------------------------------- Commander Keen The Really Big "Unofficial" Commander Keen FAQ by Dave "Flaose" Allen flaose@hotmail.com Version 2.01 17/01/11 ------------------------------- ------------ Introduction ------------ Hello, and welcome to my Commander Keen FAQ. I hope that by the time you finish reading this, you will have a vast knowledge of Commander Keen, his universe, and a few cold hard facts, without starting to foam at the mouth and babble senseless phrases (except, perhaps, Shikadi). If you are prepared, read on brave soldier. Table of Contents [1] General Information [1.1] General Disclaimer and Legal Stuff [1.2] Who am I? [1.3] Why am I writing this? [1.4] What are the Official Commander Keen games? [1.4.1] Marooned on Mars [1.4.2] The Earth Explodes [1.4.3] Keen Must Die! [1.4.4] Keen Dreams [1.4.5] Secret of the Oracle [1.4.6] The Armageddon Machine [1.4.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [1.4.8] Commander Keen [1.5] Who made the Commander Keen games? [1.6] Will there be more Commander Keen games? [1.7] Why play Commander Keen? [1.8] Where can I get Commander Keen? [1.9] What is Shareware? [1.10] What's up with id and 3D Realms? [1.11] A note on Pirating [1.11.1] What is Pirating? [1.11.2] What I've accidentally pirated a game? [1.12] Who can distribute this FAQ? [1.13] Revision History [2] Commander Keen's Universe (Also Known as The Meat) [2.1] Who or what is Commander Keen? [2.2] What other games has Commander Keen appeared in? [2.3] How do I control Commander Keen? [2.3.1] Invasion of the Vorticons [2.3.2] Keen Dreams [2.3.3] Goodbye, Galaxy! [2.3.4] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [2.3.5] Commander Keen [2.4] What is the difference between difficulty levels? [2.4.1] Keen Dreams [2.4.2] Goodbye, Galaxy! [2.4.3] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [2.4.4] Commander Keen [2.5] Who are Commander Keen's friends? [2.5.1] Marooned on Mars [2.5.2] The Earth Explodes [2.5.3] Keen Must Die! [2.5.4] Keen Dreams [2.5.5] Secret of the Oracle [2.5.6] The Armageddon Machine [2.5.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [2.5.8] Commander Keen [2.6] Who are Commander Keen's enemies? [2.6.1] Marooned on Mars [2.6.2] The Earth Explodes [2.6.3] Keen Must Die! [2.6.4] Keen Dreams [2.6.5] Secret of the Oracle [2.6.6] The Armageddon Machine [2.6.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [2.6.8] Commander Keen [2.7] What are the worlds Commander Keen visits? [2.8] How does Commander Keen get around? [2.9] What goodies can I pick up on my journeys? [2.9.1] Marooned on Mars [2.9.2] The Earth Explodes [2.9.3] Keen Must Die! [2.9.4] Keen Dreams [2.9.5] Secret of the Oracle [2.9.6] The Armageddon Machine [2.9.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [2.9.8] Commander Keen [2.10] What's the name of Keen's pet Yorp? [2.11] What's this I hear about Billy Blaze's extended family? [2.12] What is this 'Dopefish'? [3] The Official Commander Keen Games and Stories [3.1] What's the Story Behind Invasion of the Vorticons? [3.1.1] Marooned on Mars [3.1.2] The Earth Explodes [3.1.3] Keen Must Die! [3.2] What's the Story Behind Keen Dreams? [3.3] What's the Story Behind Secret of the Oracle? [3.4] What's the Story Behind The Armageddon Machine? [3.5] What's the Story Behind Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [3.6] What's the Story Behind Commander Keen? [4] The Lyrics [4.1] What are the Lyrics to Eat Your Veggies? [4.2] What are the Lyrics to Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [5] The Standard Galactic Alphabet [5.1] What is the Standard Galactic Alphabet? [5.2] What do all the Signs Say? [5.2.1] Marooned on Mars [5.2.2] The Earth Explodes [5.2.3] Keen Must Die! [5.2.4] Secret of the Oracle [5.2.5] The Armageddon Machine [5.2.6] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! [5.2.7] Commander Keen [6] The Hints, Tips, and Other Funny Things [6.1] What are some Hints for Invasion of the Vorticons? [6.1.1] Marooned on Mars [6.1.2] The Earth Explodes [6.1.3] Keen Must Die! [6.2] What are some Hints for Keen Dreams? [6.3] What are some Hints for Goodbye, Galaxy!? [6.3.1] Secret of the Oracle [6.3.2] The Armageddon Machine [6.4] What are some Hints for Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [6.5] What are some Hints for Commander Keen? [7] The Cheat Codes [7.1] What are the Cheat Codes for Invasion of the Vorticons? [7.2] What are the Cheat Codes for Keen Dreams? [7.3] What are the Cheat Codes for Goodbye, Galaxy!? [7.4] What are the Cheat Codes for Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [7.5] What are the Cheat Codes for Commander Keen? [8] The Maps [8.1] What's the Layout of Marooned on Mars? [8.2] What's the Layout of The Earth Explodes? [8.3] What's the Layout of Keen Must Die!? [8.4] What's the Layout of Keen Dreams? [8.5] What's the Layout of Secret of the Oracle? [8.6] What's the Layout of The Armageddon Machine? [8.7] What's the Layout of Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [8.8] What's the Layout of Commander Keen? [9] The Walkthroughs [9.1] How do I get through Marooned on Mars? [9.2] How do I get through The Earth Explodes? [9.3] How do I get through Keen Must Die!? [9.4] How do I get through Keen Dreams? [9.5] How do I get through Secret of the Oracle? [9.6] How do I get through The Armageddon Machine? [9.7] How do I get through Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [9.8] How do I get through Commander Keen? [10] The Endings [10.1] What's the Ending to Marooned on Mars? [10.2] What's the Ending to The Earth Explodes? [10.3] What's the Ending to Keen Must Die!? [10.4] What's the Ending to Keen Dreams? [10.5] What's the Ending to Secret of the Oracle? [10.6] What's the Ending to The Armageddon Machine? [10.7] What's the Ending to Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? [10.8] What's the Ending to Commander Keen? [11] Now What? [12] The End of it All [13] Acknowledgments ----------------------- [1] General Information ----------------------- And in the beginning, God created Heaven and Earth, and Lawyers. Therefore, thou shalt have legal stuff in order. Dig in, while it's warm. [1.1] General Disclaimer and Legal Stuff I AM NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF APOGEE SOFTWARE, LTD OR ID SOFTWARE LLC. THIS FAQ WAS DONE IN MY RECREATIONAL TIME, OBEYING ALL LAWS THAT PERTAIN TO MY PLACE OF RESIDENCE. I AM IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS I OR ANYONE ELSE HAVE MADE. COMMANDER KEEN IS A TRADE MARK AND COPYRIGHT OF ID SOFTWARE. ALL OTHER COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS ARE PROPERTIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. ALL ARE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION. I AM IN NO WAY LIABLE FOR ANY HEALTH EFFECTS CAUSED BY THE READING OF THIS DOCUMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, BLINDNESS, VOMITING, NAUSEA, DIARRHEA, INDIGESTION, HEARTBURN, BLOATING, CONSTIPATION, STARVATION, AND MALNUTRITION. THIS FAQ MAY BE DISTRIBUTED IN ANY FORM AS LONG AS: A) IT IS IN ORIGINAL AND UNEDITED GLORY, B) CREDIT IS GIVEN TO ME, THE AUTHOR, C) IT IS THE MOST CURRENT VERSION PERTAINING TO THE DISTRIBUTOR'S KNOWLEDGE, D) NOTHING IS CHARGED FOR IT (BUT I'M PRETTY SURE NO ONE WOULD PAY MONEY FOR THIS). FOLLOW THE SHAVED BLUE GONADS. BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY STILL READING, YOU'VE GOT WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS, AND THERE'S WAY MORE INTERESTING STUFF TO READ. GET GOING! [1.2] Who am I? My name is Dave Allen, known to most of the Internet community as Flaose (flay-oase). I'm Canadian, and far too old to still be playing Commander Keen. But enough about me, how are you? [1.3] Why am I writing this? I wrote this FAQ for two reasons: 1) At the time I began, there was only one Commander Keen FAQ, and it wasn't all that comprehensive. I wanted to write a FAQ that would cover every facet of the Commander Keen games. 2) I felt that I hadn't made a great enough contribution to the Commander Keen society, but this is it, The Big One. [1.4] What are the Official Commander Keen games? There are eight official Commander Keen games. Seven made for the PC in the early 90s, and one made more recently for the Game Boy Color. In this section, basic game information will be given: each game's complete title, original release date, and a list of available versions (with the notable differences between each). [1.4.1] Marooned on Mars Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Invasion of the Vorticons" Episode One: Marooned on Mars Original Release Date: December 14, 1990 (DOS) Known Versions: November 1990 Beta - Very different from final release Tank Robot shoots lower Completion of Red Maze City is mandatory Yorp statue in First Red Rock Shrine gives a completely different message Story screen shows cutscene of Vorticon stealing Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket parts Game not winnable, ending not implemented No God mode cheat Various other differences in level design December 1990 Beta - Possibly version 1.0 Earlier preview screenshots of Keens 2 and 3 God mode doesn't allow walking through solid tiles on world map v1.1 - Initial public release v1.3 - Removed /LEVEL command-line parameter v1.31 - Added note at startup about graphics being decompressed v1.32 - Release by Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Added large opening splash screen offering an ordering discount for Gravis customers v1.34 - Release by Precision Software Applications Removed info about "Fight for Justice" and replaced it with info about Goodbye, Galaxy! Changed ordering information [1.4.2] The Earth Explodes Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Invasion of the Vorticons" Episode Two: The Earth Explodes Original Release Date: December 18, 1990 (DOS) Known Versions: v1.0 - Initial release v1.1 - Fixed text scrolling speed on faster computers Removed broken F8 screenshot function v1.31 - Added command-line parameter /K fixing beeping keyboard problem v1.32 - Release by Precision Software Applications Removed info about "Fight for Justice" and replaced it with info about Goodbye, Galaxy! [1.4.3] Keen Must Die! Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Invasion of the Vorticons" Episode Three: Keen Must Die! Original Release Date: December 18, 1990 (DOS) Known Versions: v1.0 - Initial release v1.1 - Yellow keycard can now be obtained in Fort Cavort Schoolhouse in Secret City can now be reached without cheats Fixed text scrolling speed on faster computers Removed broken F8 screenshot function v1.31 - Added command-line parameter /K fixing beeping keyboard problem v1.32 - Release by Precision Software Applications Removed info about "Fight for Justice" and replaced it with info about Goodbye, Galaxy! [1.4.4] Keen Dreams Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Keen Dreams" Original Release Date: Second Half of 1991 (DOS) Known Versions: v1.0 - Initial commercial release v1.01 - Initial shareware release Changed initialization screen Removed 'Cast of Characters' from help screen Removed mention of both undeveloped game 'Commander Keen Meets the Meats' and 'Goodbye, Galaxy!' Updated title screen Added debug level Removed joystick support (for some reason) v1.13 - Second shareware release Joystick support once again included v1.92 REV 0 - Second commercial release Trademarks and copyright date added to title screen Nearly identical to v1.13 v1.93 REV 1 - Third commercial release Added start-up shell with notices, hints, and tips Copyright date on title screen changed to 1991-93 [1.4.5] Secret of the Oracle Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!" Episode Four: Secret of the Oracle Original Release Date: December 15, 1991 (DOS) Known Versions: Demo Version - Pre-release demo promoting Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Only EGA version known to exist Contains only six levels from the full game The only music is on the world map, and it is an earlier version of the song contained in the final release A+2+ENTER is not required to activate cheats Cheat codes B+A+T, E+N+D, and F10+Y not implemented Minor level differences v1.0 - Initial public release Both CGA and EGA versions available v1.1 - Both CGA and EGA versions available Fixed game-ruining bug in which collected gems would not be saved v1.2 - Both CGA and EGA versions available Updated help menu content and color Introduced some erroneous information in help text v1.4 - Both CGA and EGA versions available Fixed erroneous information in help text Added "Fix Jerky Motion" option Added support for four-button joysticks Updated copyright date to 1992 v1.4 (FormGen) - Distributed by FormGen Corporation Both CGA and EGA versions available Changed ordering information listing FormGen as the game's only distributor v1.4 (GT Interactive) - Distributed by GT Interactive Software EGA version only Removed ordering information Updated id Software section of help menu [1.4.6] The Armageddon Machine Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!" Episode Five: The Armageddon Machine Original Release Date: December 18, 1991 (DOS) Known Versions: v1.0 - Initial public release Both CGA and EGA versions available v1.4 - Both CGA and EGA versions available Added "Fix Jerky Motion" option Added support for four-button joysticks Playing Korath III Base on Easy no longer crashes the game Shelleys now push Keen instead of turning around on contact Changed graphical result of F10+Y cheat Updated copyright date to 1992 v1.4 (GT Interactive) - Distributed by GT Interactive Software EGA version only Removed swastika in Energy Flow Systems Fixed typo on fuse structure warning signs Removed ordering information Updated id Software section of help menu [1.4.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Complete Title: Commander Keen in "Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!" Original Release Date: November 1991 (DOS) Known Versions: v1.0 - Initial public release Both CGA and EGA versions available Special Demo Version - EGA version only Only four levels playable Other levels blocked off and have Yorps sitting on 'DEMO' signs Keen starts with grappling hook E+N+D cheat restarts current level Added ordering info Promotional Release Version - Release by Precision Software Applications EGA version only Only four levels playable Other levels blocked off and have Yorps sitting on '????' signs Keen starts with grappling hook Removed E+N+D cheat High Score table changed Ordering info changed v1.4 - Second commercial version, changes compared to v1.0 Both CGA and EGA versions available Fixed game-ruining bug in which collected gems would not be saved Added bug wherein Molly doesn't stay in her cage properly, making the final level easier Added "Fix Jerky Motion" option Added support for four-button joysticks Added B+A+T cheat Most cheats now have to be enabled with A+2+ENTER Changed background color of end sequence F10+P cheat no longer freezes game Updated copyright date to 1992 v1.5 - Third commercial version Both CGA and EGA versions available Fixed bug where Molly doesn't stay in her cage Fixed typo in Bloogfoods, Inc. entrance text Fixed flashing arrow in ending sequence (its background remained grey in v1.4) F10+P cheat once again freezes game [1.4.8] Commander Keen Complete Title: Commander Keen Original Release Date: May 30, 2001 (GBC) Known Versions: Initial Release - The only version of the game known to exist Believed to be v1.0 [1.5] Who made the Commander Keen games? Those who are credited with working on the first seven Commander Keen games are the Programmers, John Carmack, John Romero, and Jason Blochowiak; Artist Adrian Carmack (he's not related to John, really!); Creative Director Tom Hall, whom all other Creative Directors fear because of all his great ideas; CEO Jay Wilbur; and Musician Bobby Prince, the who composed the music for Commander Keens 4 - 6. Being more modern, Commander Keen, the Game Boy Color game, has a much longer credit list. Though the game was probably developed completely by David A. Palmer Productions, I'll reproduce the complete credits found in the manual to avoid missing anyone: Developed by David A. Palmer Productions Producer: David A. Palmer Associate Producer: James Palmer Lead Programmer: Roo Lead Artist: Jim Meston Support Artists: Martin Turner, Ian Terry Music and Sound Effects: Mark Cooksey Tester: Neil Palmer Special Thanks: David M. Boyles, Gail Oxley, Peter Leonard, Helen Bark Id Software is Programming: John Carmack, Robert A. Duffy, Jim Dose Art: Adrian Carmack, Kevin Cloud, Kenneth Scott, Seneca Menard, Fred Nilsson Level Design: Tim Willits, Christian Antkow, Paul Jaquays, Mal Blackwell Game Design: Graeme Divine CEO: Todd Hollenshead Director of Business Development: