NDS Cave Story (DSiWare) NDS ROM

[CSmith327]

Game Description:​

Cave Story (洞窟物語) is an Action-Adventure/Platformer 2D video game published by Nicalis and developed by Nicalis, Studio Pixel (Daisuke Amaya) released on November 29th, 2010 for the DS.

This is actually one of the best and most overlooked versions of Cave Story. It has the official localization by Nicalis that I feel is a better more accurate translation than Aeon Genesis' translation of the original freeware version. Unlike the WiiWare version that had altered graphics and a redone soundtrack (which polarized a lot of fans) the DSiWare version keeps the same graphics as the original and the music is mostly the same except that this version is known to have a slightly higher pitch.

Reviews for this version usually praise it as better than the WiiWare port and a great way to experience the original feeling version but with a script that is improved over the old English translation. It also has some nice QOL features such as benefiting from the bottom screen of the DS for menus keeping the top screen free for gameplay, difficulty modes to pick from, and a jukebox music player mode. You can't view the map on the bottom screen and play at the same time (which is a dumb oversight if you ask me) but I honestly never look at the map when playing Cave Story.

How to Play:​

(Using the MelonDS DS core in RetroArch)

1. Make sure you have the MelonDS DS core installed in RetroArch (the one that has DS twice in the name, it's the better one imo)
2. Download the bios files required for DSi emulation from this page (you will need to find NAND versions for the region matching the version you get, I dunno where the Japan NAND can be found)
3. You will need to rename the files according to what the Core Information page for the core in RetroArch says. With the core loaded go to Information -> Core Information from the menu to see it.
4. The bios files go into your RetroArch System directory (C:\RetroArch-Win64\system if on Windows with default install location)
5. In Core Options for MelonDS make sure that Boot Mode is set to Direct instead of Native in the System section
6. Load the zip containing the .nds file and the game should boot up and play fine.

Included are .cia versions that can be installed on a custom firmware enabled 3DS using FBI.

Download Links​

• Cave Story (DSiWare) NDS ROM

 

[CSmith327]

Then why does it keep not launching and saying I need them

Probably because you didn't go into the configuration settings in MelonDS and told it to use them. Literally all you need to play this rom is MelonDS v1.1 or the MelonDS DS (the one that has DS twice in the name) core in RetroArch and those 4 files that I mentioned and then tell MelonDS to use them. Then choose the option to have the boot mode be direct and then load the .nds file and it'll play. You're over thinking it since it's not that hard to get this to run. I've tried it through both the Windows app version of MelonDS v1.1 and the core in RetroArch and they can both play it fine. The screenshots in this post were taken by me using RetroArch.

 

[Sleepstate]

Those are the bios for regular DS and are optional. MelonDS doesn't need the bios for standard DS since it can play those without them, but it does need the DSi bios in order to play DSi exclusive games like this one. You can get those too if you want and tell MelonDS to use those as the regular DS bios, but it doesn't need them.

Then why does it keep not launching and saying I need them

 

[CSmith327]

That’s all fine and good but what about the bios.7 and bios.9 no dsi in the name

Those are the bios for regular DS and are optional. MelonDS doesn't need the bios for standard DS since it can play those without them, but it does need the DSi bios in order to play DSi exclusive games like this one. You can get those too if you want and tell MelonDS to use those as the regular DS bios, but it doesn't need them.

 

[Sleepstate]

All 4 files needed by MelonDS are in that link I commented. You need biosdsi7.bin, biosdsi9.bin, dsifirmware.bin, and dsinandfinal.bin. Those are the bios files needed for MelonDS to be able to run DSi games. They might need to be renamed for it to recognize them. dsi_bios7.bin, dsi_bios9.bin, dsi_firmware.bin, and dsi_nand.bin are the names used by the MelonDS DS core in RetroArch. The MelonDS app works similar to that. Just make sure to tell it to direct boot into the game instead of going into the DSi menu.
edit: I accidentally said dsi_arm but they're dsi_bios7 and 9

That’s all fine and good but what about the bios.7 and bios.9 no dsi in the name

 

[CSmith327]

can you get me the right size ones for the dsi_bios arm ones as well because apparently i don't have those either

