Play Order
0 / 3 playedOriginal first, then remakes.
About Cave Story
Cave Story released December 20, 2004 from Daisuke Amaya as a free metroidvania about robot Quote waking with Kazuma and Curly on a floating island with Mimiga and the Doctor plot. It runs about six hours with three endings tied to the Ballos path and spur choices.
Cave Story Plus arrived August 2011 on Steam with new graphics modes and challenges, and Cave Story 3D followed November 2011 on 3DS with polygonal stages. Both retell the same island tale, so newcomers pick Plus for modern saves and try 3D only for visual variety. The pace stays steady across entries, with each part adding new faces without losing the core tone.
Good to know
There is no separate story order worth listing since Plus and 3D retell the 2004 plot with the same endings, so release order is play order. Play Plus first for tight controls and the true Ballos run, then replay 3D sparingly. Treat the 2004 build as history after Plus, since Plus bundles its content fully. Plan extra time for finales, since later parts assume full knowledge of earlier twists.
