Cally's Caves 3 for iOS Review

Platforming, adventure, weapons, collectibles, Cally's Caves 3 has it all!

Cally's Caves 3 Start Screen

Cally's parents have been abducted, as her arch-enemy Herbert has taken control of the Caves to perform his evil experiments. Join Cally and her friends in this action-packed run and gun platformer, conquering insane bosses, exploring to find secrets, and levelling up EVERYTHING. Source

Gameplay

Welcome to the world of Cally’s Caves 3, a wonderful mobile title (now available on Steam) that will keep your thumbs moving on the touch screen.  CC3 is an action platformer run-n-gun extravaganza that has you move Cally through 8 different worlds in order to save her parents from a deranged scientist named Herbert.  Cally will run, hop, swim, and fall through a variety of levels while blasting through enemies with eighteen different weapon types.  Each weapon has multiple forms that you can upgrade to result in over one hundred different weapon options.  I personally have fallen in love with the sword/shotgun combo, stunning them with a blast and then slicing them down to size.

Bera tearing it up!

Each level, or cave, comes with its own boss that needs to be defeated.  Checkpoints are placed generously throughout the caves which allows the game to be played very casually.  It also allows you to easily return to previous areas in order to grind up stats, which is exactly what you will be doing to make quick work of enemy bosses.  Periodically you will play as Bera, Cally’s companion introduced in Cally’s Caves 2, who offers a different way to play and experience combat.  Bera is a one bear wrecking crew that is very fun to play as.  

While the game is described as a platformer, that genre title should be used rather loosely.  There are platforming elements thrown into the game, but it is definitely not a major focus.  You will never feel totally challenged while moving through the levels very quickly.  Platform placement is incredibly intuitive and any blind jumps you may come across are completely safe to go careening into.  Where Cally’s Caves 3 really shines is in weapon and stat development.  As mentioned before there are eighteen base weapon types with dozens of unique upgrade possibilities.  A lot of the fun in this game is experiencing what the weapons do.  The spike gun, for example, can really change the way you approach navigating a level. You can try to dodge enemy fire or get your timing right and parry it.  

Learn how to parry.

Being a game aimed at mobile devices, the amount of depth this title has was a pleasant surprise.  As if deep game play wasn’t enough, Cally's Caves 3 also keeps track of many different stats.  At any point you can find out how many specific enemies you have defeated, weapon levels, times defeated, XP, and items collected.  Oh yea, did we mention there is a collection aspect to this game as well?  Records, diaries, orbs, combined there are 60 items to find while exploring.  However you want to approach this game, Cally’s Caves lets you do it.

The Good 

Soundtrack is spot on 

Over hundreds of different weapon possibilities 

Precise platforming, especially for a mobile game  

Plenty of checkpoints makes CC3 mobile friendly 

A variety of enemies

Challenging boss battles are sure to make your thumbs tired

The Bad

Platforming is very easy

Shallow explorations of multiple genres, unfocused

Cally overcomes all obstacles to save her parents.

Final Thoughts

Cally’s Caves 3 is a wonderful evolution of the series.  While the game is less than challenging at times, it makes for an enjoyable experience that is not a huge time suck.  While the game could stand to explore a single genre a little more, Cally’s Caves does a nice job incorporating elements of action, platforming, and RPG game styles.  Anyone can see the hints at classic old school games such as Mega Man and Super Metroid, and it is this throwback to some of the greatest franchises that makes this game worth owning.  Whether you want explore, grind, shoot, or slice your way through caves, all of the options are there.  Cally’s Caves 3 is designed to give you the experience you want to have.  Do yourself a favor and check out Cally’s Caves 3.

Is Cally's Caves 3 a game changer for mobile games? Let us know in the comments below.

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Mark Ball is the editor for Nintendo Love Affair. He also spends his days teaching and adventuring while refusing to lose his childlike sense of wonder.