All 4 files needed by MelonDS are in that link I commented. You need biosdsi7.bin, biosdsi9.bin, dsifirmware.bin, and dsinandfinal.bin. Those are the bios files needed for MelonDS to be able to run DSi games. They might need to be renamed for it to recognize them. dsi_bios7.bin, dsi_bios9.bin, dsi_firmware.bin, and dsi_nand.bin are the names used by the MelonDS DS core in RetroArch. The MelonDS app works similar to that. Just make sure to tell it to direct boot into the game instead of going into the DSi menu.
edit: I accidentally said dsi_arm but they're dsi_bios7 and 9

 

[Sleepstate]

Make sure they're the DSi arm7 and 9 since the file sizes are exactly the same as the standard DS ones. You can find them here

can you get me the right size ones for the dsi_bios arm ones as well because apparently i don't have those either

 

[CSmith327]

keeps saying i dont have arm7 or nine when i have them

Make sure they're the DSi arm7 and 9 since the file sizes are exactly the same as the standard DS ones. You can find them here

 

[Sleepstate]

keeps saying i dont have arm7 or nine when i have them

 

[Sintra4]

Hey, thanks for putting the time in to describe and review this version. I've known about the DSi version for a while but never saw much point in playing it. Now, I do.

 

[CSmith327]

Why does it come with a savefile? Dope game tho

There was one saved in the NAND backup. The .nds file itself has no save with it

 

[Yoyoyo123]

Why does it come with a savefile? Dope game tho

 

[CanAvar]

I enjoyed Cave Story for Wii thoroughly, but the opportunity to play this game on DS won me over immediately.

 

[CSmith327]

I need more Cave Story ports uploaded here

The Sega Genesis one is on here but it needs to be updated (I'll see if I can get Rage Burner to update the files in it later) That one is my favorite and the game looks and sounds amazing with the Genesis Yamaha FM sound chip. There's also a PS1 port but I'm unsure of how complete that one is. The Genesis one is fully playable. You can find it here. It's also one of the easiest ways to play it in another language since it has all 12 translations of the game in all the major languages

 

[William]

I need more Cave Story ports uploaded here

 

[ArchienineArchienine's icon]

My favorite game of all time. This and the 3DS eshop version are pretty good. Really, Cave Story's on damn near everything- there's no shortage of ports. The more options for people get to play it, the better.

Also you have the lots of homebrew ports. The PSP one was my first time playing it

 

[richterw]

DSI games should have it's own category, they're not regular ds roms that run on any regular emulator like no$gba.

 

[AnikiTak]

My favorite game of all time. This and the 3DS eshop version are pretty good. Really, Cave Story's on damn near everything- there's no shortage of ports. The more options for people get to play it, the better.

 

[Ikagura]

There's also a normal DS port for Linkers but I'm glad to see more DSi ware games.

 

[CSmith327]

can i play this on real dsi hardware?

I don't have a DSi and have a New 3DS XL instead, but after doing research, I've found that it can be done using this tool called NAND Title Manager. It seems kind of complicated tho. If you want to play this game specifically I'd just get the PC version of the freeware version or find a pirated copy of Cave Story+ for PC. Actually, here's a download for Cave Story+.

 

[GojiraGoji]

can i play this on real dsi hardware?

 

[ReeseJammin]

game so good someone made a rap walkthrough

 

[Verdaguer0]

Uno de los mejores metroidvanias que existen. Excelente control, buena historia, carismaticos personajes (los de made in abyss se copiaron demasiado jaja) y muy buena musica que acompaña con el ambiente. Me gustaria muchisimo que saquen un anime de este juego.

 

[CSmith327]

I think that this could work to distinguish better this from a regular DS game
View attachment 166756

I saw both of those when looking for a cover but avoided both of them. That one has Nintendo Life's watermark on it and the other is too low of a resolution. I guess I can edit out the watermark and clean it up a bit tho

 

[Masterofthefalcon]

This was actually the first version of Cave Story I played and beat back in the day. Love this game.

 

[ArchienineArchienine's icon]

I think that this could work to distinguish better this from a regular DS game