Cavern of Dreams looks like it graduated from 3D Platformer Perfection Academy in 1998, alongside Banjo-Kazooie and Spyro the Dragon. But despite the effortlessly nostalgic polygonal worlds, Cavern of Dreams actually came out just yesterday on October 19th and received the same acclaim that you’d expect from the N64/PS1-era greats.
Just like the early Spyro collect-a-thons, Cavern of Dreams casts you as a young dragon called Flynn who jets off to different themed worlds in search of his “unhatched siblings stolen away by a mysterious villain.” As expected, the four open-ended worlds contain various puzzles, platforming obstacles, and collectibles, but each level also ties back to the main hub, which delightfully has its own secrets.
My favorite thing about the game, based on the trailers, is the pure vibes. The low-poly jagged environments that are simultaneously creepy and warming. The bouncing music that tickles a very specific crease in my noggin. The awe that comes from charting a world that doesn’t quite conform to real-world logic.
My enthusiasm is happily backed up with near-flawless Steam user reviews. “It nails the otherworldly, dreamlike vibe those games had better than any of its contemporaries,” WaveParadigm says. “An instant classic,” reads a review from Classic_Carnage, “I’m excited to see what speedrunners end up doing with this game.”
A Spyro-esque protagonist mixed with a Banjo-style oddball world was always going to be a winning recipe in my eyes, so I'm glad it's being warmly received. Cavern Of Dreams should tide me over while I wait for Microsoft to revive the beloved mascots - now that it somehow owns both Spyro and Banjo and is looking to revive some dormant series.
Cavern of Dreams is usually available on Steam for £10/$13, but there’s currently an introductory discount that slashes that down by 10% for the next week. It’s also available as part of the ‘Retro 3D Platformer Bundle’ that packages several great throwback gems.
Check out the other best platforming games not called Mario.
