki Doki Panic/Super Mario Bros. 2 than anything else, [as] the combat involves ripping up chunks of floor and hurling them at enemies and obstacles. You can pluck certain projectiles out of the air, stand on some particular enemies and rip them asunder, and stuff like that. When you pull up a tile, its constitution depends on what you're standing on and your luck. If what you're standing on is too thick, you won't be able to pull it up until you find a strength building powerup."

A year and a half later, Life+ remains a work in progress. Thankfully, interested gamers can keep tabs on that progress by visiting the Life+ Update Blog now and then.

In the meantime, check out this "video test," which shows off the game's Cave Story-esque graphics and Doki Doki Panic-ish gameplay:



Oh, and if you're at all interested in learning more about Life+, this blog post is a good place to start.

Hey! You got your Cave Story in my WarioWare D.I.Y.!

Not that I'm complaining, especially when the result is as competent and compelling as the following fan-made microgame:



I have a feeling that when I finally get my grubby mits on this game, life as I know it will come to a screeching halt.

It won't be the first time, of course--the same thing happened after I brought home a copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk, for instance. I spent the next few weeks (OK, months) coming up with custom t-shirt designs for my town's fur-covered inhabitants, much to my husband's chagrin.

Buy: WarioWare D.I.Y.

No longer a Cave Story virgin

I've played the WiiWare version of Cave Story for about three hours now, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, how could I not enjoy it? It's basically a cute 'n cuddly Metroid clone.

The graphics are a wonderful mix of retro and modern, and the music is adorably and appropriately winsome. And then there's the gameplay, which I consider to be just as tight and well-tuned as the above-mentioned Gunpei Yokoi classic.

"I Am A Cave Story" by Annabelle Kennedy

That's not to suggest the game is faultless. It requires a bit more backtracking than I'd like, for instance, and it can be a smidge befuddling from time to time (i.e., I'm not always sure where I should go or what I should do next).

Neither of those negatives will keep me from completing Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya's action-adventure triumph, though--nor should they keep you from giving his charmingly challenging title a try.

See also: 'I can't wait to pop my Cave Story cherry'

I can't wait to pop my Cave Story cherry

Yep, I've never played any version of Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya's amazing freeware game, Cave Story (aka Dōkutsu Monogatari). That will change on Monday morning, though, when I download the WiiWare version of the Metroidvania-esque title.

Until then, I'll daydream about Quote, Curly Brace and the rest of the Dōkutsu Monogatari crew while listening to Annabelle Kennedy's "Cave Story Anthem."



The WiiWare version of Cave Story will set you back 1200 Nintendo Points, by the way. For more information on what's included in this iteration of the game, check out developer Nicalis' blog and/or the title's official NeoGAF thread.