Download Cave Story
Note: For Cave Story WiiWare, Cave Story+, Cave Story DSi, or Cave Story 3D please click here.
Note on NXEngine: NXEngine is an open source reproduction of the Cave Story engine. Most of the other ports here are built using the original source code from Pixel, but NXEngine ports are built from a fork of the NXEngine source core, at any stage of NXEngine's development. Chances are that the differences will be unnoticeable or really minor to most, but it is worth keeping in mind.
Note on NXEngine-evo: NXEngine-evo is a fork of NXEngine whose primary feature is widescreen support.
Note on CSE2: CSE2 is another open source reproduction of the Cave Story engine, except it is designed for accuracy and faithfulness to the original. Sadly, the source code was subject to a DMCA takedown.
Note on doukutsu-rs: A reproduction of the Cave Story engine written in Rust.
Windows
English Fan Translation (Pre-patched)
Japanese Original
Misc Fan Translations
English translation patch by Aeon Genesis
This needs to be applied to the Japanese download listed above.
AGTP+ English translation patch by epithetic
This needs to be applied to the pre-patched Aeon Genesis translation listed above.
Arabic translation (incomplete) by dan_crim
Brazilian Portuguese translation by Alex "Foffano"
Chinese (Simplified) translation by Hydrowing
Chinese (Traditional) translation by chowleft (amongst others)
French translation by Max le Fou
German translation by Reality Dreamers
Note: Unlike the German translations below, the Reality Dreamers translation is a direct Japanese to German translation.
Italian translation by Giovanni Maroso
Italian translation by Simon M.
Korean Translation (Anonymous Author)
Lithuanian translation by Mason13
Portuguese (Portugal) translation by André Silva
Portuguese Manual translation by Jay City
Portuguese OrgView translation by Jay City
Russian translation by Шедевр Translations
Spanish translation by Vagrant Traducciones
Toki Pona translation by jan Pawasi
Turkish translation by Batuhan Güzelbaba
Note: This is a direct Japanese to Ukrainian translation.
Misc
DDrawCompat (Windows 11 transparency fix)
(Extract to the same folder as Doukutsu.exe)
DoBetterConfig by MavikBow (Github )
(This allows you to remap keyboard controls for Cave Story, but keep in mind that it does modify Doukutsu.exe)
Cave Story WASD by voxl (Website Archive )
(A Cave Story executable with keys remapped to a WASD config)
doukutsu-rs Download
Windows 64-bit port by alula, dawnDus and jozsefsallai (Website )
NXEngine Downloads
Windows NT 3.51/4 NXEngine Port by gameblabla
Windows NXEngine Port by EXL (English) (Website )
Windows NXEngine Port by EXL (Russian)
Windows NXEngine Port Source Code by EXL
NXEngine-evo Downloads
Windows 32-bit port by isage (Website )
MS Visual C++ 2015 redistributable 32-bit (required for 32-bit Windows port)
MS Visual C++ 2015 redistributable 64-bit (required for 64-bit Windows port)
Deluxe Package
In 2006 Wadeizzle made an installer for Cave Story called Cave Story Deluxe. The name caused misconceptions because it didn't add anything new to Cave Story that wasn't already present... it just housed a bunch of extra stuff (like Ikachan, Orgmaker, etc.) under one installer. However... putting Cave Story in the Program Files folder makes save management painful, as such the installer download link has been removed and you can instead download the contents of the package below if you wish to.
Cave Story English translation by Aeon Genesis (pre-patched)
Org Maker v2.1.0 English translation by Bavi_H
Ikachan English translation by pheonixj
Cave Story Icon Set by platinumwade
Cave Story's credit illustrations
Cave Story Midis by S. P. Gardebiter
Booster's Lab v0.5.0.0 by Noxid (see here for current versions)
Version History
These are all Windows and all in Japanese. For versions older than v1.0.0.0 you will need to use DoDefuse to remove the time limit.
Various Cave Story Ports
Mac
Main Downloads
Mac port 0.2.0 (Intel macOS 10.15) by Nakiwo (Website )
Mac port 0.1.0 (Intel macOS 10.15) by Nakiwo
Mac port 0.0.9 (Intel macOS 10.14) by Nakiwo
Mac port 0.0.8 (Intel macOS 10.10) by Nakiwo
Mac port 0.0.7 (Intel macOS 10.9 and under) by Nakiwo
Mac port 0.0.6 (PowerPC macOS) by Nakiwo
To play these in English you will need the English translation patches listed below.
