Released at the turn of the decade in 1990, Commander Keen was the culmination of a massive technical breakthrough for PC gaming. After John Carmack figured out how to replicate smooth console-style side-scrolling on a PC (a feat previously thought impossible), the team that would become id Software wanted to take a spin at the platforming formula. Enter Billy Blaze, an eight-year-old child genius who builds a rocket ship in his backyard, featuring many of the cornerstones of 90s platformer design, but with a distinctly PC flavor.

The game featured sprawling, non-linear levels, a secret alien language to decipher, an unpredictable pogo stick mechanic, and a unique shareware distribution model. No longer tied down to the rigid progression of traditional arcade games, Commander Keen gave players an open world map to explore at their own pace. And this extended to the tone as well, which embraced a quirky, saturday-morning-cartoon sci-fi aesthetic.

But for all its technical wizardry, does the gameplay hold up under modern scrutiny? Or is it just an awkward stepping stone, playing in the shadow of the console giants of its era and id Software's own blood-soaked future?

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Find the hosts on Twitch:
Dave
Finny

Music:
"Your Name, Please" from EarthBound. Composed by Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka. © Nintendo

"Tornado Man" from Mega Man 9. Composed by Manami Matsumae and the Inti Creates sound team. © Capcom