This is a freeware game inspired by the play controls in Super Metroid. It's the best freeware game I've ever played. I highly recommend picking it up and playing it if you have some free time. It's about 8 hours long and fun all the way through. It's available for both mac and pc, it works on Vista fine.

Cave Story (Doukutsu Monogatari), A Tribute Site

It also happens to be old-school challenging. This isn't today's stroll-in-the-park game.

I still haven't been able to beat the "secret" stage, the sacred grounds.

Haven't played a game like that in ages. And challenging is right.

god this game is hard

the difficulty does ramp but once you get the nuances of the controls down you can blow through enemies and bosses with ease. It felt hard to me at first but now I can beat the game with only dying a hand full of times and I'm not even all that good at games.

Gahh, cant pass the undead core. I really suck

no, the undead core is tough. I died probably 30 to 40 times before I beat it. Once you get it's pattern down you can beat it with out much trouble.

I wish they would tell you what the keys are, seems pretty random on my Mac outside the obvious arrow keys for movement.

Run the config exe first before launching the game.

Theres no exe for mac

and I finally got to the secret level (with full health )

that's pretty impressive that you've already made it to the sacred grounds and with full health. I've only managed to make it with 50 out of 54 health. Man that stage it challenging. There are five bosses in that stage with no save points. I've only managed to beat 2 of them.

Are you playing with a gamepad? I find the controls (well any sidescroller) a bit challenging with a keyboard, and the controls feel a bit more "floaty" in cave story.

No, i'm just using the keyboard.

With my Xbox360's pure red rings of death, this game has taken up my free gaming time. Its very addictive once you boot it up. Level 3 weapons are so satisfying.

yeah! I actually just beat the sacred grounds, it almost made the frustration worth it.

I still can't beat sacred grounds. I get hurt too much getting to the 1st boss (the press cyclops thing).

This is such a great game. I can't wait to replay the WiiWare 16 bit remix.

I beat the cyclops boss but then I die right after

This is such a great game. I can't wait to replay the WiiWare 16 bit remix.

I don't have a wii but am considering picking up a used one off of craigslist just to play it whenever it comes out and then just selling the wii after I get burned out on it.

As for you people having trouble with the sacred grounds, you'll master it. It was painfully hard and frustrating for me but once I played through it about 100 times I could beat it almost every try and I'm only mediocre at games.