[Dacvak]

I wish I could make this thread all pretty with pictures and stuff, but that's too annoying to do on an iPad. Here's the wiki page, though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen

Even though it's been over 20 years, I feel like Commander Keen is a classic to most older gamers, and has enough style and uniqueness to satifisfy new gamers. The [later] PC games were incredibly polished for sidescrollers at the time, and since it was shareware, I don't know many people who haven't at least tried Keen.

While I'd love to see it resurface as a proper platformer/shooter, it'd be sweet to see it get the first-person treatment, especially since the "goofy" FPS genre is in serious decline. Hell, just the idea of a relatively big studio making such a silly game seems like a so-bad-it's-good idea.

I mean, c'mon. An 8-year-old who builds a spaceship called the Bean-with-Bacon saving the world against the evil Vorticons? Gold.

[Neiteio]

The Commander Keen sextology (that's six, right?) was amazing. The first three are incredibly atmospheric, and those blue dog fuckers hopping around and shit were sufficiently terrifying to my fifth-grade self playing in my grandpa's basement. Then episodes 4-6 were like the jump from NES to Super NES, with wonderfully drawn enemies and environments and tons of stuff to collect. And it still had that strong sense of mystery, like you were truly exploring an unknown world. It had that quintessential sense of adventure, the "kid going down a hole in a cave" feeling Miyamoto always aims for, but threaded with Indiana Jones-style pulp and sci-fi. I'd like to have another one, but I don't know if the right minds are still around to make it. Oh, and didn't the Dopefish make his start in this series, with Keen 4? He's since appeared in so many games; last I saw him was Alan Wake on PC, I believe, and he was in Deus EX: HR, irrc.

[nincompoop]

There were like 3 fan-made Keen games that came out in recent years and were quite good. They were very faithful to episodes 4-6.

Edit - Here

[Neiteio]

I loved playing Pong on Keen's wristwatch in Keen 4.

[BowieZ]

To this day I've not decided whether I prefer the 2D style of 1-3 or the 2.5D style of 4-6. I have incredibly fond memories of both trilogies.

As for more Keen... Kickstarter, anyone? :P

[@MUWANdo]

Activision owns the rights, doesn't it?

[Dacvak]

To this day I've not decided whether I prefer the 2D style of 1-3 or the 2.5D style of 4-6. I have incredibly fond memories of both trilogies. As for more Keen... Kickstarter, anyone? :P

One of the few kickstarters I'd actually back.

[How About No]

Hell yeah I'd kick it. Was one of my first video games along with Super Mario World.

Really a damn shame that Aliens Ate My Babysitter isn't on Steam, due to ancient licensing issues :/

[Tomasooie]

Activision owns the rights, doesn't it?

Nah, Activision was just a long-time publishing partner of id, before they were bought out by Zenimax. So they own the rights now.

[TheCongressman1]

What a fantastic thread. I fully support a new Keen. It was one of my favorite computer games along side Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure.

Here's a paint doodle I did of Keen:

[Dacvak]

What a fantastic thread. I fully support a new Keen. It was one of my favorite computer games along side Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure. Here's a paint doodle I did of Keen: [IMG]http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TheCongressman1/Art/commander_keen.png[MG]

Now or when you were little? Looks great!

[TheCongressman1]

Now or when you were little? Looks great!

Thank you! I did it not too long ago, it was on that Doodle or Die web game.

[SparkTR]

I remember Tom Hall wanted to do a 3D Keen game ala Mario 64 back in the mid-90's, but wasn't in a position to do so at the time. Such a shame because it would have given new life to the series and was probably the last chance Keen had to come back.

[Reversed]

Given the trends today, I don't think we'll get a new Keen pronto.

[Somnid]

Hell yes.

GOG.com -> search -> Commander Keen -> commandos_ammo_pack???

That needs to be fixed. Hell even some remakes would be nice.

[Buckethead]

I'd like one.

Mortimer must go down that punk ass bitch.

But I'd want one on consoles with a good budget which will never happen.

[sixteen-bit]

Was the GBC version any good?

[Buckethead]

Was the GBC version any good?

No it was awful.

Soulless and boring.

Didn't feel like Keen.

[alphaNoid]

Yes! Would buy day 1!

[Box of Bunnies]

I'd buy a new digital download Keen if they got Tom Hall on it (I'd buy a retail one too, but even a new DD game seems asking a lot).

Hell yes. GOG.com -> search -> Commander Keen -> commandos_ammo_pack??? That needs to be fixed. Hell even some remakes would be nice.

The first five episodes are on Steam.

[Parham]

Is there anyone left at Id who cares about the franchise?

[Weenerz]

It will be just a console port to PC, with fucked up megatextures and bugs out the ass. Pass.

