Commander Keen

About

Commander Keen is a classic side-scrolling platformer series that follows the adventures of an 8-year-old genius named Billy Keen. As Commander Keen, Billy travels through space to protect Earth from alien invasions, using his wits and an arsenal of gadgets. With challenging levels and creative enemy designs, the game offers a fun and nostalgic experience that will appeal to fans of retro gaming.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,000 reviews

graphics46 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

Commander Keen is a nostalgic classic that many players fondly remember from their childhood, providing hours of fun and challenging gameplay.
The game features unique mechanics like the pogo stick and a variety of colorful levels, making it a standout platformer of its time.
Despite its age, the series still holds up well, with engaging level design and a charming story that appeals to both old fans and new players.

The 'Complete Pack' is misleading as it does not include Keen Dreams or Aliens Ate My Babysitter, which disappoints many fans.
The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially in the earlier episodes, which may frustrate modern players.
The DOSBox port has compatibility issues and lacks modern features like controller support, making it less accessible for today's gamers.

graphics
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
66%
2%
The graphics of the game are a mix of nostalgia and dated visuals, with early episodes featuring rougher, pixelated art that hasn't aged well, while later episodes showcase improved graphics and animation that are more appealing. Many players appreciate the charming, retro aesthetic reminiscent of 90s platformers, though some criticize the blurry graphics and awkward user interface in certain ports. Overall, the graphics are considered good for their time, with modern updates enhancing the experience for those playing on contemporary systems.
- “I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had been updated with modern graphics that look amazing on my HDTV.”
- “Keen 4 is a big step up in terms of graphics and playability.”
- “Great looking graphics, sprites, and animation.”
- “Unfortunately, this product is just a lazy DOSBox port with blurry graphics and an awkward user interface.”
- “In terms of graphics, it is far, far away from modern franchises like Starcraft or Mass Effect or Fallout or Elder Scrolls (or any other big name in sci-fi and fantasy) but... it has a story.”
- “The graphics of this game look so old it is almost as bad as an MS-DOS game.”
story
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
2%
The story of the Commander Keen series revolves around an 8-year-old genius named Billy Blaze, who constructs a spaceship from household items to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. While the narrative is simple and often humorous, it effectively sets the stage for engaging gameplay and memorable adventures, appealing to players of all ages. Despite its retro graphics and straightforward plot, the series is celebrated for its charm and nostalgic value, making it a beloved classic in the platforming genre.
- “It doesn't matter if you are 6, 16, or 66 years of age, this series will captivate you with a story of heroics in a simple, funny, and yet truly engaging way.”
- “The story of these games is simple: a young 8-year-old genius, Billy Blaze, codenamed Commander Keen, must protect Earth from any extraterrestrial threat.”
- “Made in the early 90s, the six Keen games combined a sort of metroidvania style of collecting power-ups and hunting for required items, wrapped up in a quirky story about a kid who has a Mensa-level IQ and built his own rocket with household parts to go explore galaxies unknown.”
- “While there is a story behind Commander Keen's adventures, I wouldn't say that story is ever the central part of playing the games.”
- “There's not much more to the plot than basic concepts, anyway.”
- “This game's story makes Lord of the Rings look like it was written by retarded children on meth.”
gameplay
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The gameplay of Commander Keen is characterized by its challenging platforming mechanics, particularly the unique pogo stick feature that adds a fun twist to traditional gameplay. While the first three episodes suffer from clunky controls and frustrating segments, episodes 4 and 5 significantly improve upon these issues with better graphics, level design, and overall mechanics, making them the standout entries in the series. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience with a solid balance of challenge and enjoyment, appealing to fans of retro platformers.
- “In terms of value for money, it doesn't get much better; there are dozens and dozens of hours of gameplay here for only a few pennies.”
- “Challenging yet fun gameplay that features bouncing around on a pogo stick and zapping aliens with a raygun; what more could you ask for?”
- “The differences are night and day compared to the first three: much better graphics, great music, fluent controls, challenging (but not frustrating) gameplay.”
- “The controls are clunky and unresponsive, items do not have an initial easily figured out use, and the maze-like platforming gameplay can become frustrating quickly if you don't have the patience for it.”
- “Commander Keen 1, 2 & 3 don't hold up well in terms of gameplay; controlling Keen's movement is clunky.”
- “While it did have a feature-rich engine in comparison to the prior two, it was rushed out of development and as such the gameplay balance is somewhat out of whack.”
music
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
57%
11%
The music in the Commander Keen series has received mixed reviews, with early games (1-3) criticized for their lack of music, leading to a jarring experience due to silence. However, from episode 4 onwards, the introduction of Bobby Prince's compositions significantly enhances the gameplay, providing well-composed tracks that evoke nostalgia and fit the game's whimsical tone. While some players note that the music can become repetitive, it is generally regarded as a highlight of the later installments, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the series.
