Cave Story

Cave Story
First release date	Dec 20, 2004
Original platform(s)	Windows (freeware)
Platformer adventure
Perhaps the quintessential indie platformer, and certainly one of the most influential authorial Metroid-style platform adventures with retro pixel art graphics and NES-like chiptunes. Cave Story isn't nearly as sprawling as Metroid or any number of similar indie games, but offers very tight and polished design, with a steady supply of set pieces, clever weapons, and many surprises throughout its brief duration. True to the title, story plays a major role, is conveyed mostly ingame through scripted sequences (and even branches based on your actions with multiple endings), brief moments of exposition, and moments of poignancy that land hard, even amidst a stereotypically cutesy demeanor and off-beat sense of humor. Has been ported and remade several times, but the original PC version remains freeware with translations available.
Key people	Daisuke Amaya