[Raonak]

ah, keen. have fond memories of that.
one of the first video games i've played. I think

[secretanchitman]

commander keen goodbye galaxy was one of the first games i played on the computer, and is one of my favorites. i recently watched a playthough on youtube, finally seeing how the game ends, because i always got stuck at one of the moon palaces or whatever they were.

great music, graphics, and gameplay. without a doubt, one of the best series of all time. it needs to be revisited.

[kevm3]

2d keen yes. 3d keen no.

[Eusis]

3D Keen would need to riff off of SM 3D Land or something. Better to just do a new 2D one and get their feet wet again.

[TheCongressman1]

Jumping around on a pogo stick while shooting at aliens in 3D would be amazing.

[gabbo]

Is there anyone left at Id who cares about the franchise?

You could say that for just about all of their main titles now that isn't Doom it seems.
New Keen = sign me up. I will pogo and pepsi my way to victory!

[SHAZOOM]

Can we make this a general Apogee Appreciation thread?

Classic Duke Nukem:



Dangerous Dave:

[RobotHaus]

I don't think we should have another Keen game. I love all of the games we have now, but seeing how most retro games get transitioned into the HD age, most of the just don't have the same feeling.

I mean look at Rocket Knight, or Golden Axe, or Splatterhouse, or Syndicate, or...

[MrCunningham]

I'd love to see a new Keen game, but I don't think iD would ever be interested in developing a new game. It would be great if they could out source it to Tom Hall so he could put together a team to make a new Keen game.

They could make it a side scroller like the classic games, and keep development simple. Give it a multi-platform release.

No it was awful. Soulless and boring. Didn't feel like Keen.

Yeah it was bad. :(

But there was a GBC version of Duke Nukem that played like Duke 1 and 2 that was pretty decent. I liked it.

[Night_Trekker]

I don't think we live in a world that good.

Plus, there's no way a new game would live up to the older ones.

[kevinski]

I've only played a bit of the first game. I actually loaded it up in Commander Genius yesterday. I can't say that I've ever been able to get into it. The jumping controls just don't feel right. I wouldn't mind seeing these games better realized as long as the game play mechanics were updated, though.

[tehrafe]

Can we make this a general Apogee Appreciation thread? Classic Duke Nukem: Dangerous Dave:

Those bring back memories, any love for BioMenace?

[Orayn]

No, the only way we'd see a new Keen is if they "reimagined" it into a clone of Gears of War or Call of Duty.

[CorvoSol]

Keen Dreams was one of my favorite games when I was a kid.

[charlequin]

I remember Tom Hall wanted to do a 3D Keen game ala Mario 64 back in the mid-90's, but wasn't in a position to do so at the time.

Tom Hall still wants to do a new Keen game, if he could get the IP back from the back of whatever refuse bin Zenimax tossed it in.

[How About No]

Those bring back memories, any love for BioMenace?

Hell yes BioMenace :O

Just a heads up, BioMenace is now freeware and can be downloaded off 3DRealms' site.

Keen Dreams was one of my favorite games when I was a kid.

Never really liked Dreams as much as the others. It was really annoying that enemies wouldn't stay down, but only for a few seconds :/ And I'm not sure, but aren't the items needed to defeat the last boss missable?

[theBishop]

I would support a return of Keen only if it's PC-exclusive. Keen has always been our platformer, and he should stay that way.

[injurai]

If it's made, you won't like what you get.

[Dacvak]

commander keen goodbye galaxy was one of the first games i played on the computer, and is one of my favorites. i recently watched a playthough on youtube, finally seeing how the game ends, because i always got stuck at one of the moon palaces or whatever they were. great music, graphics, and gameplay. without a doubt, one of the best series of all time. it needs to be revisited.

This sounds like an awesome way to spend the day.

[Stumpokapow]

[Apenheul]

I loved these games so much, I found them thematically more interesting than Mario and Sonic (not so much mechanic-wise). I've played Keen 1 the most but Keen 4 was my favorite because of the variety in levels. Keen 5 probably was the best game in the series, even though I personally found the levels to be too large.

[TheUnknownForce]

aaah! *shoots blaster*

[jbueno]

I used to play the shit out of Commander Keen and Dangerous Dave way back in computer lab in school, after finishing homework of course. Good times.

[marcurius]

I played Keen 1 when I was 5 or 6, on my moms ancient laptop (if you could call it that). That thing scared the crap out of me hah.

The sound effects on a whole were kind of creepy, honestly.

[Gattsu25]

Apogee love in!






So good!

Hell yeah I'd kick it. Was one of my first video games along with Super Mario World. Really a damn shame that Aliens Ate My Babysitter isn't on Steam, due to ancient licensing issues :/

I loved this game. One of the best platformers I've played.



Apogee was one of my favorite companies, as a kid.

[qq more]

I bought Commander Keen on Steam a while back. I should seriously play it.

[hayguyz]

It would be a FPS with shoehorned multiplayer.

[GreggTheGrimReaper]

Count me in. It seems very unlikely though, it's probably not mat00r enough for a modern audience.