- “The music used in all the levels is always a delight to hear.”
- “The music is superb!”
- “A great soundtrack, and really brings me back to my 'good ol days'.”
- “There's precious little sound or music, especially in the early games.”
- “Again this is very forgivable due to the technology at the time, but it still sucks in a way how you're basically listening to absolute silence for most of the time and the more you play it the more you still wish to hear some kind of music that is not some kind of sound effect from the game.”
- “It's laggy, stutters and the music is just painful to listen to; it's so convoluted.”
humor
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the Commander Keen series is widely praised for its quirky, charming, and mischievous nature, appealing to players of all ages. Reviewers highlight the funny backstories, memorable enemies, and engaging level design, which contribute to a nostalgic and entertaining experience reminiscent of classic 90s platformers. The game's lighthearted tone and clever humor, combined with solid gameplay mechanics, make it a standout in retro gaming.
- “There's a mischievous sense of humor in everything too.”
- “If you love quirky and charming humor, this series will definitely appeal to you.”
- “Hailing id Software's first venture into the software industry and marking the first time a smooth-scrolling platformer had appeared on the system, Commander Keen boasts nice graphics, fun gameplay, music by the one and only Bobby Prince (though only in episodes 4-6) and a great sense of humor.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
14%
71%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it generally runs well and evokes nostalgia, users report several glitches and bugs that detract from the experience. Some players express frustration over the lack of a complete product, particularly noting the absence of a sixth episode. Overall, while the game has its flaws, it remains enjoyable for fans of the originals.
- “Runs great”
- “No glitches or problems that the originals didn't have.”
- “Releasing such a buggy and not complete product should be illegal... and why the f*ck is it called 'complete pack' when there is no 6th episode?”
- “It is very buggy; if this got fixed, I would recommend it.”
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game series offers high replayability, enhanced by the gradual discovery of an alien language that unlocks humorous messages and health warnings in earlier titles. Players can also explore secret and optional levels, contributing to hours of engaging gameplay and a strong incentive to revisit the games. Overall, it has been rated 8/10 for replay value.
- “Keeps one busy for hours, and has high replay value.”
- “8/10 replayability - secret levels and optional ones lead to some really good replays.”
- “Beyond the platformer-style action, the games even cultivated replayability via an alien language (basically a sort of Morse code) that is revealed slowly through the first three games. Finding out the code for the language allowed you to go back and read certain messages on signs that were present in the first two games, which has some amusing jokes and health-and-safety warnings written for the enemies you'd find throughout the various levels.”
- “Especially since all these games are so replayable.”
- “It will make the games much more playable for you.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game evokes a strong sense of nostalgia, with many players feeling a heartwarming connection reminiscent of their childhood. However, there is a notable disappointment regarding its current state, as some feel that the potential for fun is overshadowed by flaws that detract from the overall experience.
- “Classic, made me feel like a kid again.”
- “If you want to play a heartwarming game that will fill you with nostalgia you didn't even know you had, try this one.”
- “I cried when I saw what Bethesda wants to turn it into.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly the claim of a "complete pack" that omits key titles like Keen 6 and Keen Dreams. Many users feel this approach is a retro cash grab, leading to frustration rather than nostalgia, especially for new players unaware of the missing games.
- “This was just a retro cash grab like the mobile Keen.”
- “I still maintain this review, regardless of why the rest was not included. The issue isn't the politics behind why they can't offer the rest of the games; the issue is advertising it as a complete pack, so those going in thinking they're getting exactly that... a complete pack... and thanks to new age retro gamers, they may not even know the existence of Keen 6 and Dreams.”
- “You also still get the advertising in-game, and the first few Commander Keen games are so basic and minimal that it only brought me feelings of frustration, not nostalgia.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepy and nostalgic qualities, evoking a sense of unease that many modern games lack. Reviewers appreciate the strong setting that enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature.
- “+ setting & atmosphere”
- “Nostalgia and a game with the atmosphere that many games are missing these days.”
- “The first one is my favorite because I love the creepy atmosphere.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring excessive time investment that detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “But it feels tedious and it pisses me off.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is generally considered subpar, making it challenging to run smoothly on modern hardware without relying on community-created workarounds and mods. Overall, players find the port to be only decent at best.
- “This port, however, is only decent at best, and not accounting for some great workarounds (there is always a better modder), the game in itself is ironically quite hard to get to run smoothly on modern rigs.”