Marty Stratton id mom: Donna Jackson Development Assistance: Eric Webb Published by Activision Associate Producer: Steven Rosenthal Executive Producer: Laird M. Malamed V.P. of Studio: Mark Lamia Production Testing: Brelan Duff Director, Global Brand Management: Dusty Welch Brand Manager: Kevin Kraff Associate Brand Manager: Brad Carraway Senior Publicist: Michael James Larson V.P., Creative Services: Denise Walsh Mgr., Creative Services: Jill Barry Manual by Ignited Minds, LLC Documentation Manager: Mike Rivera Documentation Layout: Belinda M. Van Sickle, Sylvia Orzel Packaging Creative by Focus 2 Designer: Patrick Amann President and Creative Director: Todd Hart Special Thanks: Matt Morton, Brian Clarke, Larry Goldberg, George Rose, Gregory Deutsch, Graham Fuchs, Stacy Sooter, Brian Simkin, Kathy Vrabeck Activision Quality Assurance QA Project Leads: Blaine Christine, Anthony Hatch Korotko QA Senior Project Leads: Benjamin-lee DeGuzman, Adam Hartsfield QA Manager, Console Testing: Joseph Favazza Test Team: Eric Rodriguez, Tim Ogle, Kirk Kosinski, Erin Martel, Jeffry Moxley, Chad Fazzaro, Patrick Hearne Customer Support Mgr.: Bob McPherson Customer Support Leads.: Rob Lim, Gary Bolduc, Mike Hill QA Special Thanks: Jim Summers, Jason Wong, Tim Vanlaw, Nadine Theuzillot, Sam Nouriani, Jeremy Gage, Bob McPherson, Ed Clune, Kragen Lum, Indra Gunawan, Todd Komesu, Tanya Langston, Willie Bolton, Nicholas Favazza, Margarita Umil, Jessica Christine [1.6] Will there be more Commander Keen games? About 10 years ago, Joe Siegler (the 3D Realms webmaster at the time) had this to say about the future of Commander Keen: 'If you played Keen 5, there was a screen that said something to the effect of "Join us in December 1992 for the greatest Keen adventure yet". There was a picture of Keen smiling, with a Santa Claus hat on. At the time, id Software was intending to do a third series of Commander Keen, tentatively entitled "Commander Keen: The Universe is Toast". However, other projects came up (Wolfenstein 3D, Spear of Destiny, and later, Doom). There are no plans now to do more Keen. The main reason for this is that id Software owns the rights to Commander Keen, and any new project would have to be either done by them directly (EXTREMELY unlikely), or at least approved by them. At this time, there are no Keen games under development by Apogee, id, or Monkeystone (where Tom Hall & John Romero now work as of 2001). If and when there ever is more Keen, it will be state of the art of whatever technology is current at the time. In December of 1998, Tom Hall has stated his interest in making future games based on his character Keen and his universe, but only if he owned the rights to Keen, which is also unlikely.' A year or two after Joe gave this answer, a new Commander Keen game was developed for the Game Boy Color. Titled simply 'Commander Keen', it was developed without the input of Tom Hall (the creative director of the original games) by David A. Palmer Productions. More details, of course, are found in the other sections of the FAQ. So will there be more Commander Keen games? Though side-scrollers are enjoying a bit of a renaissance these days, I personally doubt it. The Game Boy Color game wasn't a huge financial success, and there really is no reason to continue a 20 year old franchise that doesn't bring in large amounts of money. There was at one point informal talks between id and Monkeystone regarding a compilation of the DOS Keen games for the Pocket PC that was to be called Keen Chronicles. The game, however, didn't really go beyond a concept logo that can still be found floating around the internet. But enough about the depressing future, it's time to find out why you should play Commander Keen and where you can get it. [1.7] Why play Commander Keen? Commander Keen is an in-depth and complex side-scrolling game (well, that first part might be stretching the truth), in which you control a cute little eight year old through dozens of levels, to finally complete your goal. After every game, the plot thickens a little more. It's also a very fast game, literally, it runs at around 40 frames per second, compare that to some games these days. It is also a tense experience, one hit to keen, and he's dead. Hilarity is everywhere, as long as you can translate the alien script (good thing you have this FAQ)! So what are you waiting for? Find out where to get the Commander Keen games! [1.8] Where can I get Commander Keen? Being 20 year old game series, you might think that the Commander Keen games would be very difficult to find. In one case you'd be right, but most of the Keen games are surprisingly easy to legally acquire. By far the easiest games to get are Commander Keens 1-5. The are available in 3D Realms' online store (http://www.buy3drealms.com) and on Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/) for even cheaper! Keen Dreams is available from current distributer Flat Rock Software at http://www.downloadstore.com. Please note that in all cases, these are digital downloads only. Should you wish to acquire hard copies, Keen 6, or the Game Boy Color game Commander Keen, things can get a little more difficult (or expensive). eBay (http://www.ebay.com) is certainly your best resource for these items though be warned that copies of the PC Commander Keen games are generally selling for outrageous prices (usually around $100 USD), though the Game Boy Color game is usally far more reasonably priced. Other good places to search include pawn shops, thrift stores, and flea markets. Good luck in your searches! Of course, in all this there is good news! It is perfectly legal to download the demos of Keen 4 and Keen 6, and the shareware versions of Keen 1, Keen Dreams, and Keen 4. Speaking of which... [1.9] What is Shareware? Originally, the term shareware described a full-blown software product that relied on user's honesty (and pocketbooks) to support the author. Understandably, most shareware was a commercial failure; why register when you have the full product already. Knowing this, Scott Miller came up with a new shareware strategy to market his game 'Kingdom of Kroz' ('I have this cunning plan' he said / As he lay upon his bed): He would release an 'episode' of the game to the unsuspecting gaming public. If the consumer liked the game, they could pay a fee to register it, and receive the remaining 'episodes' and therefore more excellent gameplay. It was a 'try before you buy' system, if you will. Needless to say, Kroz was a commercial success, and it revolutionized the shareware industry. This became known as the 'Apogee Model', and was the precursor to the playable demos that are regularly released by gaming companies these days to entice players to purchase their games. [1.10] What's up with id and 3D Realms? id Software was the company who developed Commander Keen, Apogee Software, now known as 3D Realms, published it. They had something of a falling out around the time of DOOM, id Software saying Apogee wasn't serious enough about their business. Even after this falling out, many employees of id and 3D Realms continued their amicable relationships. In a business sense, however, id and 3D Realms are in no way related. [1.11] A note on Pirating Arr me maties. With pirating ye are squandering it all. [1.11.1] What is Pirating? Pirating is the unlawful breaking of the copyright of a game, by giving away, or selling it without removing the original copy from your computer. So say I just got Commander Keen 3, and I give it to my friend, than my friend gives it to three of his friends, who each give it to three of their friends, and so on and so on. In the end, 3D Realms will have lost perhaps thousands of dollars. Now imagine if everyone does it. Companies will have to start laying off workers, which means crap games that take years to complete. Eventually, the industry will be no more, and we wouldn't want that, would we? [1.11.2] What I've accidentally pirated a game? Hey, it happens. However, make sure you buy the game promptly from the store or company. Your conscience will be clear, and your favorite game company will still be able make more great games. Everybody wins! [1.12] Who can distribute this FAQ? Permission is expressly granted to distribute this FAQ in any way, shape, or form, provided that the rules set out in section [1.1] are followed. [1.13] Revision History v.0.98b (??/??/??): Original version, edited by me. v.0.99b (??/??/??): Controlled Release v.1.00 (10/12/99): First Public Release! It's actually a FAQ! A few minor changes. v.1.01 (18/12/99): A very minor change. Unreleased v.1.10 (25/01/00): Removed some material, updated section [1.6] Will there be more Commander Keen games? v.1.99 (02/06/03): Less is More! Entire Text Updated and converted to .txt file for universal accessibility. Removed some superfluous sections. v.2.00 (12/01/11): The final version! Includes all previously promised material and full coverage of the Game Boy Color game Commander Keen. It's a 20th Anniversary Extravaganza! v.2.01 (17/01/11): Fixed obvious (but missed) error in section [2.3.3], also created game-specific versions of the FAQ, listed as 2.01.x, in order to comply with GameFAQs' current policies. ------------------------------------------------------ [2] Commander Keen's Universe (Also Known as The Meat) ------------------------------------------------------ Commander Keen's universe is also our universe, everything that is in his universe is in our universe, and everything that happens in his universe happens in our universe. Watch the skies. [2.1] Who or what is Commander Keen? Commander Keen is the alter-ego of eight year old Billy Blaze. When Billy dons his brothers' football helmet, he becomes COMMANDER KEEN! Defender of Earth with an iron fist. [2.2] What other games has Commander Keen appeared in? In addition to the eight Commander Keen games, Commander Keen has made cameo appearances in the following places: - The super-secret level of Doom II (level 32) - As a hostage in Bio Menace - In a message in Pickle Wars (originally planned to be an Apogee game) - In a dialog box in the original Duke Nukem - His helmet is found in three levels of Crystal Caves - A character named Commander Keen aids the protagonist in Wolfenstein RPG - B. Blaze owns an apartment in Tom Hall's Anachronox - B. Blaze is again mentioned in the classic Epic Games side-scroller Jill of the Jungle. Though the Dopefish is a far more popular character for cameos, it is certain that as long as there are people who remember Keen, there will be Commander Keen cameos. [2.3] How do I control Commander Keen? Controlling Commander Keen is generally a straight-forward affair, but just in case you need help, here are the controls for each game. [2.3.1] Invasion of the Vorticons Keyboard: Up - UP ARROW Down - DOWN ARROW Left - LEFT ARROW Right - RIGHT ARROW Jump - CTRL Pogo - ALT Shoot - CTRL + ALT Push Button/Pull Lever - ALT Joystick: Up - UP Down - DOWN Left - LEFT Right - RIGHT Jump - BUTTON 1 Pogo - BUTTON 2 Shoot - BUTTON 1 + BUTTON 2 Push Button/Pull Lever - BUTTON 2 Common Controls: Status Screen - SPACE Help - F1 Sound Toggle - F2 Re-map Keyboard - F3 Joystick Calibration - F4 Save Game - F5 Quit - ESC [2.3.2] Keen Dreams Keyboard: Up/Climb Pole - UP ARROW Down/Duck/Descend Pole - DOWN ARROW Left - LEFT ARROW Right - RIGHT ARROW Jump Up - CTRL Jump Down - DOWN ARROW + CTRL Throw - ALT Joystick: Up/Look Up/Climb Pole/Toggle Switch - UP Down/Duck/Descend Pole - DOWN Left - LEFT Right - RIGHT Jump Up - BUTTON 1 Jump Down - DOWN + BUTTON 1 Throw - BUTTON 2 Common Controls: Status Screen - SPACE Help - F1 Sound Menu - F2 Keyboard Menu - F3 Resume Game - F4 New Game - F5 Load/Save Game - F6 Music Menu - F7 Quit/Cancel - ESC *Note that even though a menu option exists, there is no music in Keen Dreams. [2.3.3] Goodbye, Galaxy! Keyboard: Up/Look Up/Climb Pole/Toggle Switch - UP ARROW Down/Look Down/Descend Pole - DOWN ARROW Left - LEFT ARROW Right - RIGHT ARROW Jump Up - CTRL Jump Down - DOWN ARROW + CTRL Pogo - ALT Joystick: Up/Look Up/Climb Pole/Toggle Switch - UP Down/Look Down/Descend Pole - DOWN Left - LEFT Right - RIGHT Jump Up - BUTTON 1 Jump Down - DOWN + BUTTON 1 Pogo - BUTTON 2 *Note that if you choose the Gravis Gamepad control option you can map the additional joystick buttons to both the Shoot and Status Screen actions. Common Controls: Shoot - SPACE Status Screen - ENTER Help - F1 Go to Control Panel - ESC, F2-F7 Boss Key - F9 Quit/Cancel - ESC (from Control Panel) [2.3.4] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Keyboard: Up/Look Up/Climb Pole/Toggle Switch - UP ARROW Down/Look Down/Descend Pole - DOWN ARROW Left - LEFT ARROW Right - RIGHT ARROW Jump Up - CTRL Jump Down - DOWN ARROW + CTRL Pogo - ALT Joystick: Up/Look Up/Climb Pole/Toggle Switch - UP Down/Look Down/Descend Pole - DOWN Left - LEFT Right - RIGHT Jump Up - BUTTON 1 Jump Down - DOWN + BUTTON 1 Pogo - BUTTON 2 *Note that if you choose the Gravis Gamepad control option you can map the additional joystick buttons to both the Shoot and Status Screen actions. Common Controls: Shoot - SPACE Status Screen - ENTER Go to Control Panel - ESC, F2-F7 Boss Key - F9 Quit/Cancel - ESC (from Control Panel) [2.3.5] Commander Keen Up/Look Up/Climb Pole - UP ARROW Down/Look Down/Descend Pole - DOWN ARROW Left - LEFT ARROW Right - RIGHT ARROW Jump - A BUTTON Pogo - DOWN + A BUTTON Shoot - B BUTTON Use Switch/Teleporter/Push Button - SELECT Status/Pause - START [2.4] What is the difference between difficulty levels? Starting with the development of Keen Dreams, id began to implement difficulty levels. As might be expected there are three levels of difficulty: Easy, Normal (or Medium, in the case of the game Commander Keen), and Hard. The following lists the affect difficulty level has on each game. [2.4.1] Keen Dreams In Keen Dreams, the difficulty level only changes how long your Flower Power will transform an enemy. In Easy it's about 11 seconds, in Normal about 5 seconds, and in Hard Flower Power lasts a mere 3 seconds! [2.4.2] Goodbye, Galaxy! In Goodbye, Galaxy!, the difficulty level causes a somewhat greater change. The harder the difficulty, the greater that gravity affects your jump height and speed. In Easy you'll find that Keen is quite floaty, jumping high and falling slowly whereas in Hard he jumping trajectory is much tighter and he falls much faster. In Easy, each Neural Stunner that you grab will give you 8 additional shots, but in Normal and Hard you'll only receive 5 more. Finally, the amount of enemies you encounter will increase with the difficulty level. [2.4.3] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! The difficulty levels in Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! have similar effects as those Goodbye, Galaxy! You will still find that Keen is a little floaty on Easy difficulty, but in this game there is no difference in jumping behaviour between the Normal and Hard difficulty levels. Once again each Neural Stunner that you obtain will give you an additional 8 shots in Easy and an additional 5 shots in Normal and Hard, and once again the number of enemies will increase will the difficulty level. You will also find that more or less platforms will appear to aid you in difficult jumps. This is especially evident in the first part of the final level, the Bloog Control Center; in Easy this part is quite simple to pass whereas in Hard it requires near-perfect jumping skills. [2.4.4] Commander Keen In Commander Keen, the difficulty level causes various effects. In Easy mode you begin the game with 9 lives and 9 continues. You earn an extra life for every 1000 points, and an extra continue for every 100 goodies that you collect. As well, your Neural Ray Blaster will stun enemies for about 6 seconds. In Medium difficulty you begin the game with 7 lives and 7 continues. You earn an extra life for every 1500 points, and an extra continue for every 150 goodies that you collect. As well, your Neural Ray Blaster will stun enemies for about 3.5 seconds. In the Hard difficulty you begin the game with only 5 lives and 5 continues. You earn an extra life for every 3000 points, and an extra continue for every 175 goodies that you collect. As well, your Neural Ray Blaster will stun enemies for about 3 seconds. What's more, enemy behaviour will change with difficulty level. On Easy they follow simple patterns and are easy to shoot, but on Hard they'll move like lightning, dodge your shots, and shoot with a much higher accuracy. [2.5] Who are Commander Keen's friends? Unfortunately, Commander Keen has very few friends in the universe (that would suck, wouldn't it?), but for what it's worth here they are. An asterisk (*) denotes that an official name has never been released and that a common unofficial name is