Cave Story: 4 Open Source Clones Compared
CSE2 is a decompilation aimed at staying close to the original code and its bugs, with an optional -DFIX_BUGS build flag to fix them instead of preserving them. doukutsu-rs is a from-scratch reimplementation rather than a decompilation; it works with data from the original freeware release, Cave Story+, or a Nintendo Switch dump and can act as a drop-in replacement for the Cave Story+ executable, though it doesn't yet support the 2026 Steam remaster and its saves aren't compatible with the original version's saves. NXEngine-evo is a refactored fork of the older NXEngine that ports the engine to SDL2 and adds more resolutions up to full HD.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows, OSX, Android
- Play in browser
- YesPlay in Browser
- Mobile
- Android
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 11d ago
- Stars
- 1,289
- Contributors
- 34
- License
- MIT
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesWorks with freeware, Cave Story+, or Nintendo Switch data files; original Doukutsu.exe or supported game edition required.
- Modding support
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Sporadic
- Last updated
- 7mo ago
- Stars
- 548
- Contributors
- 27
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires Cave Story game data files to run.
- Modding support
- YesInitial mod support is available in this version.
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 4y ago
- Stars
- 198
- Contributors
- 5
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires Cave Story game files to run.
- Modding support
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows, OSX, Wii, 3DS
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Sporadic
- Last updated
- 6mo ago
- Stars
- 197
- Contributors
- 12
- License
- —
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoThis is a full decompilation of Cave Story; it ships its own game assets and requires no original game data.
- Modding support
- YesCustom modloader and debug save feature allow modifications; see FIX_BUGS and DEBUG_SAVE build options.
| Title | doukutsu-rs | NXEngine-evo | NXEngine | CSE2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Playable | Playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, OSX, Android | Windows, Linux, OSX | Windows, Linux | Linux, Windows, OSX, Wii, 3DS |
| Play in browser | YesPlay in Browser | No | No | No |
| Mobile | Android | No | No | No |
| Project health | ||||
| Development status | Active | Sporadic | Halted | Sporadic |
| Last updated | 11d ago | 7mo ago | 4y ago | 6mo ago |
| Stars | 1,289 | 548 | 198 | 197 |
| Contributors | 34 | 27 | 5 | 12 |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 | — |
| Engine | — | SDL2 | SDL2 | SDL2 |
| Compatibility | ||||
| Requires original assets | YesWorks with freeware, Cave Story+, or Nintendo Switch data files; original Doukutsu.exe or supported game edition required. | YesRequires Cave Story game data files to run. | YesRequires Cave Story game files to run. | NoThis is a full decompilation of Cave Story; it ships its own game assets and requires no original game data. |
| Modding support | — | YesInitial mod support is available in this version. | — | YesCustom modloader and debug save feature allow modifications; see FIX_BUGS and DEBUG_SAVE build options. |
| Preview | | | | |
Known limitations
- compatibility: Remastered version saves are incompatible with original version saves and may cause softlocks, graphical glitches, or spawning in wrong locations.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Cave Story clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these Cave Story clones use?
doukutsu-rs (MIT); NXEngine-evo and NXEngine (GPL-3.0).
Do I need to own the original Cave Story to play these clones?
CSE2 runs standalone, no original files needed; doukutsu-rs, NXEngine-evo, and NXEngine require original game assets to play.
Can I play any of these Cave Story clones directly in a browser?
Yes — doukutsu-rs has a browser-playable build linked in the comparison table above, no install required.
Which Cave Story clone is the most actively maintained?
doukutsu-rs is currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to Cave Story.