Commander Keen: A Beloved 1990s Platformer with an Id Legacy
Commander Keen might be one of the most beloved 1990s platformers, but it turns out the retro title has a very important link to the modern gaming world. Following the Keen 30th anniversary, players revisit the classic game and reminisce about the countless hours spent trying to master its challenges. One user even discovers the game’s secret Id lineage.
“I spent so many hours on this game,” one player shares. “Those were the days when you bought a game, installed it on your hard drive, and played it from start to finish without any DLC or updates.” Another user replies, “Challenges aside, it wasn’t exactly easy controlling the game with a keyboard,” referencing the notoriously challenging platformers of the era.
One user even mentions Jazz Jackrabbit and Monster Bash, two other iconic 1990s PC Games, but it’s Commander Keen’s legacy as a prototype for Super Mario Bros. 3 that really gets people talking. “I never knew Commander Keen was Mario’s grandson,” one player comments, while another replies, “Wait, Commander Keen is the descendant of Wolfenstein’s protagonist and Doomguy’s ancestor?”
There’s a lot of love for Keen, but one player even requests a future retrospective on another nostalgic game: “I’d love to see a Keen 30th anniversary retrospective followed by a ‘what happened to these games?’ for Monster Bash.” Personally, I’d love to hear about Jazz Jackrabbit – that game was a real obsession of mine.
Commander Keen 30th Anniversary
For me, Keen is one of the games that defined my childhood. It was the first game I ever bought with my own money (I saved up for a long time) and the first game I ever played multiplayer with my brother. It’s a love-hate relationship, but oh, the nostalgia.
Here’s just some of the Commander Keen love found in the Quake Champions Discord:
And my personal favorite:
Commander Keen 4 Nostalgia
If you want to relive some of your own childhood, Keen 4 and 6 can both be purchased as part of a bundle on Steam. Keen 6 is my personal favorite, but I can understand why some would want the first installment. Keen 4, however, is another story – I’m obsessed!
Commander Keen 30th Anniversary
Commander Keen is part of the Id software legacy alongside Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake. These days, we’re still waiting for a modern release or a Keen remaster, but a reboot definitely follows the style of the “New Super Mario Bros.” games.
If you want to reminisce about other shareware games from the past, you can read about one user’s 30-year search for the game they played as a child. Alternatively, you might want to check out some of the best new indie games like Ori and the Blind Forest, which is a favorite among players.