used instead. [2.5.1] Marooned on Mars Yorps: These lovable, one-eyed green Martians are friendly. Very friendly. Too friendly. Butler "Tin Can" Robots: A nice little Martian robot that has trouble keeping his hat on. He is nice except for the fact that he usually pushes you off a platform to your death. [2.5.2] The Earth Explodes Youths: These young Vorticons were sent into space by the Grand Intellect to grow into fierce warriors. They like to tear around and don't much care what gets in their way. These youngsters will most likely grow up to be Vorticon Elite. Vorticon Elders: Wise Elders are kept in stasis in the living quarters of the ship. They are from what is known as the Before Time, before the Grand Intellect. Scrubs: These little red robots perform various menial duties around the ship and can walk on almost any surface. [2.5.3] Keen Must Die! Youths: The same spoiled brats that knocked you out in the second episode. Now they play a deadly game of jacks. Foobs: These little yellow creatures like to go out for strolls, whistling, and enjoy the day. Unfortunately, they are completely afraid of almost everything. If you touch them, they will grow so tense that they will pop. Messie: The great sea serpent of the legendary Loch Mess. Who knows if she even exists? [2.5.4] Keen Dreams Carrot Couriers: These guys have tennis shoes and they are in a HURRY! They won't hurt you but they can push you off whatever you're standing on. Pea Pods: They run around and spit out Pea Brains. Mosquitoes*: Though annoying to most people, these mosquitoes don't seem to bother Commander Keen. The blue ones might even be helpful somehow. Waving Trees*: Strange trees that stand beside the pathways and wave at Keen. [2.5.5] Secret of the Oracle Bounder: These red, friendly, bouncing guys can be annoying, but they can be helpful, too! Council Member: These are the Gnosticenes you are trying to rescue. There are eight of them hidden in the depths of the Shadowlands. Inchworm: These placid yellow creatures are all over. Watch out where you step or they'll be afoot! Princess Lindsey: The Princess is here to help you out. If you can find her, she will give you valuable information that will help you complete your quest. Schoolfish: These fish are the real follow-the- leader types. Treasure Eater: These guys like to take your items and disappear. [2.5.6] The Armageddon Machine Korath III Inhabitant*: The denizens of the planet below the Omegamatic, these guys are just trying to go on with their day. Unfortunately, the Shikadi are making it very difficult. [2.5.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Flect: These fellows have big teeth, but their bite isn't the problem! Watch where you shoot when these guys are around. Blooglet: Baby Bloogs come in four colors: red, yellow, green, and blue. They aren't very dangerous, and they might even prove helpful sometimes. Molly: The object of your quest. The Bloogs are holding Molly for dinner. Viva: These are probably the most common form of life on Fribbulus Xax. Vivas have a wonderful quality -- touching them improves your health. In fact, for every 100 you come into contact with, you'll gain another life. Watch carefully for Queen Vivas -- touching one will give you another life all by itself. [2.5.8] Commander Keen Bounder: These red, friendly, bouncing guys can help you reach high places! Little Ampton: This little fellow slides up and down poles and works on his computer terminals. Don't be on the pole he's on 'cause he slides up and down quickly! [2.6] Who are Commander Keen's enemies? Most of the aliens Commander Keen meets are mean, and hate him, and want him dead. An asterisk (*) denotes that an official name has never been released and that a common unofficial name is used instead. Here's the lowdown: [2.6.1] Marooned on Mars Gargs: These wild-eyed, teeth-gritting Martian monsters are angry at you, angry at themselves, angry at dirt, angry at clouds, just plain angry. If Freud were to see them, he would call them the "Id". Vorticons: The Vorticons on Mars are members of a Mars outpost and are really on the bottom rung of the Vorticon social ladder. Being on an outpost has made them kind of tough. In the second two episodes, they are known as "Grunts". Tank Robots: These robots exist to kill any intruders. Even friendly ones. [2.6.2] The Earth Explodes Grunts: These are the Vorticons from Episode One, but they have led a more posh lifestyle, so they are weaker. Vorticon Elite: These are Elite warriors. To show their loyalty to the Grand Intellect, they had their ears clipped. They are mean and like to shoot a lot. They wear blue and purple suits. Guard Robots: These awful purple robots are basically hovering machine guns. [2.6.3] Keen Must Die! Grunts: Here they are again, with red suits. Vorticon Women: They are very dangerous. They have big claws and breathe fire. You've come a long way, baby. Meeps: A race of green, egg-shaped, horrendously bad singers with sorely misplaced operatic intentions. They think they are the greatest singers in the world. They are wrong. VortiNinja: These are the most deadly enemy in this episode. Not only do they move and jump around very fast, they can also kick you! And to top it all off, they take 4 shots to kill. The Grand Intellect: His scary picture is framed on the wall of various Vorticon homes and schools. Who is he? Finish the game and find out! [2.6.4] Keen Dreams Tater Trooper: They are dumb, but they can be dangerous! Broccolash: Watch out or the Broccolashes will do their "Broccolash Smash" on you. Tomatooth: Probably the scariest of the vegetables, with their scary teeth. Asparagusto: They run fast and they're hard to hit with Flower Powers. Sour Grape: They'll fall on top of you, unless you can trick them. Frenchy: These scary potatoes from France will throw fearsome french fries at you. Squasher: They look friendly until you get close-- then they try to squash you! Melon Lips: They spit watermelon seeds at you. Apels: They can climb poles just like you do! Pea Brains: Don't let these little fellows touch you! King Boobus Tuber: Sitting in his Castle atop Mount Tuberest, Boobus Tuber brings kids to Tuberia to be his slaves. Defeat him with Boobus Bombs. Then you can turn off his Dream Machine and rescue all the kids! [2.6.5] Secret of the Oracle Arachnut: Insane, green, crab-like walking creatures with two dangerous mouths! Berkeloid: This fiery fella is not to be toyed with. He throws big fireballs! Dopefish: The second-dumbest creature in the universe, this creatures thought patterns go "swim swim hungry, swim swim hungry." They'll eat anything alive and moving near them, though they prefer heroes. Lick: These blue beanbag-like monsters breathe a deadly lick of fire. Mad Mushroom: Dangerous plants that hop and are deadly to the touch. Mimrock: Little creatures that look exactly like rocks, until your back is turned! Poison Slug: The most common inhabitants of the Shadowlands, poison slugs mean trouble twice - once if you touch them, twice if you should land in the puddles of poison they leave behind. Skypest: Virtually immune to your shots, these guys really are pests. There must be some way to get them, though. Sprite: Dopefish won't mess with these problematic underwater creatures: they shoot energy blasts at you! Wormouth: Watch out for these green menaces. They're a lot bigger than they look. Blue Bird*: These invulnerable birds are only temporarily stunned by Commander Keen's Neural Stunner, not completely knocked out. In a few seconds they will get up and chase after Commander Keen. Don't break their eggs! A new Blue Bird will be born! Thundercloud*: These guys look just like regular clouds unless you pass too close; these guys don't take too kindly to disruptive heroes! [2.6.6] The Armageddon Machine Sparky: This gray guy has a magnetic personality. His presence is electrifying. You'll be shocked when you see him! Watch out when he "charges!" Little Ampton: This purple fellow slides up and down poles and works on his computer terminals. Don't be on the pole he's on, 'cause he slides up and down quickly! Slicestar: The Slicestar is a crystalline being with razor-sharp points. Don't get near 'em! Volte-face: Volte-faces are crazy, insane floating creatures that have electronic arcs for hair! Robo Red: Robo Red is a nasty guard. If he hears a sound, he shoots first and asks questions later. Avoid, avoid, avoid! Shelley: This tiny darling seems pleasant enough until you least expect it, then she goes all to pieces! Spirogrip: The Spirogrip spins and launches toward walls. If you're in the way, you'll be toast! Shikadi Mine: Woe be the hero that wanders near one of these. They will follow you until you are close enough, then they explode! Spindred: Spindred slam angrily at the floor and ceiling. They'll crush you quicker... than something quick. Shikadi: These energy beings built the Omegamatic and plan to destroy the galaxy. Watch out for them near poles. Sphereful: Frightful plasma orbs with orbiting diamond sensors, tread carefully by these dangerous denizens. Shockshund: Three-legged energy dogs of the Shikadi, their spark is worse than their bite! Shikadi Master: The most frightful foe aboard the Omegamatic, they cast Electrospheres at you and teleport around. Very dangerous. [2.6.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Bloog: The Bloogs stole your babysitter. These one-eyed green carnivores are driven by their hunger across the galaxy. Bip: Bips are the cogs in the Bloogs' machine. They run platforms, they patrol areas in their Bipships, and generally cause havoc. They will fight for anyone, but they happened to hook up with the Bloogs. Babobba: This little red fellow is a baby Bobba. Babobbas are not quite as tough as full- grown Bobbas. Blorb: These red gelatin-like beings are deadly but slow. They bounce around and make you nervous. Gik: This hard-shelled customer's worst points are its points! Its legs are spikes, so it will flip and try to poke you. Ceilick: These purple beings hid in holes in the ceiling and will try to get you with their forked tongues. Blooguard: These burly Bloogs have big clubs to bonk their enemies. Even if they miss, their clubs shake the ground so violently you might get knocked out! Bobba: Bobbas are nasty indestructible beings that hop and fire deadly energy bolts from their eyes. Nospike: These blue fellows walk around until they find something to charge at. But even charging, their favorite pastime, will bore them after a bit. Watch out for their fearsome horn! Orbatrix: These big blue eyeballs will bounce and spin at you! Be careful, they float and follow you. Fleex: The Fleex are amongst the finest engineers in the universe, having designed all of the buildings and devices on Fribbulus Xax. Unfortunately, the Bloogs built them, devastating the sleek and elegant designs. The Fleex have very sensitive eyes (a natural consequence of spending a lifetime in a basement lab), so sensitive that they have to wear dark shades when they're out in the light (making them nearly blind). To compensate, they've developed an oversized ear which allows them to hear other creatures as they move around. [2.6.8] Commander Keen Dorp: The Droidiccus combined their robot technology with an organic alien life form to create the Dorp. The Dorp's skin is poisonous, so beware! Darg: The Darg is like a Dorp on steroids. Don't mess with the Darg! Sentry Droid: You may spot these seemingly mindless sentries throughout the Droidican cities. The Emperor uses them to keep tabs on his soldiers. They are indestructible, so don't mess with them! Droid 1: This low-flying pest has no real personality. Its presence is less-than magnetic. You won't be shocked when you see it. Don't let it annoy you. Droid 2: This hopping robot's primary function is to guard the Hive, but it does other menial work during its off-duty hours. Don't drop your guard around this mechanical menace! Droid 3: This is one of two robots created for menial work and guard duties around the Robot Hive. This robot moves fast along vertical platforms and may smack into you if you don't look out. Again, no serious threat, although they can get annoying. Droidican Soldier: These robotic troopers are the Droidican Emperor's prime defense--serving to keep the Warp Drive technology safe. Droidican Soldiers aren't very smart though, so they need a lot of discipline. Droidican Elite: The Droidican Elite are master soldiers, and the Emperor counts on them to keep the other troops in line. Armed with deadly lasers, these droids are a serious threat! Dood: This tiny guy seems pleasant enough until you least expect it, then he goes all to pieces! Fire Imp: These fiery creatures think they're pretty hot. They lurk in the rocky wasteland between the Imperial Palace and the Robot Hive. Cyba-Mallow: One day, when they were bored, the Droidiccus created the Cyba-Mallow. It's part marshmallow and part cyborg, and all trouble! Arachnu: Insane, crab-walking creatures that hold their dangerous mouths high in the air. Berkeloid: This fiery fella is not to be toyed with. He throws big fireballs, and is tough to kill. Poison Slug: The most common inhabitant of the Mushroom Forest, Poison Slugs mean trouble twice--once if you touch them, twice if they charge at you! Badoing: The Shikadi kidnapped these mutant worms from a far away galaxy for reasons unknown. The Badoings mostly hide in the floor panels of the Shikadi mother ship, waiting to surprise any unsuspecting visitors. Mad Mushroom: Dangerous fungi that hop and are deadly to touch. They jump higher every three bounces. Robo Red: Robo Red is a nasty guard. If he hears a sound, he shoots first and asks questions later. Avoid, avoid, avoid! Shikadi: These energy beings built the Omegamatic and plan to destroy the galaxy. Watch out for them near poles. Shikadi Master: The most frightful foe aboard the Omegamatic, they cast Electrospheres at you and teleport around. Very dangerous. Shikadi Sentry: Woe be the hero that wanders near one of these. They will move back and forth until they hit you! Sphereful: Frightful plasma orbs with orbiting razor sensors, tread carefully by these dangerous denizens. Bobba: Bobbas are nasty red beings that hop and fire deadly energy bolts from their eyes. Bloog: The Bloogs stole your babysitter a long time ago. These one-eyed green carnivores are driven by their hunger across the galaxy. Blooguard: These burly Bloogs have big clubs to bonk their enemies. Avoid these creeps at all costs! Blooglet: The little Blooglets are just as hungry as their big brothers, but they're not quite as frightening, are they? Bubba: Bubba likes to float above the calm waters of Blooglet Lake and watch the fish swim below. He's been known to mistake heroes for seafood, so watch out! Dopefish: The second dumbest creature in the universe, this creature's thought patterns go "swim swim hungry, swim swim hungry." They'll eat anything alive and moving near them, though they prefer heroes. Casta: The Fleex designed the floating Casta to monitor the high-tech machinery in their laboratories. The Casta won't attack you, but it's indestructible, so try not to get too close! Nospike: These blue fellows walk around until they find something to charge at. But even charging, their favorite pastime, will bore them after a bit. Watch out for their fearsome horn! Flect: The Flect is always in a hurry, and has nowhere to go. This terminally worried creature has tentacles for hair and a reflective plate on its chest. It's best to be sneaky when dealing with a Flect. Gik: This hard-shelled customer's worst points are its points! Its legs are spikes, so it will jump and try to poke you. Fleex: The Fleex are amongst the finest engineers in the universe, having designed all the buildings and devices on Fribbulus Xax. Unfortunately, the Bloogs built them, devastating the sleek and elegant designs. The Fleex have very sensitive eyes (a natural consequence of spending a lifetime in a basement lab). To compensate, they've developed an oversized ear which allows them to hear other creatures as they move around. Hovva: This robotic centurion is somewhat like a flying tank. The robot itself is harmless, but beware! He carries an electric coil to help him float, and will run you down without hesitation. The Droidican Emperor: The Droidican Emperor is a poisonous foe. You'll have to face him on his home turf: the Royal Chambers, which is a strange and unnerving place. The Emperor runs from one side of the chamber to the other, alternately throwing deadly poison at you and then releasing a robot to help him in his attack. Shoot the robot and avoid the Emperor's poison. If the Emperor is defeated, Commander Keen will be awarded a plasma crystal. Shikadi Overlord: The Boss is very simple