Originally released as a digital download for Wii, DSi, and PC formats, Cave Story makes its 3DS debut with an enhanced presentation, an additional area to explore, and an unlockable "Prinny" character from publisher NIS America's quirky Disgaea series. The gameplay is otherwise unchanged, with you guiding a young hero through a hazard-filled cave viewed from a side-scrolling perspective.
Cave Story is similar in concept to Super Metroid and later entries in the Castlevania series, with players leaping across platforms, exploring unfamiliar territory, solving puzzles, and using weapons to defeat enemies. Unlike previous versions of Cave Story, the characters, environments, and enemies in this entry are rendered in 3D polygons, with the handheld's 3D slider used to give the illusion of depth to the visuals.