Reviewer: Dos-Games-Online
Commander Keen is one of the most famous DOS games ever made. There are seven episodes made, Commander Keen 1 - 6 and Commander Keen Dreams. The Commander Keen games became a heritage. Thousands of people played this games, and are still playing it. They all have one thing in common: they are addicted to these games. The version that's downloadable at this page is the first episode, Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars and takes place on the planet Mars, as in the name said. It's the first episode of the trilogy called "Invasion of the Vorticons".
You are playing with the eight year old Billy Blaze. He is a genius kid and builded a spacecraft when he was not working on his college fast-track degree at home. He uses several household objects to build his spacecraft, including a Nintendo joystick to control it and his mom's vacuum cleaner for the ship's "ion propulsion system". When the galactic seems to be in big trouble, Billy takes the football helmet of his brother, and he becomes "Commander Keen"--defender of Earth. Justice is on his side and he dispenses it with an iron hand.
The graphics are nice, if you notice that the game is made in 1990. The sounds, yeah, they're really good. Recognizable. If you once played this game, you'll probably never forget them. And although this is an old game, the gameplay is very good.
Reviewer: Dos-Games-Online
Commander Keen 1, the game that started it all. I think the Keen games were some of the first I ever played. You’re a boy genius travelling through space jumping shooting and generally being a solid side-scrolling adventurer. The game has some very definite problems, but I can't think of any 80's computer games that don’t! Commander keen cosmos cosmic adventure and the duke nukem series, are all great games, and are absolutely worth your time.
The basic plot of Commander Keen 1 Marooned on Mars, is to re-claim some (four maybe) parts to your space ship, some evil dude took them, how? I don't know. But you need them back. So you have to run through different levels to get them back. Not ground breaking stuff, but it’s fun. Plus you look cute, with your little helmet. And you can shoot real cute green guys with your gun that shoots lightening bolts. I don't remember if the pogo stick shows up in this game, but it is a major part of the keen series, it’s difficult at times to hop around with that turd, the play control leaves a lot to be desired, but like most games, once you get the hang of it, you'll be jumping from small platform to platform to your hearts content.
This game features an overhead level selection mode, where you can look down on little keen as you control him over the face of mars, going from one city level to another. I can't remember if I ever beat this game, I probably didn't, so I can't tell you what the boss is like, or if there even is one, so I guess let me know what the end is like!
For fans of this game I would recommend cosmos cosmic adventure, which is basically exactly the same but you have little suction cup hands, which don't vastly improve gameplay, but hey, get over it, your 386 wouldn't know what to do with a mind-blowing game anyway! I don't really know what else to say about commander keen, but that it represents a part of my childhood that I treasure, and to this day it’s a comfort, a symbol of a simpler time. I love it like my childhood home. Sure it’s got holes and inconsistencies, but that’s life and that’s that. Ok enjoy this game, it’s free, everyone should have it if they have a means of playing it. And other opinions of this little gem are welcome! Keep them coming.
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