to defeat, in theory. It's a straight fight--your Neural Ray Blaster against his rather powerful homing rockets. But the odds are in his favor because he only has to hit you once but you must shoot him many times. To make matters worse, he has a personal teleporter, so watch your back! If the Shikadi Overlord is defeated, Commander Keen will be awarded another plasma crystal. Robo-Bloog: A Robo-Bloog is essentially a Cyborg Bloog. It's a Bloog with the mind of ten super-computers and the body of... well, ten super-computers. The Robo-Bloog can fire a huge ball of energy. If either the Robo-Bloog or the energy ball hits Commander Keen, that's it. Unfortunately, every time the Robo- Bloog recharges his energy ball he adds one more shot to his attack. For example, after his second recharge, he'll have two energy balls. After the third recharge, he will have three energy balls, etc. The more overcharged Robo-Bloog becomes, the more erratic his behavior is. It'll be hard to time your attacks! If the Robo-Bloog is defeated, Commander Keen will be awarded the third plasma crystal, and the Earth will be saved! Mortimer McMire: Commander Keen's arch-nemesis, school rival, and all-around evildoer. He's masterminded your entire adventure and wants to see the Universe destroyed! You'll never catch him, but he's out there! Waiting to see you fail! [2.7] What are the worlds Commander Keen visits? Keen has visited quite a few places on his journeys, these are the ones that he's visited most recently: Mars: Probably the planet the people of Earth are most familiar with, this is where Commander Keen begins his legacy. He will visit both the polar ice caps and the dark side of Mars in a quest to find the stolen parts of the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. Vorticon VI: A strange heavenly body, it is the home planet of the Vorticons. It is very similar to Earth, with the exception of the great fortresses created by their ruler, the mysterious Grand Intellect and the Vorticons. Commander Keen must find the Grand Intellect and stop his plans to destroy Earth! Tuberia: Kingdom of Boobus Tuber, the evil Dream Machine sends children into captivity when they say something negative about vegetables. Keen must destroy it or he'll be sleeping forever! Gnosticus IV: Home planet of the Poison Slugs, Treasure Eaters, and Council Members. The evil Shikadi have imprisoned the invulnerable Council Members in deepest warrens of this forbidding place. Keen must rescue them or he'll have to say Goodbye, Galaxy! Korath III: Keen takes a quick trip to Korath III when he enters the secret Korath III Base while trying to destroy the Omegamatic. Fribbulus Xax: Home of the evil Bloogs, Commander Keen must face incredible horrors and impossible odds to save his babysitter Molly. If he doesn't save her before his parents get home, Billy will have to tell them, "Aliens ate my baby sitter!" Keen will make a second visit to this planet in search of one of the plasma crystals in his quest to destroy the Omegamatic Warp Drive. Droidiccus Prime: Homeworld of the evil Droidiccus, including the evil Droidican Emperor. Commander Keen journeys here on his quest for the plasma crystals. Shikadi: The assumed homeworld of the Shikadi, the part of it that Commander Keen visits oddly resembles the Shadowlands of Gnosticus IV. Here he will find a menagerie of enemies encountered in both the Shadowlands and the Omegamatic in his search for a plasma crystal. [2.8] How does Commander Keen get around? Commander Keen travels from planet to planet and from ship to ship using his interstellar starship made from old soup cans, rubber cement, and plastic tubing. The Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket! While exploring other worlds and ships, Commander Keen can use the Holy Pogo Stick he found on his excursion on Mars. Unfortunately, Commander Keen leaves his pogo stick behind when he is sent to Tuberia with the Dream Machine. [2.9] What goodies can I pick up on my journeys? The only thing better than accomplishing your main goal in Commander Keen is picking up the candy and items! Below is the complete list. Please note that none of the point items in the Game Boy Color game Commander Keen have ever been officially named, however most appear to be derived from items in previous Commander Keen games and have been named such. [2.9.1] Marooned on Mars Lollipop: 100 Points Soda: 200 Points Pizza: 500 Points Book: 1000 Points Teddy Bear: 5000 Points Joystick: Manual Flight Control Car Battery: Electrical Systems Power Vacuum Cleaner: Ion Propulsion Unit (with carpet height adjustment) Everclear: Fuel Raygun: 5 Charges Holy Pogo Stick: Used for jumping higher Keycards: Used to open 4 different doors [2.9.2] The Earth Explodes Candy Bar: 100 Points Vorta-Cola: 200 Points Hamburger: 500 Points Cake (Chocolate): 1000 Points Stuffed Toy Vorticon: 5000 Points Vorticon HyperPistol: 5 Charges Keycards: Used to open 4 different doors [2.9.3] Keen Must Die! Zitto Candy Bar: 500 Points Diet Vorta-Cola: 200 Points Big-N-Beefy Burger: 100 Points Cake (Double Chocolate): 1000 Points Stuffed Toy VortiNinja: 5000 Points Ankh: A mysterious super powerup, use them wisely. Vorticon HyperPistol: 5 Charges HyperPistol Reloads: 1 Charge Keycards: Used to open 4 different doors *Note that even though the Help Menu specifies that the Candy Bar is worth 100 Points and the Burger is worth 500, the game is coded so that the opposite actually occurs. [2.9.4] Keen Dreams Peppermint: 100 Points Cookie: 200 Points Candy Cane: 500 Points Candy Bar: 1000 Points Lollipop: 2000 Points Cotton Candy: 5000 Points Flower Power: 1 Shot Flower Pot: 5 Shots Magic Eyeball: 3 Lives and 8 Shots Boobus Bomb: 1 Shot, 12 destroy Boobus Tuber Key: Used to open doors [2.9.5] Secret of the Oracle Shikadi Soda: 100 Points Three-Tooth Gum: 200 Points Shikkers Candy Bar: 500 Points Jawbreaker: 1000 Points Doughnut: 2000 Points Ice Cream Cone: 5000 Points Neural Stunner: 8 Ammo in Easy, 5 Ammo in Normal or Hard Raindrops: Collect 100 for extra life Lifewater Flask Extra Keen Wetsuit: Allows you to swim in water Gems: Used to open 4 different doors [2.9.6] The Armageddon Machine Shikadi Gum: 100 Points Marshmallow: 200 Points Chocolate Milk: 500 Points Tart Stix: 1000 Points Sugar Stoopies Cereal: 2000 Points Bag O' Sugar: 5000 Points Neural Stunner: 8 Ammo in Easy, 5 Ammo in Normal or Hard Vitalin: Collect 100 for extra life Keg O' Vitalin: Extra Keen Keycard: Opens security doors Gems: Used to open 4 different doors [2.9.7] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Bloog Soda: 100 Points Ice Cream Bar: 200 Points Pudding: 500 Points Root Beer Float: 1000 Points Banana Split 2000 Points Pizza Slice: 5000 Points Neural Stunner: 8 Ammo in Easy, 5 Ammo in Normal or Hard Grappling Hook and Rope: Lets you climb something Bloogstar Rocket Passcard: Lets you get through force field Really Big Sandwich: It's second biggest sandwich Commander Keen has ever seen. [2.9.8] Commander Keen Robot Hive: Cotton Candy 5 Points Soda 5 Points Pizza Slice 5 Points Tart Stix 5 Points Chocolate Milk 5 Points Battery 10 Points Fiery Canyon: Pudding 10 Points Diet Vorta-Cola 10 Points Marshmallow 10 Points Shikkers Candy Bar 10 Points Tart Stix 10 Points Fire Extinguisher 25 Points The Imperial Palace: Unwrapped Candy Bar 25 Points Cotton Candy 25 Points Pizza Slice 25 Points Pudding 25 Points Diet Vorta-Cola 25 Points Flask 50 Points Forest o' Crazy Mushrooms: Doughnut 5 Points Zitto Candy Bar 5 Points Candy Cane 5 Points Shikadi Soda 5 Points Peppermint 5 Points Mushroom 10 Points The Plasma Crystal Mines: Cookie 10 Points Shikadi Gum 10 Points Chocolate Cake 10 Points Zitto Candy Bar 10 Points Peppermint 10 Points Small Crystal 25 Points Shikadi in Space: Ice Cream Bar 25 Points Three-Tooth Gum 25 Points Sugar Stoopies Cereal 25 Points Cookie 25 Points Chocolate Cake 25 Points Rocket 50 Points Blooglet Lake: Lollipop 5 Points Pizza 5 Points Candy Bar 5 Points Cola 5 Points Ice Cream Cone 5 Points Bubble 10 Points The Bobba Fortress: Flower Pot 10 Points Banana Split 10 Points Bag O' Sugar 10 Points Lollipop 10 Points Candy Bar 10 Points Key 25 Points Techno Lab: Root Beer Float 25 Points Vorta-Cola 25 Points Lollipop 25 Points Flower Pot 25 Points Banana Split 25 Points Computer Chip 50 Points Common Items: Colored Keys Used to open 3 different doors Commander Keen Icon A floating icon of Keen's head that's worth an extra life. [2.10] What's the name of Keen's pet Yorp? At the end of Marooned on Mars, Commander Keen brings home a Yorp to keep as a pet (see section [10.1]). There has, however, been some confusion about his name. Some feel that his name is Norp the Yorp. Others feel that his name is Spot (as his food bowl suggests). Tom Hall was asked to set the record straight: 'It's Spot, really. Billy was probably trying to give his parents something normal to hold onto since they let him keep a one-eyed alien as a pet. :)' And the matter is laid to rest. [2.11] What's this I hear about Billy Blaze's extended family? You may have heard that Billy Blaze, a.k.a. Commander Keen, is related to B. J. Blazkowicz, hero of the Wolfenstein games. The following is an excerpt from the Wolfenstein 3D Official Hint Manual: William Joseph Blazkowicz was born August 15, 1911, to Polish immigrants. Blazkowicz was a top spy for the Allied Forces, receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor and other accolades for heroism. "B.J.," (as he was called by his friends) married after World War II, at age 40, to Julia Marie Peterson. Their son, Arthur Kenneth Blazkowicz, became a television talk show personality in Milwaukee. For show biz purposes, Arthur changed his last name to Blaze. Arthur later married Susan Elizabeth McMichaels. They had one son (which they named after Arthur's father), William Joseph Blazkowicz II, or as he signs his grade school homework, B. Blaze.... What's more, the name of the protagonist of the DOOM series is finally given in the game DOOM II RPG as Sergeant Stan Blazkowicz, descendant of B.J. Blazkowicz, which means he's also possibly the descendant of Billy Blaze himself (or at least a distant relative)! [2.12] What is this 'Dopefish'? The following is an excerpt from Joe Siegler's awesome Dopefish website http://www.dopefish.com: What is Dopefish? Dopefish was one of the characters that appeared in Commander Keen, Episode IV back in 1991. That's it. All the rest of this "Dopefish mania" came later. You can read about it...at dopefish.com, the definitive source of info on everyone's favourite fish! Dopefish is the product of the fertile mind of Tom Hall. It was one of 24 drawings he did of ideas for characters for Commander Keen: Goodbye, Galaxy! while part of id Software. Dopefish was one of the characters from these drawings that made the cut. According to Tom, "I just drew this stupid little fish," and the rest is history. Dopefish is described in the cast of characters for Secret of the Oracle as the second dumbest creature in the universe. His thought patterns go, "swim swim hungry, swim swim hungry." Dopefish "will eat anything alive and moving near them, though they prefer heroes." (What's the most dumbest creature in the universe? Why, of course, the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. It's so stupid that it thinks if you can't see it, it can't see you. One way to avoid the BugBlatter Beast is to throw a towel over your head.) Dopefish was "adopted" by the Tech Support staff at Apogee soon after I came on board. Then Steve Quarrella came onboard and it balooned from there. Dopefish was my favorite character, and Steve was the resident Keen expert -- Lee provided a few vocal effects and some art. We got hold of some screen capture software and went to town... So why is Dopefish so popular? Could it be his simple thought patterns (people always feel sorry for stupid animals)? His bucked-teeth? His tendency to burp? It beats me. But it really doesn't matter; everyone loves him. ------------------------------------------------- [3] The Official Commander Keen Games and Stories ------------------------------------------------- Every Saga has a story, every story has a beginning. This is Commander Keen's. [3.1] What's the Story Behind Invasion of the Vorticons? Billy Blaze, eight year-old genius, working diligently in his backyard clubhouse has created an interstellar starship from old soup cans, rubber cement and plastic tubing. While his folks are out on the town and the babysitter has fallen asleep, Billy travels into his backyard workshop, dons his brother's football helmet, and transforms into... COMMANDER KEEN--defender of Earth! In his ship, the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket, Keen dispenses galactic justice with an iron hand! [3.1.1] Marooned on Mars In this episode, aliens from the planet Vorticon VI find out about the eight year-old genius and plan his destruction. While Keen is out exploring the mountains of Mars, the Vorticons steal vital parts of his ship and take them to distant Martian cities! Can Keen recover all the pieces of his ship and repel the Vorticon invasion? Will he make it back before his parents get home? Stay tuned! [3.1.2] The Earth Explodes His parents think he's asleep, but there's no time for napping--a Vorticon Mothership is poised above Earth, preparing to destroy every major city with their deadly Tantalus Ray! Keen must sneak aboard the ship and stop each Tantalus team from their terrible task. If he fails, the Earth Explodes! Of course, this will mean he won't have to get home in time for school.... The Earth or no school. Hmm.... After much deliberation, Keen decides to save the Earth anyway. Don't miss an action-packed second of this exiting episode in the Commander Keen trilogy! [3.1.3] Keen Must Die! Keen blasts through a hyperspace gate and arrives on Vorticon VI, landing on the island of Vortiville. Here he faces mind numbing horrors of suburban life. Then he will travel to New Vorticon, where life is a dark, dangerous enterprise. He will also have to face the violent forces massed in the Vorticon military installation. After this, he will face the impossible maze of the Caves of Oblivion! If he passes this barrier, he will finally reach the Castle of the Grand Intellect, where all his beliefs and fears come together in a titanic, shocking finale! Don't miss the incredible shattering conclusion to the Commander Keen trilogy! [3.2] What's the Story Behind Keen Dreams? Billy Blaze, eight year-old genius, working diligently in his backyard clubhouse has created an interstellar starship from old soup cans, rubber cement, and plastic tubing. While his folks are out on the town and the babysitter has fallen asleep, Billy travels into his backyard workshop, dons his brother's football helmet, and transforms into... COMMANDER KEEN--defender of Earth! In his ship, the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket, Keen dispenses galactic justice with an iron hand! THIS EPISODE: "Keen Dreams" We find young Billy discussing matters of paramount importance with his mother. "I just saved the Earth, Mom," said Billy. "I don't have to eat vegetables." "Sure, dear," said Billy's mom. "I bet Neil Armstrong never complained about HIS mashed potatoes." "I bet Neil Armstrong never traveled to Vorticon VI and defeated the Grand Intellect, either," Billy mumbled at his plate. He sat there, legs dangling, staring at his offensive, starch-laden foe. After a pointed remark about the quality of the mashed potatoes, Billy was sent to his room. "Stupid vegetables," he grumbled, his eyelids growing heavy. Soon Billy was fast asleep. Suddenly he woke up, and his bed was atop a hill. On either side of his bed were giant potatoes wearing metal helmets and carrying bayonets. "Come with us now, Captain Keen," said the first. "You've been brought here by the Dream Machine," said the second. "Boobus Tuber, our king and boss--" "--is now your master, come with us!" Billy frowned, grabbed his football helmet off his bedpost, and started to put it on. "First of all, spuds," Billy said, pushing down on the helmet. "That's COMMANDER Keen. Second of all, who do you think you are?" "We're Tater Troopers it's plain to see," said the first. "So get--" Keen reached under his pillow and retrieved his Vorticon Hyperpistol. He moved it from "Stun," past "Disrupt," all the way up to "Fry to Delicate Brown." "How about a walk on the fried side boys?" Keen said. Two BZZAPs later, Keen pouted. "Aw, nuts. My Hyperpistol's empty," he said. Just then, a child in chains ran up to him. "Keen, oh, Keen, oh, Captain Keen! Save us from the Dream Machine!" he said. "That's COMMANDER Keen!" the young genius corrected. "Whatever. Save us!" said the child. So Billy hopped out of bed and started on his quest