Translations
English translation for 0.0.9 (pre-patched)
Mac English translation for 0.0.8 by Turtle (Website )
English translation for 0.0.8 (pre-patched)
Mac English translation for 0.0.7 by Turtle
Mac English translation for 0.0.6 by Turtle
These need to be applied to the relevant main download listed above.
Mac Spanish translation by Pillows and Lord Zoltan
Mac French translation by Max le Fou
doukutsu-rs Downloads
Mac (Intel) port by alula, dawnDus and jozsefsallai (Website )
Mac (M1) port by alula, dawnDus and jozsefsallai (Website )
CSE2 Downloads
Mac port by zxin and Clownacy (Japanese)
Mac port by zxin and Clownacy (English)
NXEngine-evo Downloads
Linux
Main Downloads
Doukutsu Linux Port by Simon Parzer and Peter Mackay
Doukutsu Linux Port v1.2 Update
Linux French translation by Max le Fou
Misc
DoConfigure for Linux by Sean Baker
doukutsu-rs Download
Linux port by alula, dawnDus and jozsefsallai (Website )
NXEngine Downloads
Linux 32-bit NXEngine Port by EXL (English) (Website )
Linux 32-bit NXEngine Port by EXL (Russian)
Linux 64-bit NXEngine Port by EXL (English)
Linux 64-bit NXEngine Port by EXL (Russian)
Linux NXEngine Port Source Code by EXL
NXEngine-evo Downloads
Amiga
Main Downloads
Cave Story for AmigaOS 4 by Johan Samuelsson
Note: There are reports of a bug that may make the game unwinnable.
NXEngine Downloads
PSP
GP2X
Main Downloads
Cave Story ~ Doukutsu Monogatari GP2X build by Simon Parzer and Peter Mackay (openhandhelds.org Listing )
Compatibility Layer
This can also be played on Caanoo and/or Pandora by using a compatibility layer called GINGE.
GP2X Wiz
Main Downloads
Cave Story ~ Doukutsu Monogatari GP2X Wiz build by Simon Parzer and Peter Mackay (openhandhelds.org Listing )
Compatibility Layer
This can also be played on Caanoo and/or Pandora by using the compatibility layer known as GINGE, however it is better use GINGE with the GP2X port above.
XBox
XBox One
NXEngine-evo Downloads
XBox Series X/S
NXEngine-evo Downloads
Playstation (PSX)
CSE2 Downloads
Playstation 3
NXEngine Downloads
Webassembly
CSE2 Downloads
Nintendo DS
CSE2 Downloads
Megadrive
Custom Engine Download
Android
doukutsu-rs Download
RetroArch
NXEngine Downloads
RetroArch Port Source Code by twinaphex
Note: The best way to obtain a up to date build of this port is to open Retro Arch and navigate to Main Menu > Online Updater > Core Updater > Cave Story (NXEngine).
Select the NXEngine Core by going to Main Menu > Load Core > Cave Story (NXEngine). Download and extract the source files above, then in Retro Arch go to Main Menu > Load Content > Select File, navigate to your source file folder, open the datafiles folder and then open the file Doukutsu.exe.
SerenityOS
NXEngine-evo Downloads
SerenityOS Port by gloof (listing page)
Note: You can install Cave Story on SerenityOS by running the following commands in sequence within SerenityOS's build directory:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install imagemagick
git pull origin master
Meta/serenity.sh rebuild-toolchain
cd Ports/cavestory
./package.sh
cd ../..
The next time you run this command:
Meta/serenity.sh run
...Cave Story will be available on SerenityOS.
TI-nspire
Gamecube
NXEngine Download
Dreamcast
NXEngine Download
MotoMAGX
MotoEZX
Dingoo A320
Raspberry Pi
Ritmix
Haiku OS
AROS
NXEngine Downloads
Roblox
Incomplete Cave Story Ports and Tech Demos
Incomplete Ports
Tech Demos
Cave Story DS Demo 1 by Ravenworks
Cave Story DS Demo 2 by Ravenworks
Cave Story DS Demo 3 by Ravenworks
Note: These 3 tech demos are unlikely to ever result in a finished product.
Cave Story GBA Map Demo by Ravenworks
Cave Story GBA Sound Demo by Ravenworks
Note: Ravenworks' GBA port was dropped back in 2006 in favour of his DS port, which was also dropped. These tech demos are listed here only for the sake of completion and are unlikely to result in a complete port.