First Cave Story and next La Mulana.

[Llydis]

http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/indie-platformer-la-mulana-heading-to-wiiware-via-nicalis/

Yesterday, Nicalis, developer of the WiiWare Cave Story remake and Night Game, announced a deal with Japanese indie developer Nigoro to co-develop and publish games in the US and Europe. The announcement stated that the companies would collaborate on "an upcoming title that is currently slated for release in winter of 2009."

Nintendo Power went ahead and revealed that the game in question is a remake of La-Mulana, a freeware Metroidvania type game designed in the style of 8-bit MSX games. If you haven't played it, check it out! The new version will have more of a 16-bit look, which is probably a good idea for a market that didn't have the MSX. And yes, it does give us the tiniest bit of concern that Nicalis is working on something else before we have Cave Story. Only a bit.

I can't say I've played La Mulana nor Cave Story. But, it sounds interesting at least.

[dmauro]

La Mulana is even better than Cave Story, in case anyone here hasn't already given it a go. The graphics are great already, although probably not as nice as Cave Story's.

[Llydis]

That one preview picture has a great 8 bit look to it.

They're going to 16 bit-ize the graphics for the Wii version. I hope there's an option to have an 8 bit mode to them as well, like how Secret of Monkey Island: SE lets you do it on the fly.

[FortNinety]

Here's the first trailer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAsDRIF25SE

[Llydis]

Okay, yeah. I can dig that. Some great use of color as well. I still hope there's an 8 bit mode though.

Iunno, I've been waiting for the Wii Ware version of Cave Story since I can't seem to play games on a PC and feel comfortable while doing it, unless the game was made specifically for what a PC does.

[Llydis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEn5huyUcsg

Yeah, I definitely want to play it.

[dmauro]

The problem with the new graphics is that the controls will be really jarring because they have a very old school feel that won't jive well with the graphics. I hope they don't dumb the game down at all, but I can't imagine how they wont' because it's goddamn difficult. I would love to just have the original game with the addition of an in-game notebook so that you don't have to keep a pad and paper to write down all the clues yourself.

[Llydis]

Yeah, I can kind of understand that.

With Castlevania: POR and Castlevania: OoE I was expecting something as easy as the Iga directed SOTN style of games had been up until PoR. The good graphics lie to you, especially in the case of OoE, that game has more of a Simon's Quest kind of vibe to it.

[isfet]

i think this is kind of neat but isn't La Mulana sort of totally impossible?  i remember watching a "Let's Play!" on youtube and the guy did all kinds of bizarre, cryptic shit to get through the game.  like, it appears to be old school to a total fault.  like Tower of Druaga or something.

[Llydis]

I downloaded it the other day and realized... You can't save until you buy an MSX cart to save with.

I might have a stab again at it next week.

[dmauro]

i think this is kind of neat but isn't La Mulana sort of totally impossible?  i remember watching a "Let's Play!" on youtube and the guy did all kinds of bizarre, cryptic shit to get through the game.  like, it appears to be old school to a total fault.  like Tower of Druaga or something.

No not at all. Well, I never did beat it, but I'm pretty sure if I had kept going at it, I could have advanced. It's just really fucking hard, but not at all in an obnoxious way.

[Llydis]

La Mulana is hard for 80's standards. But, it's probably because it's style of gameplay is an homage to MSX games.

[dmauro]

La Mulana is hard for 80's standards.

And we're hard for La Mulana.

[isfet]

i dunno, i remember seeing really silly things like "whip this wall 5x to make something appear"

the only game i'll tolerate that type of bullshit from is Simon's Quest on the NES.

but perhaps i'm mistaken.  anyway, i'll definitely buy it if there's an original graphics mode available from the start.

[sonictail]

Nicalis is a bit of a odd sort, I got some good stories about what he was doing with the WiiWare port of Cave Story (WHICH STILL ISN'T OUT >.<) .  But dear god, someone hurry up and convert Spelunky for sale and we'll be three for three.