to defeat King Boobus Tuber and destroy the Dream Machine. [3.3] What's the Story Behind Secret of the Oracle? After delivering a crippling blow to the plans of Mortimer McMire and receiving the praise of the Vorticon race, Commander Keen returned to his home in the suburbs. Here he was forced to go to bed at an early hour, and to eat mashed potatoes. Months later, Billy tinkered around with his latest invention, the Photachyon Transceiver, or faster-than-light radio. After picking up a lot of bad alien sitcoms, he stumbled upon a strange message of terrible importance.... COMMANDER KEEN in . . . "Goodbye, Galaxy!" Keen Episode Four: Secret of the Oracle Billy Blaze toils in his backyard workshop, busily constructing his latest invention: the Photachyon Transceiver. Put in simple words, it is an instantaneous radio -- point to anywhere in the galaxy, and you can pick up a signal as if you were right there. After picking up a lot of very bad alien sitcoms, Billy hears a strange message, spoken in the language of Omnispeak that the Vorticons taught him.... brrzzz....giggg....oment of great triumph...frzzt....ast the Milky Way will be...huzzzzz...terly destroyed...pyuneeeeeeg...can stop us now. We will remake the galaxy in the name of the Gannalech. Power to our race! Power to the Shikadi! Then the radio is silent. "So the Shikadi are planning on destroying the Galaxy, huh?" thinks Billy. "Sounds like a job for...COMMANDER KEEN!" Billy once again dons his brothers football helmet, contemplating three questions: Who the heck ARE the Shikadi? Where are they? How are they planning to destroy the galaxy? Climbing into the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket's cockpit, Billy sets up the launch sequence for Gnosticus IV, the home of the Gnosticenes, guardians of the Oracle. They owe him a favor, and he needs to get some questions answered. The launch sequence begins. "Suppertime, Billy!" announces his mom as she walks out to the workshop. "Aw, nuts!" spouts Billy. He realizes that there isn't enough time to stop the sequence and cover the ship! Thinking quickly, he pulls out his Neural Stunner, points it at the door, and waits. One "Zzzzap!" later and his Mom is frozen in the doorway. "Whew," says Keen "Honey? What's the matter?" says Billy's dad, coming out the back door. "Double nuts!" mutters Billy. He peeks past his mom, takes aim and.... Zap! Once at Gnosticus IV, a Council Page runs up to him. "Oh, Captain Keen!" he begins. "That's Commander Keen," Billy corrects. "The Shikadi were here, and they kidnapped the members of the High Council and took them to the Shadowlands far to the west." "They didn't kill them?" Keen asks. "Impossible. They are immortal," says the page. "So they just made sure they weren't available to activate the Oracle." "Well, I'll just go get them," Keen says, turning with heroic determination. "Um, but Captain Keen, they also left a bunch of horrible creatures and traps to guard them," says the Council Page. "Well, I'll just go get them CAREFULLY, then," Keen says over his shoulder. Keen turns to walk out the door, stops, turns and addresses the page. "And if you call me Captain Keen again, I'm taking you with me." Keen boldly heads out the door as the page mutters, "Sorry." Commander Keen hops in his Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and heads for the Shadowlands.... [3.4] What's the Story Behind The Armageddon Machine? After learning the location of the secret Shikadi base, Keen jumped in the trusty Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and blasted across interstellar space. Seventy-five furious games of Paddle War later, Keen dropped out of lightspeed near the Korath system. He flew toward the planet, keeping it between him and the base. Pulling up underside and docking at the Ion Ventilation System, Keen must destroy the Shikadi Armageddon Machine before it explodes and destroys the Milky Way! He steps into the dark ventilation duct and begins his most dangerous adventure yet... Keen Episode Five: The Armageddon Machine Last episode, our hero Billy blasted off in search of the mysterious Shikadi, who serve "the Gannalech" and plan to destroy the galaxy! After a short delay, Keen rocketed to Gnosticus IV, only to find the Council Members missing. The Shikadi kidnapped 'em! Keen flew to the Shadowlands, faced horrible foes, and rescued the kidnapped ancients. After Keen freed them from their imprisonment, the immortal Council Members activated their source of galactic wisdom, the Oracle. The Oracle informed Keen that the Shikadi had nearly completed a machine to obliterate the galaxy! This episode finds Keen in stealth mode, sneaking his Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket up to the Omegamatic. Securing his Attach-O-Ray to an exhaust port, Keen enters the Omegamatic and begins his most dangerous adventure yet! [3.5] What's the Story Behind Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? Billy Blaze, eight year-old genius, working diligently in his backyard clubhouse has created an interstellar starship from old soup cans, rubber cement, and plastic tubing. While his folks are out on the town and the baby sitter has fallen asleep, Billy travels into his backyard workshop, dons his brother's football helmet, and transforms into... COMMANDER KEEN -- Defender of the Universe! In this episode, Billy is out in his clubhouse, busily working on his handy new ComputerWrist wrist computer. He hears Molly, his baby sitter, calling him to supper but he keeps on working. He hears a strange noise in the backyard and decides to investigate. On a patch of scorched grass he finds a note: Keen-- Thanks for dinner. --The Bloogs of Fribbulus Xax. P.S. Next time get one with more meat, please. He puzzles over this for a moment, then notices the baby sitter has stopped calling. Suddenly he realizes that aliens are having her over for supper - and when they say "for supper" they mean "FOR SUPPER"! If he doesn't save her, his parents will be furious. They'll never believe that "Aliens ate My Baby Sitter!" "This is a job for Commander Keen!" he declares. Once again, he dons his brother's football helmet, hops into the trusty Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and starts the launch sequence for Fribbulus Xax. He's got to save Molly from becoming a snack for creatures from another planet! It's great arcade action and hilarious fun in the latest episode in the Commander Keen saga! [3.6] What's the Story Behind Commander Keen? SAVE THE WORLD! It is a normal morning for Billy Blaze. Half awake, he gets his cereal and sits in front of the TV, switches it on, and watches...static... A sub-space anomaly has mysteriously appeared in the Earth's core-- everything's gone haywire: telephones ring randomly, the clouds have turned blue, and morning cartoons have ceased to exist. With one quick look at his all-new "Computer-Wrist" computer, Billy Blaze realizes things aren't as they should be. He must find out who is responsible! Little does he know, his old enemies have joined forces in one last- ditch attempt to destroy the universe. The Droidiccus, Shikadi, and Bloogs of Fribbulus Xax have created the fabled Omegamatic Warp Drive. Using super powerful plasma crystals, they can destroy sub-space stability. Even his old arch-rival Mortimer McMire may have a hand in the mayhem. Only Commander Keen has the ability to re-unite the three plasma crystals at the Omegamatic Warp Drive and save the world! Donning his brother's football helmet, Billy Blaze sets off down the garden path. Determined to get to the heart of the matter, he jumps into the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. THE EARTH IS IN TROUBLE!!! THIS LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR... COMMANDER KEEN! After flying for what seems like an eternity, Commander Keen lands in the strangest place he has ever seen in all his travels. Will Commander keen succeed, or will the Earth be turned into sub-space shambles? -------------- [4] The Lyrics -------------- Like all good songs, the songs in Commander Keen, composed by Bobby Prince, have lyrics. Only the lyrics for two of the songs have ever been released, here they are. [4.1] What are the lyrics to Eat Your Veggies? Here's some background. This song was originally intended for Keen Dreams, however Softdisk Publishing (who were publishing this "Special Edition" Keen), decided to get rid of music so the program would fit on one floppy disk. Anyway, Billy is sitting at the table with his family, refusing to eat dinner. It starts with his mom pleading with Billy, here goes. "You've got eat your vegetables, eat them right up! You've got to eat your vegetables, tell him Daddy." So his Dad tries to convince his son to eat. "You've got to eat your vegetables, NOWWWW!" Billy's sister, seeing an opportunity to make fun of him start's speaking. "You've got to eat your vegetables, na-na, na-na, na, na!" [4.2] What are they lyrics to Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? This song starts off right when Billy realizes the Bloogs have stolen his babysitter, and he's going to have to save her. "Aliens Ate My babysitter, ate her right down to her toes, worse, they still look hungry, and are trying now to bite off my nose. My babysitter might have deserved it, of that, a Judge I'll not be, but I am a different story, the Universe dies without me!" Now Keen does some rap and here it is: "My name is Keen, a fighting machine, helmet on head (except when in bed), a pogo for height, a ray gun for might, the Bacon-'n-Bean's my flying machine. I never fear whenever I'm near, some critter from space, who's not in his place, I'll leave them to feed on whatever they need, I'll fill them with lead after they're fed. My Mom and my Dad don't know I'm this BAD! But when my story's told, all kids will be bold." ---------------------------------- [5] The Standard Galactic Alphabet ---------------------------------- Unknown to most Earthlings, there is an alphabet standard throughout the galaxy: The Standard Galactic Alphabet! I'm proud to say that I figured out the Standard Galactic Alphabet (with the exception of Z), without any hints, when I was 8 years old. Using only Commander Keen episodes 1, 4, and 5. [5.1] What is the Standard Galactic Alphabet? The Standard Galactic Alphabet (SGA) is fairly easy to master. There is no upper and lower case, and the sign ·-· is used to signify the end of a sentence (like a period). *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* | A | B | C | DDDD | E E | FFFFF | G | HHHHH | I | | A A | B | | | E | | G | | I | | A | B | C | DD | E | F F F | GGG | HHHHH | | | A | B | C | DD | E | | G | H | I | | AA | BBBB | C | | EEEE | | G | H | I | *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* | J | K | L | M M | N N | OOO | P P | Q | | | | K | L L | M | N N | O | P | | R R | | J | K K K | L | M | N | O | P P | QQQ | | | | K | L L | M | N | O | P | Q | R R | | J | K | L | MMMM | NN | OO | P P | QQQ | | *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* | S | TTTT | | V | | X X | Y Y | Z | | | S | T | U U | VVVVV | W | X | Y Y | Z Z | | | S | T | | | | X | Y Y | Z Z |. ... .| | S | | UUUUU | VVVVV | W W | X | Y Y | Z Z | | | S | T | | | | | Y Y | Z Z | | *-----------------------------------------------------------------------* The SGA is used in all the Commander Keen game, with the exception of Keen Dreams (it's the kid in the middle, the one who never really fits in). [5.2] What do all the Signs Say? Too lazy to translate those signs on your own? Well you're in luck, because I've gone through the trouble of translating them for you, as well as the places that you'll commonly find them! Please note that I haven't bothered to list any SGA that is directly followed by a translation in-game, such as those found in the schools of Vorticon VI. Also note that as no SGA exists in Keen Dreams, you won't find a section for it here! [5.2.1] Marooned on Mars Sign Location THIS IS NEAT Found near Rayguns DIE Found near environmental hazards EXIT Located (not surprisingly) next to exits BEHOLD THE HOLY A sign found in the Pogo Shrine "POGO" STICK HI Written in Lollipops at the entrance of Emerald City GO UP Also found in Emerald City below a hidden Teddy Bear A, B, C, D Found on the Keycards and their corresponding Doors [5.2.2] The Earth Explodes Sign Location THIS IS NEAT Found near Vorticon HyperPistols EXIT Located next to exit doors VC Written on various barrels scattered throughout the ship ON Found written on lightswitches and near Tantalus activation levers GO UP A hint found at the beginning of the London Tantalus Ray BLUE PRINTS Printed on the middle-right of the Mothership's ACME blueprints (the World Map) GB Near Galley B EA Outside of Engineering A EB Outside of Engineering B LONDON Outside of London Tantalus Ray TANTALUS LONDON Above the machine that activates London's Tantalus Ray CAIRO Outside of Cairo Tantalus Ray TANTALUS CAIRO Above the machine that activates Cairo's Tantalus Ray RC Outside of the Reactor Core HOME A Outside of Home A NEW YORK Outside of New York Tantalus Ray TANTALUS NEW YORK Above the machine that activates New York's Tantalus Ray SYDNEY Outside of Sydney Tantalus Ray TANTALUS SYDNEY Above the machine that activates Sydney's Tantalus Ray HOME B Outside of Home B PARIS Outside of Paris Tantalus Ray FUCL Written with yellow platforms in red platforms at the beginning of Paris Tantalus Ray TANTALUS PARIS Above the machine that activates Paris' Tantalus Ray WA Outside of Weaponry A ROME Outside of Moscow Tantalus Ray (whoops) TANTALUS MOSCOW Above the machine that activates Moscow's Tantalus Ray MOSCOW Outside of Rome Tantalus Ray TANTALUS ROME Above the machine that activates Rome's Tantalus Ray WB Outside of Weaponry B DC Outside of Washington, D.C. Tantalus Ray TANTALUS D C Above the machine that activates Washington, D.C.'s Tantalus Ray V Written on the chest of Vorticon Elites A, B, C, D Found on the Keycards and their corresponding Doors [5.2.3] Keen Must Die! Sign Location THIS IS NEAT Found near Pistols EXIT Located next to exits BYE NOW Written on the exits GI Written on the paintings of the Grand Intellect and on flags flying throughout Vorticon VI CAR Written on the flying cars HI At the entrance to Vortiville and the title screen VORTIVILLE At the entrance to Vortiville and Valden Park TH Tom Hall's initials are found above the Vortiville sign in Vortiville LOWER VORTIVILLE Found near the entrance to Lower Vortiville WEST VORTIVILLE Found at the top of West Vortiville VALDEN PARK Found in the grassy area of Valden Park WATER Also found in the grassy area of Valden Park NEW VORTICON Found at the entrance to New Vorticon CENTRAL PARK Found near the beginning of New Vorticon SUBWAY Found at the entrance to the underground of BEENS Found at the entrance to Beens SCHOOL Found above a school in Beens THE BONKS Found at the entrance to The Bonks NURSERY Signage on the play pen of a bunch of Youths in The Bonks. HALS KITCHEN Found at the beginning of Hal's Kitchen FORT VORTICON Found near the entrance to Fort Vorticon POOL Located deep within Fort Vorticon FORT CAVORT Found at the entrance to Fort Cavort FORT VORTA BELLA Found at the entrance to Fort Vorta Bella CAPE CANAVORTA Found at the entrance to Fort Canavorta BARRACKS Found within Cape Canavorta BRIG Found deep within Cape Canavorta GO UP Found at the entrance of The Caves of Oblivion MM Written on the Mangling Machine of Mortimer McMire A, B, C, D Found on the Keycards and their corresponding Doors [5.2.4] Secret of the Oracle Sign Location EXIT Found (not surprisingly) near exits WATCH OUT Found in particularly dangerous parts of the Shadowlands HIGH LOW Found near some switches HI Found in Lifewater Oasis and The Perilous Pit ACME ORACLE Written on the Oracle [5.2.5] The Armageddon Machine Sign Location EXIT Found flipping around near exits GO Appears on switches when they are turned on PUSH ME Found next to a strange machine in the background of Defense Tunnel Vlook OK Written on the monitors of the Regulation Control Center INSERT COIN Written on the Brownian Motion Inducer JUMP DOWN AT ARCH A hint for getting to the secret Korath III Base written on the wall of the Gravitational Damping Hub ID Written with Bags O' Sugar in Korath III Base WARNING Misspelled "STRCTURE" in most versions of the FUSE STRUCTURE game, this sign is found next to three of the FRAGILE four machines that protect the main elevator shaft DT Found on the outside of each Defense Tunnel NBI Found outside of the Neutrino Burst Injector EFS Found outside of Energy Flow Systems RCC Found outside of the Regulation Control Center BMI Found outside of the Brownian Motion Inducer QED Found outside of the Quantum Explosion Dynamo and on the machine itself S Written on