Summary

Release Year: 1990
Genres: Platform
Platforms: DOS
Developers: id Software

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes (1990)

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software in 1990. It is the first game in the Commander Keen series and the debut of id’s groundbreaking side-scrolling technology.

The player controls Commander Keen, the alter-ego of an eight-year-old genius named 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!

Commander Keen must travel through eight different episodes, each with its own unique setting and enemies. Along the way, he must collect keys to open doors, find hidden power-ups, and defeat the evil Vorticons who are trying to destroy the Earth.

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes was a critical and commercial success, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. It is considered one of the greatest video games of all time and is credited with helping to popularize the side-scrolling platformer genre.

Gameplay

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes is a side-scrolling platformer in which the player controls Commander Keen as he runs, jumps, and shoots his way through eight different episodes. Each episode is divided into several levels, and the player must complete each level in order to progress to the next.

Commander Keen is armed with a variety of weapons, including a pogo stick, a ray gun, and a football. He can also use his helmet to deflect enemy attacks. The player must use Commander Keen’s weapons and abilities to defeat the Vorticons and their allies, as well as to overcome the various obstacles that he will encounter along the way.

Levels

The eight episodes of Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes are set in a variety of locations, including a forest, a desert, a castle, and a spaceship. Each episode features its own unique set of enemies and obstacles, and the player must use Commander Keen’s skills and abilities to overcome them all.

The first episode, “Marooned on Mars,” takes place on the planet Mars, where Commander Keen must rescue his kidnapped sister from the Vorticons. The second episode, “The Earth Explodes,” takes place on Earth, where Commander Keen must stop the Vorticons from destroying the planet. The third episode, “Galaxy Galaxy,” takes place in a spaceship, where Commander Keen must defeat the Vorticons’ leader, Grand Intellect.

The fourth episode, “Secret of the Oracle,” takes place in a castle, where Commander Keen must find the Oracle, a powerful artifact that can help him defeat the Vorticons. The fifth episode, “The Armageddon Machine,” takes place on a space station, where Commander Keen must destroy the Vorticons’ Armageddon Machine. The sixth episode, “Aliens Ate My Babysitter,” takes place in a suburban home, where Commander Keen must rescue his babysitter from the Vorticons.

The seventh episode, “Goodbye Galaxy,” takes place on a spaceship, where Commander Keen must defeat the Vorticons’ final boss, the Evil Emperor Krull. The eighth and final episode, “Descent into Darkness,” takes place in a dungeon, where Commander Keen must defeat the Vorticons’ ultimate weapon, the Death Star.

Enemies

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: The Earth Explodes features a variety of enemies, including aliens, robots, and mutants. Each enemy has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, and the player must use Commander Keen’s weapons and abilities to defeat them all.

Some of the most common enemies in the game include:

Vorticons: The main enemies of the game, the Vorticons are a race of aliens who are trying to destroy the Earth. They are armed with a variety of weapons, including ray guns and bombs.
Robots: The Vorticons’ robotic allies, the robots are strong and durable, and they can fire lasers and rockets.
Mutants: The Vorticons’ mutant allies, the mutants are fast and agile, and they can attack with their claws and teeth.

Weapons

Commander Keen is armed with a variety of weapons, including:

Pogo stick: Commander Keen’s primary weapon, the pogo stick can be used to jump high and bounce on enemies.
Ray gun: Commander Keen’s ranged weapon, the ray gun can fire a powerful beam of energy.
Football: Commander Keen’s melee weapon, the football can be thrown at enemies or used to deflect their attacks.

Power-ups

Commander Keen can find a variety of power-ups throughout the game, including:

Health: Restores Commander Keen’s health.
Ammo: Restores Commander Keen’s ammo.
Shield: Grants Commander Keen temporary invincibility.
Speed: Increases Commander Keen’s speed.
Jump: Increases Commander Keen’s jump height.

Legacy

The game has been ported to a variety of platforms, including the PC, the Macintosh, the Amiga, and the Atari ST. It has also been released on a number of compilation