Cave Story defines genre?

I've given the following question some tought today:

Cave Story might be a metroidvania game (a very specific genre, more specific than Platform and Shooter), but has Cave Story managed to define a genre? I've seen sereval projects with very similiar gameplay, such as Dreamt and Sorajima Monogatari, and I'm even making one (Gun Princess) myself...

Is it correct to say that Cave Story has defined a special genre of games, and if so, what should be the name of that genre? (Personally, I think calling the genre something to the effect of cave stories sounds not quite right... Better suggestions, anyone?)

And finally: do we need this specific genre, or is metroidvania specific enough?

 

I've given the following question some tought today:

Cave Story might be a metroidvania game (a very specific genre, more specific than Platform and Shooter), but has Cave Story managed to define a genre? I've seen sereval projects with very similiar gameplay, such as Dreamt and Sorajima Monogatari, and I'm even making one (Gun Princess) myself...

Is it correct to say that Cave Story has defined a special genre of games, and if so, what should be the name of that genre? (Personally, I think calling the genre something to the effect of cave stories sounds not quite right... Better suggestions, anyone?)

And finally: do we need this specific genre, or is metroidvania specific enough?

Yeah, it has, hasn't it?
It, IMO, is a genre that outgrows the metroidvania genre.
It's something more immersive, engaging.
It's a platformer with an actual story.
It most certainly has defined a genre.
It's...
Pixel Platform RPG? (PPRPG?)

 

Oh yes, don't forget the Underside, which was supposed to give tribute to Cavestory. And that one flash game based off of CS's gameplay.

I dunno. Pixel-esque? Or Cavestory-esque? Not many people have been making games that are similar to Pixel's non-cavestory games, such as Ikachan.

 

Oh yes, don't forget the Underside, which was supposed to give tribute to Cavestory. And that one flash game based off of CS's gameplay.

I dunno. Pixel-esque? Or Cavestory-esque? Not many people have been making games that are similar to Pixel's non-cavestory games, such as Ikachan.

Ikachan was the basis for Cave Story's engine. Ikachan is about closest thing to Cave Story you will ever find. Ever.

 

Ikachan was the basis for Cave Story's engine. Ikachan is about closest thing to Cave Story you will ever find. Ever.

Very well, I'll admit that's true. But I have yet to see a game based on Azarashi or JiL JiL... etc.

 

Very well, I'll admit that's true. But I have yet to see a game based on Azarashi or JiL JiL... etc.

Those were both older and little toys to play with. Not full games in the least. What the hell would you expect him to do with the engines of either of those games?

 

I like the term "Exploration Platformer" myself.
But I don't really think it's so dramatically different from the things that it borrows from to deserve being called its own genre.

 

Ikachan is about closest thing to Cave Story you will ever find. Ever.

I'd say it's a picking hairs about the definition of your sentence's meaning here: Ikachan's gameplay is quite different from Cave Story's (though no so much as it may seem); while the game still has a close blood bond with DM. There's a multiple of games being very similiar to Cave Story in gameplay; namely Gun Princess, Dreamt and Sorajima Monogatari. (None of them are mods, even though SM is a prequel to Cave Story)

I like the term "Exploration Platformer" myself.
But I don't really think it's so dramatically different from the things that it borrows from to deserve being called its own genre.

It might just be me overreacting on the awesomeness I felt the first time playing it, but I'd say that Cave Story ends up being larger than the sum of its parts. Somehow.
Anyway, the thing is, I've seen so many games with very similiar gameplay pop up near recently, it feels like it's ending up like its own genre. Like, games where you go to the right, and jump on enemies to kill them, and collect coins... Known as the Classic Platformer. Roguelikes are games that works like Rogue. And so on. I think the main reason nobody has made up a name of the DM genre would be that both Cave and Story are so common words there's no real use in stringing them together with an adjective (whilst both Castlevania and Metroid are unique words), yet still Doukutsu and Monogatari are too long to be used in a genre name. But how about Doulike or Douvania?

 

I like the term "Exploration Platformer" myself.
But I don't really think it's so dramatically different from the things that it borrows from to deserve being called its own genre.

I vote for Explorative Platformer.

 

Cavestoridvania? lol

 

Cave Story ~ Doukutsu Monogatari 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.

 

This description is good, but maybe more true for games like Spelunky.

 

...Spare the lines about saving.

 

Well, Cave story, in my opinion, is like a shorter, easier, but better La-Mulana. Both are somewhat similar, right? And I'd call both metroidvania.
In short, no, I don't think Cave Story defines it's own genre. A great example, yes, but not another genre.

 

Story-based realistically-styled psuedo-linear platformer with RPG elements?

Not sure if Metroidvania means more 'platformer with RPG elements' or 'exploration based platformer with areas that unlock as you get new items', because CS doesn't really have much/any of the latter.

 

Well the "grenre" is really the action/exploration type that's been around since Metroid 1 for NES (and likely even before that, I just can't think of any examples) -- I wouldn't at all say metroidvania since that mostly pertains to CASTLEVANIA games that have the Metroid feel as opposed to "classicvania"; maybe if it has a much higher emphasis on level-gaining and a map system similar to those games or something.

Anyway, though I wouldn't say it at all "defined a genre", I think Cave Story really "defined/awakened a way of thinking about games". It's so charming and fun that people are inclined to mod it or make completely separate games inspired by it; the graphic style, music style, and storytelling style are all things that I'm positive have heavily influenced and will continue to heavily influence retro games and new 2D games in general. The gameplay itself really isn't anything that hasn't been done before, it's just the supreme polish and extreme care and attention to detail by the creator that sets it apart from "just another exploration/action/adventure game".

 

Its more like Platformer IRPG (Individual rpg )

 

Its more like Platformer IRPG (Individual rpg )

But there are lots of RPGs that are single-player, "individual RPGs" (i.e. when I think of RPGs, I don't think of MMOs). IRPG would be sort of redundant. Maybe just Platformer RPG.

 

But there are lots of RPGs that are single-player, "individual RPGs" (i.e. when I think of RPGs, I don't think of MMOs). IRPG would be sort of redundant. Maybe just Platformer RPG.

I think he might be refering to the fact that you control only one character, since there aren't too many of those.

I still prefer the classification "action-adventurer platformer" since it didn't really feel like a RPG to me.

 

I think he might be refering to the fact that you control only one character, since there aren't too many of those.

I still prefer the classification "action-adventurer platformer" since it didn't really feel like a RPG to me.

Well, you technically control 2 characters in Sacred grounds (Quote + Curly simultaneously), but whatever.

I believe Cavestory bears similarity to an RPG since it has significant dialogue and storyline, as well as meeting many new characters, towns, etc. (though the same thing could be said for other types of games perhaps). So it's similar to an RPG, even though it may not be best classified as an RPG.