the circular red platforms V Found on Kegs O' Vitalin A, B, C Found on each side of the matching doorways of the Brownian Motion Inducer, as well as next to most buttons and the bridges that they toggle D, F Also found next to some buttons and the bridges that they toggle [5.2.6] Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter! Sign Location EXIT Found hovering near exits OK Found in various places on Fribbulus Xax KEY GEM A hint sign to help you locate difficult-to-find Gems DIE Occasionally found near hazards on Fribbulus Xax DANGER Also occasionally found near dangerous places on Fribbulus Xax THIS IS NEAT Found next to the three items Keen must collect to finish his adventure on Fribbulus Xax TO SERVE MAN A cookbook found next to the Stupendous Sandwich of Chungella IV ID Found written in Bloog Soda in the Bloogbase Management District HI Also found written in Bloog Soda in the Bloogbase Management District THE PRIMITIVE TERRAN Written above the translation of the Standard ALPHABET Galactic Alphabet found in Blooglab Space Station NO Found next to a door that will take you almost to the beginning of the Bloog Control Center BFI Found outside of Bloogfoods, Inc. BMI Found outside of Bloogton Manufacturing, Inc. BT Found outside of Bloogton Tower BASA Found outside of the Bloog Aeronautics and Space Administration D, U Found near switches that need to be flipped Down or Up, respectively. [5.2.7] Commander Keen Sign Location THIS WAY Found right under the teleporter in the Red Key area of the Forest o' Crazy mushrooms and at the beginning of Blooglet Lake ------------------------------------------- [6] The Hints, Tips, and Other Funny Things ------------------------------------------- Sometimes, we need a little helping hand to get on our way. Or maybe we just want a few pointers, or just want to exploit some bugs and/or see things we wouldn't normally see. If you're strange, and not like everyone else, skip this. Thanks goes out to Snortimer for the Commander Keen 3 flying trick, KeenCommander for the hovering Robo Red info, Kong33 for the info on the red flashing hand sign in Commander Keen 6, Dark Hood for the translation of the Morse code message in the Bloog Control Center in Commander Keen 6, and GARGapplesauce for the exact alignment needed to access the Bloog Control Center's secret stash. [6.1] What are some Hints for Invasion of the Vorticons? General Hints: Some places are only reachable by the pogo stick. It is wise to practice your pogo skills. "The Impossible Pogo Trick" is a trick that makes the game easier. How it works: walk or run in a direction, then press the pogo key, release it QUICKLY and press jump. You will pogo up and over at an angle that's not possible using any other method. In Episodes Two and Three, this technique is very valuable. All good Commanders know when to save their progress. On the World Map, press F5, and select a save position from 1-9. You can continue your game from the title screen, just select Continue Game, and press the number of your previously saved game. Conserve your ammo! If you can get past an enemy without firing, do it! You'll find this technique especially helpful in Episode Three, where you'll more than likely run out of weapon power if shoot everything that moves. Another useful technique is getting your enemies in between you and either a Tank Robot, a Guard Robot, or a Vorticon Women. More often than not, they'll get fried in the crossfire. You can use your pogo stick to avoid going into the Exit door. Before you start leaving, activate your pogo, and you won't get sucked in. Use this to get goodies behind the exit. You gain an extra life for every 20000 points that you collect. Read the Signs, they give you invaluable hints (and a whole bunch of information you don't need). Use your common sense! If it looks sharp, pokey, or otherwise harmful to you, it probably is! Specific Hints: [6.1.1] Marooned on Mars Look for little white dots, these are the upper-left corners of hidden bricks, look out for, and use them! They lead to many secrets. After completing the first city, you should go to the Pogo Shrine (it's the little grey shrine). There you'll find, surprise, surprise, 'The Holy Pogo Stick'! Also look for hidden bricks above the Exit Door. They Secret City is accessible through the Red Maze City (the eastern most city, on the dark side of mars). At the bottom of this maze city (near the yellow key card) is a dark area. Fall past two fire pits, and hold down right. Next, hop from the hidden brick to the ice cannon area. Then get into the ice cannon's line of fire, and finally get launched over and go into the teleporter (it'll probably take a few tries). If there's a sign that says DIE, something nearby will try to kill you (no kidding). Get enemies between you and a Tank Robot, they'll be toast. You can get past all of the Vorticons without firing a shot, all it takes is a little practice: Joystick Guard: Go to the farthest right edge of the ledge below the exit (the one with a Raygun on it). The Vorticon will go off the right edge, and plummet to his death. Car Battery Guard: Get him to follow you, and make him jump off the platform. Getting the Car Battery should now be easy as pie. Vacuum Cleaner Guard: Get the Vorticon to jump on the blue cylinders, and run underneath him, through the door. The Vorticon Commander (Guarding the Everclear): This is REALLY HARD to do without cheating, but possible (I've done it before, once). When he's over on the left side of the platform, climb up, and PRAY that he jumps high. If so, run quickly under him and over to the Teddy Bear. You may also have success trying jumping over him. Make sure you activate your pogo after getting out of his pit to avoid the exit before getting the Everclear! I only recommend you to do this if you feel the need to boost your ego. Otherwise, use a hidden brick to jump up on the huge block, and shoot the chain. Now, if you can somehow get past the Vorticon Commander using the above stated method, run into the exit without getting the Everclear. You'll truly be Marooned on Mars (you can't re-enter levels you have beaten)! [6.1.2] The Earth Explodes It's undocumented, but important: To pull switches or push buttons, press the pogo button when you are near. Tantalus Rays are destroyed by using the pogo to hop up, and shooting the purple sparking cell in the glass bubble. WARNING: Don't stand too close to the switch when activating your pogo, you could pull it, and that ends the game (in a bad way)! The little red robots, Scrubs, can be jumped on for a ride up the wall. You'll find this technique VERY useful. The Guard Robots are deadly adversaries: Get an enemy between you and him. You can stand on top of Vorta-Cola cans to get to higher places, and taking them may change the way the Scrubs walk. The wise Vorticon will not jump in the dark. In fact, even unwise Vorticons will not jump in darkness. Keen can leave Rome's Tantalus Ray still active if he goes as far right as possible at the beginning, and hopping up the little hole. If he does that, though, the game will be left in an unwinnable position! On the world map, the SGA labels Rome and Moscow are in the wrong places! On the far right side of the Paris Tantalus level, FUCL is spelled with the small colored platforms. [6.1.3] Keen Must Die! You need only to complete three levels to finish the game, but what's the fun in that? At the Caves of Oblivion, follow the directions on the entrance sign. You can stand on the exit doors! When Meeps sing, the sound kills, and can travel through anything. Even solid walls! You can usually run under the VortiNinjas when they jump high into the air. Line up a foe with a Sentry Gun, or a Vorticon Woman. They'll die in a jiffy. Remember, some falls are necessary, and some things are hidden in the heavens (think big clouds). Jacks are almost always deadly, don't enter an area with them unless you have an Ankh, speaking of which... All Ankhs can be obtained. If you look at the Blue Key in the Status Screen, it has a sky blue aura around it. Weird! It's possible to fly in the air without using a cheat. Just press jump and then fire at almost the same time. You'll waste a few bullets, but it's good for getting to tough places when you don't want to cheat. On the final level, you can stand on the shoulders. (I don't want to give away too much, now do I?) [6.2] What are some Hints for Keen Dreams? Get candy for points, which will get you extra lives. You get your first extra life at 20000 points, the next at 40000 points, the third at 80000, and so on, the points needed doubling with each life. Search everywhere--there's a LOT of hidden stuff! Don't assume anything. You can jump through logs by holding Down, and pressing the Jump button. If you miss an enemy you are trying to shoot, you can recollect your Flower Power shots for a short period of time (the same is true for Boobus Bombs). You can stand on the blue Mosquitoes, but not the black ones. If you see the message 'Boobus Bombs Near!' when the level is loading, find and collect them. You need at least 12 to defeat King Boobus Tuber. If there isn't a cement wall in your way, go against the right wall, AND DIE! If Commander Keen's head goes through the right edge of the screen, you'll complete the level (and if you miss, it's your problem). [6.3] What are some Hints for Goodbye Galaxy!? General Hints: Don't use two button firing, it makes it even more impossible to do the "Impossible Pogo Trick" (which is done by running, and hitting the pogo and jump keys in rapid succession). Sometimes you'll see big arcs of candy. These are usually set up so that you can grab them in one Cool Jump. You get your first extra life at 20000 points, the next at 40000 points, the third at 80000, and so on, the points needed doubling with each life. To jump through a hole in the ground, look down and hit the jump key (this is known as the "Down Jump"). If you just don't make a jump, you can usually grab the edge and hang on (as long as it's not on a diagonal slope downward). You don't have to pull up right away if you grab an edge, take a long breather if you want. To erase the high scores in Commander Keens 4 and 5, delete the CONFIG.CK4 and CONFIG.CK5 files respectively. You'll also have to reselect any changes to joystick or game settings, as this information is also stored in the CONFIG files. Save the game often, you'll be glad you did. If you're having jerky motion problems, or having "snow" fly across your screen, select the Fix Jerky Motion and SVGA Compatibility options on the Configure - Options screen. Read the Signs! Specific Hints: [6.3.1] Secret of the Oracle There are many hidden platforms in Commander Keen 4. You can see them flash in the sunlight every few seconds (NOTE: These are usually VERY hard to see, but if a flash catches your eye, be sure to look). There are seven free keens available on the first level. You can get to the top of the Pyramid of the Moons. I'm talking the outside! And on the subject of Moons... If you stand on a shaded moon in the Pyramid of the Moons for a few seconds, Commander Keen will moon you! Princess Lindsey appears twice. There's stuff hidden very well in Hillville, all you need is a flash of insight. The way to the Pyramid of the Forbidden is at the bottom of the Pyramid of the Moons. (Remember, Inchworms will be afoot, but how many of them?) The Dopefish likes to eat the small Schoolfish that follow you. The jump button makes you swim faster underwater. The Skypests can be squashed by jumping on them with your pogo stick. You can only shoot Mimrocks when they are jumping at you. If you're running really low on ammo, a trip to The Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket may be beneficial. Mad Mushrooms leap higher on the third bounce. If you look up while standing on one of the disappearing ice blocks in Miragia, you won't fall down...even if it disappears! [6.3.2] The Armageddon Machine There are TEN lives available in the first level (but don't expect them to be easy to find). The names of the two level designers, John Romero the Software Engineer, and Creative Director Tom Hall, are hidden in two of the levels. The enemy name 'Little Hampton' is actually far dirtier than it would first seem. Tom Hall says this: 'Some British TV show referred to a guy with a... um, small... you know... as having a "Little Hampton". That stuck in my head when I was naming stuff, I guess.' In Version 1.0 of The Armageddon Machine, in the Energy Flow Systems, there is a Swastika above John Romero's name. However it was removed in the GT Interactive Version 1.4. This must be set straight! Here's what Romero himself had to say about the incident: 'Obviously, it was a reference to Wolfenstein... ? Sure, Keen 5 was created before Wolfy, but we knew that was our next project.' Tom Hall, creator of Commander Keen, further expanded on that point: 'I think John put that in as a reference to Wolfenstein, not to imply anything about any character's ideology. Same as when he originally had the swastika shape in DOOM, that folks go so upset about that took it out. As if that meant anything remotely like condoning the atrocities of Hitler. (Remember kids, Hitler bad. Hating groups of people for no reason, very bad. Killing people for the same no reason, very very very insanely bad.) 'If Wolfenstein had had a logo, like a big "W" or something, then John would've made that shape, I'm sure.' There are 30 000 hidden points near the start of Defense Tunnel Sorra. You can't destroy the Quantum Explosion Dynamo directly, you'll have to find something (or someone) to destroy it for you. If you look up while standing on the red spinning platforms, you won't be spun off! It's possible to make Robo Red hover off the end of a platform. The trick is his attention while he's at the very edge... Shelley can be destroy by the sentry guns' shots! The way to the secret level is through the Gravitational Damping Hub, look down and translate. To see the real ending of Commander Keen 5, you have to do something special in the Korath III Base. There are problems on Korath III if you're playing in the "Easy" difficulty level. In earlier versions of Commander Keen 5, after a few seconds of play in the secret level, the game would quit and you would get the error message 'Goplat moved to a bad spot: 2114,1600'. In Version 1.4, it isn't possible to see the "Real Ending" because, well, you'll have to find out for yourself. You probably figured this out, but you break the fuses by using your pogo stick. The Slicestars can be destroyed! The ones moving on a set path take 20 shots to be destroyed, but the Slicestars that just bounce around take 45 shots to destroy, and are hardly worth the time, energy, and ammo since they're easier to avoid then their slow moving counterparts. You can duck the nearly invincible Slicestars and the rather vincible Volte-faces, but not Robo Red. He's too big and evil!!! You can stand next to Robo Red and not get shot (you can sometimes duck them too), but then you're next to him and that can't be good. Robo Red's hearing is very good, and if he hears a noise, he'll shoot first, and ask questions later. Some levels have areas that are preceded by a "NO HUMANS" sign, these are places that are especially dangerous, but also have valuable rewards. You can stand on the horizontal Sentry Guns to get to higher places. You can stand on top of the strange pillar at the beginning of the Brownian Motion Inducer. [6.4] What are some Hints for Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? Don't use two button firing, it makes it even more impossible to do the "Impossible Pogo Trick" (which is done by running, and hitting the pogo and jump keys in rapid succession). Sometimes you'll see big arcs of candy. These are usually set up so that you can grab them in one Cool Jump. There's more to do at The Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket than it seems (notice that you can't exit the level on the right side). A Bobba guards the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket in Hard difficulty. You get your first extra life at 20000 points, the next at 40000 points, the third at 80000, and so on, the points needed doubling with each life. There are three very important items that Commander Keen needs to get to complete his quest. They are located in The First Dome of Darkness, Bloogfoods, Inc., and Bloogton Tower. You can ride on the back of a Gik (though they like to jump around, making it difficult sometimes). There's a neat little game exploit in this game that's been nicknamed 'The Impossible Bullet Trick'. It takes a little practice (and bullets) to get right, but once you have it mastered it's a useful tool for getting around quick. First of all jump