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Cave Story+

9 Platformer games like Cave Story+ that you should try

Games like Cave Story+ · Find similar →

We filtered the 41 games similar to Cave Story+ down to the 9 that fit the “Platformer” category. Supraland, Downwell and Neon White top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Cave Story+.

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS
Tags
HardcoreNarrativeSolo
Year 2010Dev Nicalis

Quick answer

Within the “Platformer” category, the closest game to Cave Story+ is Supraland — scoring 69/100 on our similarity scale. Downwell and Neon White follow close behind.

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The best platformer games like Cave Story+

9 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Cave Story+. Each one has been evaluated across 14 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Supraland

69
NGL84
Supraland
Closest on combat
ShooterFPS
SoloRangedMeleeExplorationOpen World
Year 2019Dev Supra GamesPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Its point of contact with Cave Story+ is shooting mechanics, ranged combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery. Where the two diverge is visuals: a first-person view.

Released 9 years after Cave Story+.

Combat100Game mode100Progression100Genre75Visuals0
2

Downwell

84
NGL85
Downwell
Closest overall match
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedHardcoreSci-FiPixel Art2D
Year 2015Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · iOS

If Cave Story+ worked for you because of punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting, the same is here. To that it adds single-player focus and pixel art. They part company on tone and setting: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and fantasy world.

Released 5 years after Cave Story+.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Setting69Tone61
3

Neon White

78
NGL92
Neon White
Closest on tone
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloRangedMeleeHardcoreNarrative
Year 2022Dev Ben Esposito · Annapurna InteractivePlaytime ~7hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

It shares the essentials of what Cave Story+ does: punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is setting and visuals: an anime aesthetic and a first-person view.

Released 12 years after Cave Story+.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Setting0Visuals0
4

MDK2

77
NGL84
MDK2
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcoreNarrativeSci-Fi
Year 2000Dev BioWare · Interplay EntertainmentOn PC

Genre puts it alongside Cave Story+, and so does punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings a cyberpunk setting and a third-person camera.

It predates Cave Story+ by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat83Setting46Visuals0
5

Metal Slug X

67
NGL85
Metal Slug X
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcore2DPixel Art
Year 1999Dev SNKOn Linux · Android · PC

Its point of contact with Cave Story+ is punishing difficulty, melee combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is game mode: multiplayer gameplay.

It predates Cave Story+ by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Visuals100Combat84Tone71Game mode29
6

Cuphead

64
NGL91
Cuphead
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloRangedMeleeHardcore2D
Year 2017Dev Studio MDHR · StudioMDHR EntertainmentPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Genre puts it alongside Cave Story+, and so does punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on 2D presentation. The distance is in setting and game mode — its own ground is a cartoon aesthetic and multiplayer gameplay.

Released 7 years after Cave Story+.

Genre100Tone84Combat75Visuals46Game mode25Setting0
7

DEADBOLT

69
NGL85
DEADBOLT
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedNarrativeHardcorePixel Art2D
Year 2016Dev Hopoo GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

It comes from the same genre as Cave Story+ and shares strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds pixel art. They part company on setting and combat: this one brings stealth mechanics and horror setting.

Released 6 years after Cave Story+.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone78Combat54Setting0
8

Defy Gravity Extended

65
NGL56
Defy Gravity Extended
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi2D
Year 2016Dev Paul Fisch · Fish Factory GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC

Same family as Cave Story+: punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to single-player focus and 2D presentation. Where the two diverge is tone and visuals: a casual, approachable feel and a space setting.

Released 6 years after Cave Story+.

Genre100Game mode100Combat74Setting68Visuals60Tone41
9

ODDCORE

52
NGL89
ODDCORE
ShooterFPS
SoloRangedMeleeFirst Person
Year 2018Dev Mobge · MOBGE YAZILIM GELISTIRME VE BILISIM TEKNOLOJILERI SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETIOn iOS · Android · Nintendo

What carries over from Cave Story+ is shooting mechanics, ranged combat and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals: a first-person view.

Released 8 years after Cave Story+.

Combat100Game mode100Genre75Visuals0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Cave Story+ by category

If Cave Story+ left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the platformer or the adventure that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Cave Story+ look-alike but simply the best Arena FPS Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Shooter Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.