Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: Marooned on Mars
1990
- platform
- action
- science fiction
- comedy
- single player
The story
Commander Keen's very first adventure, and the debut of id's groundbreaking side-scrolling technology. In the game you play the role of Commander Keen: the alter-ego of an eight year-old genius by the name of Billy Blaze. When Billy learns that the Earth is in danger, he dons his brother's football helmet and his homemade interstellar spaceship to become Commander Keen -- Defender of the Earth!
What it’s like
Bright, chunky EGA-style pixel art in primary colours: cartoon-bright alien worlds, Martian rust-reds and cratered greys, and a cheerfully cramped, blocky sprite style that reads as 1990 DOS shareware. Motion is quick and springy, with the screen scrolling smoothly under a hopping kid in a football helmet, and chiptone bleeps and bloops keep a bouncy, looping rhythm while steam clouds, explosions and tiny alien creatures pop across the level. Its vibe is playful, goofy and light, the kind of cheerful retro romp that suits a Saturday-morning session, a nostalgic replay, or a short burst of play between other things. Pacing is brisk and arcade-like, built around jumping, collecting and shooting through bite-sized stages, with a boyish, self-assured hero who treats saving the planet as a fun, slightly ridiculous errand. Intensity is mild: cartoon shootouts and alien enemies that vanish in puffs of smoke, with no gore and little threat beyond occasional fatal falls. It suits players who enjoy classic platformers, retro DOS nostalgia, and gentle, humorous sci-fi for all ages.
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