into the air and begin shooting down. You want to time it so that the bullet hit as you are one tile above it. I find shooting down twice in quick succession right at the apex of my jump works well. You'll know that you've got it when you're hovering one tile in the air. Next, shoot upwards. You'll go rocketing upward with the bullet magically beneath you! Voila! The Impossible Bullet Trick! The way to the Blooglab Space Station is through the Bloog Control Center (and I mean THROUGH it). There's a secret stash hidden in the Bloog Control Center, unfortunately trying to access it on a difficulty other than Easy is pure suicide. The entrance is located right below the switch in the first room and Easy there is a platform located right below the switch that you can use to line drop. You need pixel-perfect accuracy to make it through alive so listen up: While standing on the platform below the switch make Keen face to the right and line up the colorful back edge of his helmet with the light-grey line on the left side of the pole. Once you're perfectly aligned Jump Down and you'll slip through the small gap in the plasma orbs. Once you've safely passed through, press UP and you'll enter an invisible door taking you to all the goodies! Totally worth it if you can get through. The entire Standard Galactic Alphabet is hidden in the Blooglab Space Station. You should feel no remorse for wasting a Blooglet. They like to hang on to their corresponding Gem Key Color. Like in Commander Keen 5, you can stand on top of the Sentry Guns (just watch out for their shots). You can pogo off of a switch that is flipped "up" to get a higher bounce. If you can get a Nospike to charge off a cliff, he'll fall to his death. It's almost too easy! Watch out for a little tip of a tongue, it's a Ceilick hidden up in the rafters! If you find yourself underneath one, shoot up immediately (any later, and you'll be dead already). Jump up as a Blooguard swings his club in the air, you won't be stunned by the shock wave. Some levels have areas with a red flashing hand sign. This indicates a dangerous area that isn't necessary to enter to complete the level. In the Bloog Control Center you can hear this Morse code playing in the background: SOS SOS DE KEEN SOS SOS K. If you look up while standing on the red spinning platforms, you won't be spun off! If you use the Warp Cheat and go to the High Score screen, you get the message: 'Keen is in the High Score screen. Call Id!' What could this mean? Who knows? This game is quite hard! Patience and ingenuity is the key. The KEY to success in the Blooglab Space Station is to FALL in love with Molly because she's DROP-dead gorgeous. Rescue her quickly, before she DECENDS to the stomach of a Bloog (it seems I'm beating around the bush here). Read the signs! [6.5] What are some Hints for Commander Keen? Don't trust your instincts! Everything's been flipped on its head and what you think is right could very well be wrong. Points are your friend! Not only do they increase your score and give you lives and continues, but every time that you've collected at least one point item you are protected from one enemy hit. You are still instantly killed by environmental hazards, but projectiles and direct contact with enemies will cause you to just take a little bounce backwards. You gain an extra life for every 1000 points you collect on Easy, 1500 points on Medium, and 3000 points on Hard. As well you gain an extra continue for every 100 goodies you collect on Easy, 150 goodies on Medium, and 175 goodies on Hard. If you find yourself teleporting straight into danger (such as a jumping Gik or an enemy's projectile) start mashing the SELECT button as fast as possible! You'll teleport back to safety without getting hit. Likewise, if you move the D-pad while teleporting in, you will cancel the teleport animation and also be able to escape from danger. You can walk past stunned enemies without fear. Follow the hints that appear! Remember that you push buttons on the ground with the SELECT button. You can sometimes use stunned enemies to pogo up to Extra Lives and items that are out of reach. If you're finding a level too hard, press SELECT from the Status Screen to quit back to the World Map. Finished levels can be re-entered, if you so desire. Record your passwords! They are the only way that you can save your progress in the game. This game can be quite hard. It's a good idea to begin with the Easy difficulty to get used to the game's mechanics and levels in a more forgiving environment. ------------------- [7] The Cheat Codes ------------------- Sometimes we need a few codes to help us out, and that's okay. KEY+KEY means hold down both keys at the same time (e.g. F10+G means press and hold F10, and then press G. If it worked, you'll usually see a confirmation message). In Commander Keen, cheats are entered in the PASSWORD section of the Main Menu. [7.1] What are the Cheat Codes for Invasion of the Vorticons? Code Description C+T+SPACE Gives you a Pogo Stick, all 4 keycards, and 100 Raygun Charges SHIFT+TAB Allows Commander Keen to pass through one City on the World Map G+O+D Activates God Mode (Invulnerability) and unlimited jumping height with the Pogo Stick [7.2] What are the Cheat Codes for Keen Dreams? Code Description F10+I Gives you 99 Keys and 99 Boobus Bombs F10+S Slow Motion Toggle F10+J Gives Commander Keen unlimited jump height until you hit your head or let go of the jump key F10+G Toggles God Mode F10+W Warp to Specified Level. See below for list. Level List Number Level 0 The Land of Tuberia 1 Horseradish Hill 2 The Melon Mines 3 Bridge Bottoms 4 Rhubarb Rapids 5 Parsnip Pass 6 Level 6 7 Spud City 8 Level 8 9 Apple Acres 10 Grape Grove 11 Level 11 12 Brussels Sprout Bay 13 Level 13 14 Squash Swamp 15 Boobus' Chamber 16 Castle Tuberia [7.3] What are the Cheat Codes for Goodbye Galaxy!? Code Description KEEN4 /TEDLEVEL ?? This is a level practice or KEEN5 /TEDLEVEL ?? mode that gives you infinite lives, type it at the DOS prompt. Where "??" is, insert the level number (see below). Completing the level or choosing an option on the Control Panel other than Paddle War! or Return to Game will lock up the system. B+A+T Cheat Option! You get all 4 Keys, 99 Shots, and an Extra Life E+N+D Finishes the game for you! F9 Boss Key (causes the screen to look like the DOS prompt, just in case the boss comes by while you're playing). A+2+ENTER Master cheat. TYPE THIS FIRST to use the following cheats. F10+E Returns to the World Map, finishing the level F10+T Sprite Test F10+Y Debug Mode, this allows you to see all secret areas (the normal looking walls) F10+I 3000 Points, all the Keys, 99 Shots and the Wetsuit (in Commander Keen 4) F10+P Pause F10+S Slow Motion Toggle F10+G Toggles God Mode F10+J Toggles Jump Cheat (gives Commander Keen unlimited jump height) F10+N No Clipping Mode Toggle (allows Commander Keen to go through anything) F10+B Change Border Color F10+V Add VBLs F10+C Object Count F10+Z Game Over! F10+M Check Memory Usage F10+D Create a Demo F10+W Warp to specified level (check list below) Level List Secret of the Oracle Number Level 1 Border Village 2 Slug Village 3 The Perilous Pit 4 Cave of the Descendents 5 Chasm of Chills 6 Crystalus 7 Hillville 8 Sand Yego 9 Miragia 10 Lifewater Oasis 11 Pyramid of the Moons 12 Pyramid of the Shadows 13 Pyramid of the Gnosticene Ancients 14 Pyramid of the Forbidden 15 Isle of Tar 16 Isle of Fire 17 Well of Wishes 18 Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket The Armageddon Machine Number Level 1 Ion Ventilation System 2 Security Center 3 Defense Tunnel Vlook 4 Energy Flow Systems 5 Defense Tunnel Furrh 6 Regulation Control Center 7 Defense Tunnel Sorra 8 Neutrino Burst Injector 9 Defense Tunnel Teln 10 Brownian Motion Inducer 11 Gravitational Damping Hub 12 Quantum Explosion Dynamo 13 Korath III Base 14 N/A (Causes game crash) 15 High Scores 16 N/A (Causes game crash) 17 N/A (Causes game crash) 18 N/A (Causes game crash) [7.4] What are the Cheat Codes for Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? Code Description KEEN6 /TEDLEVEL ?? This is a level practice mode that gives you infinite lives, type it at the DOS prompt. Where "??" is, insert the level number (see below). Completing the level or choosing an option on the Control Panel other than Paddle War! or Return to Game will lock up the system. F9 Boss Key (causes the screen to look like the DOS prompt, just in case the boss comes by while you're playing). B+A+T Cheat Option! You get all 4 Keys, 99 Shots, and an Extra Life. (doesn't work in v1.0) E+N+D Finishes the game for you! A+2+ENTER Master cheat. TYPE THIS FIRST to use the following cheats. (Not necessary in v1.0) F10+I 3000 Points, all 3 Items, all 4 Keys and 99 Shots F10+E Return to Fribbulus Xax F10+T Sprite Test F10+Y Debug Mode, this allows you to see all secret areas (the normal looking walls) F10+P Plays Extra Life music, and Freezes the game. Press Esc to quit F10+S Slow Motion Toggle F10+D Record a Demo F10+G God mode toggle F10+C Object Count F10+V Add VBLs F10+B Change Border Color F10+N No Clipping Mode Toggle (allows Commander Keen to go through anything) F10+Z Game Over! F10+M Check Memory Usage F10+J Toggles Jump Cheat (gives Commander Keen unlimited jump height) F10+W Warp to specified level (check list below) Level List Number Level 1 Bloogwaters Crossing 2 Guard Post One 3 The First Dome of Darkness 4 The Second Dome of Darkness 5 The Bloogdome 6 Bloogton Manufacturing, Inc. 7 Bloogton Tower 8 Bloogfoods, Inc. 9 Guard Post Two 10 Bloogville 11 Bloog Aeronautics and Space Administration 12 Guard Post Three 13 Bloogbase Recreational District 14 Bloogbase Management District 15 Bloog Control Center 16 Blooglab Space Station 17 Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket 18 High Score [7.5] What are the Cheat Codes for Commander Keen? Password Description BCDF GHJK LMNP QRST Gives you infinite lives TSRQ PNML KJHG BCDF Opens up access to all levels ------------ [8] The Maps ------------ Woe unto the gamer who needs to consult this to complete one of the Commander Keen games. Below are the world maps for each game with their basic level layout. Paths that can only be accessed with a special item are indicated by an equals sign (=). Teleporters are listed as TP# with the order in which they loop listed underneath the map. In a similar manner, elevators are marked with EV# with loop order listed underneath the map. Levels for which no official name has been given are designated by an asterisk (*). [8.1] What's the Layout of Marooned on Mars? Map of MARS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + TP1 TP2----Ice City First Ice + + ! ! Shrine* + + Emerald City* ! ! + + ! !-------------- + + Second Red ! Third Red ! + + Rock Shrine*----! Rock Shrine*-! + + ! ! + + Pogo Shrine-- ! !---Fourth Red + + !---- ! Rock Shrine* + + ! ! + + Treasury* !-Capital City* Fifth Red ! + + ! ! Rock Shrine*-! + + !-------- ! Secret + + ! ! City + + ! First Red !-Red Maze ! + + ! Rock Shrine* ! City ! + + ! ! ! TP3 + + -------------! ! + + ! ! + + START--------Border Town* ! + + ! + + ---------------------! + + ! ! + + Vorticon Commander's Second Ice + + Castle Shrine* + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Teleporter Loops: TP1 -> TP2 -> TP1 -> ... TP3 -> TP2 [8.2] What's the Layout of The Earth Explodes? Map of THE VORTICON MOTHERSHIP +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Washington, D.C. + + Tantalus Ray* + + ! + + Moscow ! Rome + + Weaponry A*---Tantalus Ray*--------Tantalus Ray*---Weaponry B* + + ! ! + + -------------------------------------- + + ! Home B + + New York ! ! + + Tantalus Ray*-----------------!-------------------------! + + ! ! ! ! + + ! ! ! Paris + + ! ! ! Tantalus Ray* + + Home A Reactor Sydney + + Core* Tantalus Ray* + + London ! Cairo + + Tantalus Ray*-----------------!-------------------Tantalus Ray* + + ! + + ! + + Engineering B*----------------!----------------Engineering A* + + ! + + Galley B* + + ! + + START + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [8.3] What's the Layout of Keen Must Die!? Map of VORTICON VI +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + The Caves The Castle of + + TP1-----of Oblivion-----the Grand Intellect + + Cape + + TP2---TP3 Fort Canavorta + + ! Cavort ! + + TP4 ! TP5---TP6 + + TP7----! + + TP8---TP9 ! + + ! Fort ! Fort + + ! Hal's Vorticon-!-Vorta Bella + + Beens----!---Kitchen ! TP10 + + ! ! ! West ! + + TP11 ! Fort Vortiville---Valden + + ! Vox* ! Park* + + The TP12 + + Bonks + + Vortiville TP13 + + New ! ! Lower + + TP14---Vorticon---TP15 START--------------------Vortiville + + ! + + TP16 + + Hidden + + City* + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Teleporter Loops: TP1 -> TP7 TP2 -> TP7 TP3 -> TP5 TP4 -> TP8 TP5 -> TP16 TP6 -> TP1 TP7 -> TP9 TP8 -> TP10 TP9 -> TP3 TP10 -> TP11 TP11 -> TP12 TP12 -> TP13 -> TP12 -> ... TP14 -> TP16 -> TP14 -> ... TP15 -> TP4 [8.4] What's the Layout of Keen Dreams? Map of THE LAND OF TUBERIA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Boobus' Chamber + + ! + + -------------Castle Tuberia-------------- + + ! ! + + ! ! + + Grape ! Melon Mines ! + + Grove ! ! ! + + ! !-----------------!-----Brussels Sprout-- + + ! ! ! Bay + + ! ! ! Squash Swamp + + ! Apple Acres Horseradish ! + + ! ! Hill ------- START ! + + ! ! ! ! + + ! Spud City ! Parsnip Pass + + ! ! ! + + Rhubarb Rapids-------------Bridge Bottoms---------- + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [8.5] What's the Layout of Secret of the Oracle? Map of THE SHADOWLANDS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Cave of the Chasm of + + Descendents Chills Crystalus + + ! ! ! + + -----------------------------! + + Lifewater ! + + Oasis -------------! + + ! ! ! + + ------ ! Slug + + ! ! Village + + !---Miragia ! ! + + Sand ! ! !----------- + + Yego-----! ! ! ! + + ! Hillville ! Border + + ! ! ! Village + + ------------------------ ! ! + + ! Perilous--! START + + Pyramid of---! Pit ! ! + + the Moons !--Pyramid of ! Bean-with-Bacon + + ! Shadows ! Megarocket + + Pyramid of the ! Isle ! + + Gnosticene Ancients--- of Fire--!--Isle of + + Pyramid of ! Tar + + the Forbidden Well of + + Wishes + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [8.6] What's the Layout of The Armageddon Machine? Map of THE OMEGAMATIC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Quantum Explosion + + Dynamo + + ! + + Gravitational + + Damping Hub + + ! + + TP1--! + + ! + + EV1 + + + + + + Brownian Motion + + Inducer + + ! + + Defense Tunnel + + Teln + + ! + + Energy Flow--Defense Tunnel---!---Defense Tunnel--Neutrino Burst + + Systems Vlook ! ! ! Sorra Injector + + EV2 ! EV3 + + ! + + Defense Tunnel + + Burrh + + ! + + Regulation Control + + Center + + + + + + EV4 + + ! + + Security + + Center + + ! + + Ion Ventilation + + System + + ! + + START + + + + Korath III---TP2 + + Base + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Teleporter Loop: TP2 -> TP1 Elevator Loops: EV1 -> EV3 -> EV1 -> ... EV2 -> EV4 -> EV2 -> ... [8.7] What's the Layout of Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? Map of FRIBBULUS XAX +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Bloog Control---Bloogbase Management------= Blooglab Space + + Center ! District ! = Station + + ! ! = + + --Bloogbase Recreational-- = + + District = + + ! + + ! Bloog Aeronautics + + ! and Space + + ! Administration + + ! ! + + Bloogton Bloogville Guard Post--------- + + Tower ! Three ! + + ! ! ! + + ! --Guard Post-------==---------------- + + Bloogton ! Two + + Manufacturing,--! Bloogfoods, + + Inc. ! The Inc. + + ----Bloogdome ! + + ! TP1 TP2--- + + ! ! + + = -------------- + + = ! + + ! ! + + -----------Bloogwaters--START--Bean-with-Bacon + + Crossing Megarocket + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + TP3 + + ! + + The First Dome---------------------------Guard Post--- + + of Darkness ! One + + ! + + !-------The Second Dome + + ! of Darkness + + ! + + -------------------------TP4 + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Teleporter Loops: TP1 -> TP3 -> TP1 -> ... TP2 -> TP4 -> TP2 -> ... [8.8] What's the Layout of Commander Keen? Map of THE OMEGAMATIC WARP DRIVE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + FRIBBULUS + + XAX + + ! + + ! + + ! + + ! + + DROIDICCUS----------------START-----------------SHIKADI + + PRIME + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Map of FRIBBULUS XAX +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Techno Lab + + ! + + ! + + The Bobba + + Fortress + + ! + + ! + + Blooglet + + Lake + + ! + + ! + + THE OMEGAMATIC + + WARP DRIVE + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Map of DROIDICCUS PRIME +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + The Imperial + + Palace + + ! + + ! + + Fiery + + Canyon + + ! + + ! + + Robot + + Hive + + ! + + ! + + THE OMEGAMATIC + + WARP DRIVE + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Map of SHIKADI +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Shikadi in + + Space + + ! + + ! + + The Plasma + + Crystal Mines + + ! + + ! + + Forest o' Crazy + + Mushrooms + + ! + + ! + + THE OMEGAMATIC + + WARP DRIVE + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -------------------- [9] The Walkthroughs -------------------- Wo, wo, wo unto the gamer that requires the use of these walkthroughs! I, however, have spent many hours playing and writing so that if it so be that you need a walkthrough, you can find it right here! On games with difficulty levels I have played on the Normal or Medium difficulty. Remember, if you get lost consult the maps from the preceding section! As usual, levels for which no official name has been given are designated by an asterisk (*). [9.1] How do I get through Marooned on Mars? Your ship is missing these parts: Go get them! Alright, it's time to begin our Marooned on Mars walkthrough so without any further ado, let's head over to Border Town and begin! BORDER TOWN*: So here we are, the first level of the first game. Border Town is fairly safe so it's a great place to get acquainted with how Keen controls. Practice jumping (and stomping on Yorps) until you've got it down, you'll need the skills for later! If you feel adventurous, you can use the blue platform to head up and to the left to grab the Book, worth a whopping 1000 points! Once you're ready, grab some Lollipops and head over to the right. What's this? A strange sign and a Raygun! Grab the gun (THIS IS NEAT) and continue right. Now there's a sign (DIE) next to some scary looking shell hazards called Pat-Pats. Don't touch them! Continue onward, avoiding the spikey pit that invokes memories of Super Mario. You've made it to the exit! Now you have a couple of choices, you can grab the book underneath, and/or head up and to the left to grab some more points. If neither of these ideas appeal to you, or you've already done them, grab your Soda and leave the level. That wasn't so bad, was it? Our next stop will be straight up to the grey Pogo Shrine to get a wonderful tool for our adventure. POGO SHRINE: I'm liking the ambiance. BEHOLD THE HOLY "POGO" STICK! Grab the stick, but don't exit yet. You see that grey dot above the exit? It's a hidden brick! You can only see a hidden brick's upper-left corner, and it usually leads to a wonderful secret! Use your new-found pogo skills to get on top of it and you'll find yourself next to a fire pit. If you're feeling confident leap across the fire and up to get a Teddy Bear (5000 Points!) that's guarded by a Garg. If not, or if you've already grabbed it, head down to the exit. Alright! Now we're motoring along, let's go back down and take a quick trip to the First Red Rock Shrine. FIRST RED ROCK SHRINE*: Hmm, this is a small dark place. Head straight up and you'll find a glowing Yorp statue! You hear in your mind: It is too bad that you cannot read the Standard Galactic Alphabet, human. Heh, guess this guy didn't realize that you'd have Section [5] to help you out with that little problem. Well, let's get out of here! Now you find yourself faced with a choice, you can go left to the Treasury, or right to Capital City. Both are required, but I'll be going left first. TREASURY*: Alright, it's a good thing that we got the pogo stick, it'll make going in this level much easier! So pogo up to the red cylinders above the green spikes. and keep on leaping up the other stack of cylinders. If you want to go for the Teddy Bear on the left, it's reachable by doing the Impossible Pogo Trick (hitting pogo and jump in quick succession) from the third pair of left-side cylinders (two tiles above the red platform). Now pogo up to the purple platform on the right, jump up until you get to the solid roof of purple tiles, and then get on top of it through the little Lollipop chamber. Wait for the Yorps above you to fall off the platform and then go up and up again, avoiding the Butler Robot, and jump to the platform on the left (perhaps using the purple cylinders if you so desire). What's that there? A Yellow Keycard! Grab it and head up and to the right. Heading right, you'll get to some Soda in an arrow pattern. Drop down and then head left. If you feel like getting a Teddy Bear, you can jump into the small opening made of solid purple blocks. With that out of the way, head straight down, on the right side of the yellow cylinders. Heading right past the Yorp we find the Yellow Door! Go through and jump over the Garg to get the Red Keycard. Now it's time to head up the little staircase of red cylinders and to the right past the DIE sign and the Pat-Pats. Grab the Book and head right down the little gap, there's a Raygun down there and ammo is precious at this point in the game! After getting that gun, head back up as high as you can, grabbing as many points as desired. You'll see the blue feet of a Vorticon above you! Head left, back to the green cylinders, and have your first Vorticon encounter! You can either lure him to the left, off of his platform, or take him out with the Raygun! He's a strong one, so it'll take four shots to finish him off. Watch out for his jump! After dealing with him, head for the exit (grabbing the Book if you want) and claim your well-earned prize: the Car Battery for the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket! One down, three to go! Ok, well now that that's finished it's time to head right on over to Capital City, we've got another ship part to claim! CAPITAL CITY*: After the Treasury, this one will be a breeze. Start off admiring the flag go and grab some Lollipops! The one in the top-left corner can't be collected, so don't waste too much time trying. After that, head into the gap and down one level. See that Yellow Door above you? We're heading for its Keycard. Just a little to the right and...there it is! It's almost too easy! If you feel like getting some more points, head down below, otherwise just go back and up to the Yellow Door. Going through we find a small section with yellow bricks and SWEET! a Raygun! Grab it and head down. Watch out for the Garg's pit! Heading right, into the red brick area, jump up to the DIE sign next to the Pat-Pat. Him and his friend are guarding your next goal: the Red Keycard! After grabbing it head back and down toward the final part of the level. It's Pizza time! Grab the two slices and the Raygun. Look up! It's another Vorticon. This guy, though, isn't too smart; if you stand on the right of the Raygun platform he'll probably very quickly head right off the edge of the map. Problem solved! Now just head over and up to get to the Red Door. There are a couple of Books for the adventurous who'll cross through fire, but more importantly there's the second ship part: The Joystick! Grab it and get out of there! Time to head up and take a pitstop in the Second Red Rock Shrine. SECOND RED ROCK SHRINE*: Another nice and easy little level. Just head up the staircase, and use your pogo stick to jump up to the blocks above the fire pit, avoiding the hazard altogether. Head into the light and say hi to another glowing Yorp statue. A message echoes in your head: The teleporter in the ice will take you to the dark side of Mars. Cool beans, I guess we should get there as fast as possible! So the goal is the teleporter and Emerald Stands in the way. Only one thing to do: Go through it! EMERALD CITY*: So here we are in the beautiful greenhouse that is Emerald City. This level is large and open, and there are many ways to go about it so feel free to explore on your own! As you start out you'll find a nice line of delicious Lollipops heading down. As Admiral Ackbar might say, "It's a trap!" A pit of spikes wait directly below you so make sure if you fall down, you do so to the right. An easier thing to do is jump up to the blue bridge above you. After collecting the Lollipops that spell HI in the Standard Galactic Alphabet, head up and to the left. Once you see the Raygun, collect it and head right. Watch out for the green Strangling Vines! They'll make quick work of you (as the DIE sign may have implied)! Once the purple platforms fork, head on the upper path toward the red platform. Watch out for the Garg that guards the platform and...wow! You're already at the exit. Head up and to the left for an easy Teddy Bear guarded by just one Garg. If you feel like exploring and grabbing more goodies be my guest, I'll be here when you get back. Just watch out for both the Garg that hides in the yellow tunnel and the Tank Robot that patrol the lower path! Alright! We've made it to the teleporter! It's time to head to the dark side of Mars, a place where the levels are bigger, more complicated, and more deadly! First of all, we still need to collect ship parts so put on your winter jacket and head right into Ice City. ICE CITY: Brr...it's freezing in here, why is Commander Keen still just wearing a t-shirt?! No matter, he's a trooper and he has a mission to complete. Patrolled mostly by robots (and a couple of Book-guarding Gargs), this place may be the first true test of your platforming skills. There are two distinct paths you can take in this city, and we're going to hit both of them. First of all head left, mind the slippery bridge! Grab the slice of Pizza if you're so inclined. Oh look! A Snow Yorp! Walk past it and jump up on the snowy platform. Head straight and up and you'll soon find yourself in a small tower with Soda on alternating sides (beginning with the right side). Once you've had all the Soda that you can handle you'll find two Tank Robots guarding a Red Keycard. Now if you're feeling brave you can rush the robots and grab the Keycard, if not, don't worry, there's an easier way. Assuming you've grabbed the Keycard, you can now go left and fall through the gap, collecting a bevy of Lollipops, or you can go right to finish the level. I'm going to assume the former. If you decided to not yet go for the Keycard, go back to the Snow Yorp, we'll be there soon! After falling down the gap, pogo up to the snow-covered platform and over to the left side of the Ice Cannon (grab the Pizza if you'd like, but mind the crack in the bridge). Getting past the Cannon isn't too tricky, you just need to time it so that you don't accidentally run into one of its shots. Getting frozen in this case will mean sure death. Alright! We're back at the Snow Yorp! Go back to the bridge but this time pogo upwards. Work your way up (grabbing the Books and Sodas if you so desire) until you get to the column of blue cylinders and a Lollipop covered stairway. If you go down the stairs you can reach a Raygun and Teddy Bear, but it's a dangerous path guarded by two Ice Cannons and a Tank Robot that I can't recommend. Whichever path you choose, work your way up the cylinders until you reach the top. If you haven't got the Red Keycard yet, head left and pick it up (I told you it'd be easier this way!), whilst all Keycard holders should go right, taking a slippery ice-type conveyer belt down to the Vorticon. Roast him and get your prize: the Vacuum Cleaner! After that, it's straight to the exit. So, we've now got three out of four Ship Parts. If you're a party- pooper you can now head all the way down and to the left to finish the game at the Vorticon Commander's Castle, however if you want to savour the game, head with me now to the First Ice Shrine. FIRST ICE SHRINE*: Hey a shrine that starts outside! Looks like we need to first head up to get a Yellow Keycard to get inside. Once you've gotten to the ice structure, the safest way to go is on the left side (avoiding getting pushed off by the Butler Robot), staying above the Tank Robot and grabbing the Yellow Keycard in the upper-right corner of the structure. Go back the way you came and get down to the bottom and make your way to the Yellow Door on the right. You're now in the shrine proper. Grab the Book and work your way up (grabbing another book) until you find yourself at another glowing Yorp statue. You see these words in your head: You will need a Raygun in the end, but not to shoot the Vorticon... Hmm, that's slightly cryptic. Oh well, we still have a ways to go until the end so hit the exit and we'll power on through! Next on the docket we've got three shrines to hit, so let's get going! THIRD RED ROCK SHRINE*: Once again a shrine level that starts outside of the shrine itself. Head right and then up the blue blocks, grabbing Lollipops as you head up. Once you finally make it to the top it's time to jump left. Hug the grey block wall as you fall and you'll grab the Yellow Keycard. Head through the Yellow Door and work your way through the shrine, past the tricky fire jump (it'd also be a good idea to take out that Garg to grab the books that he's guarding), and up to the glowing Yorp statue. A voice buzzes in your mind: There is a hidden city. Look in the dark area of the city to the south. Worried about finding it? Don't be, I'll lead you right there! Ok, time to get going. Ok, now that we've finished that shrine, it's time to head right to the next one! FORTH RED ROCK SHRINE*: The only thing to worry about here is a few tricky jumps. From the beginning head right, over the Garg's head, into the structure. Get past the fire pit and climb up, grabbing first the Book and then the Teddy Bear. Work your way to the left, over the fire and up to...what's this? A glowing GARG statue?!!!! You hear in your mind: GAAARRRRRGG! Well, that was weird, let's get out of here! After escaping that nut house, head to the left again and enter the final Red Rock Shrine. The end is near! FIFTH RED ROCK SHRINE*: Alright! Goodies! If you feel like boosting your score, head straight up at the beginning and grab some Soda and Lollipops! Don't worry, nothing up there can hurt you. Once you've had your fill, head to the right and into the shrine. Avoid the Garg and work your way up. Hey, what do you know? It's another glowing Yorp statue! A Yorpish whisper says: Look for dark, hidden bricks. You can see naught but their upper left corner. Sweet! But we already discussed those hidden bricks. Well, time to take the exit on out... Well, it's time to take on the craziness of Red Maze City. We'll actually be tackling it twice as through here is the entrance to Secret City! Right and down and hold on tight! RED MAZE CITY, FIRST VISIT: Now this is what I'm talking about! Head up and grab the three (!) Rayguns that'll arm you for this adventure. There are two things to worry about in this level. First, as the name implies, it's a maze, second, there are yellow tunnels that Gargs like to hide in. If you ever come upon a yellow tunnel, shoot first and ask questions later! After grabbing those Rayguns head right and down the second hole (the one with two cylinders stacked on top of each other). Kill the Garg and head up. Ah!!! A yellow tunnel! (Actually, this one is safe to travel through). Continue upward and go through the next yellow tunnel as well (also safe). Head to the right and then go up as far as you can. Head right and drop down two levels, until you are presented with the choice of dropping left or dropping right. Go right and fall down as far as you can, working your way left and right until you hit the bottom. You should now be able to see darkness below a layer of red bricks. Head right. You see that gap full of fire? You're going to be dropping in there. You'll probably be able to see two levels of fire (though you can probably only glimpse the tips of the second level of fire). Jump down, pass the two levels of fire, then take a hard right while falling to avoid a flame that awaits straight below. What the heck? An Ice Cannon?! That machine is the goal. If you look carefully, there is a hidden brick against the red brick wall. Pogo onto it and jump over to the top of the blue brick wall. Now here's the hard part, you need to get over to the right side of the Ice Cannon, and then pogo into its shots at an angle in order to be vaulted over the other blue brick wall. Easier said than done, and even if you make it over, there's still a Tank Robot you need to worry about (though if a robot's shot hits you while frozen, you'll just be melted out). If all goes according to plan, get out of the Tank Robot's little room and head right, grab the Teddy Bear and enter the mysterious teleporter! Whoa, what the? We're back out on Mars, and there's the Secret City right in front of us! SECRET CITY: Points galore! It's time to grab some stuff! This place is heavy on point items and light on enemies, so it's a good place to stock up on extra lives! I'll give a simplified route that skips some of the point items, so if you feel like exploring on your own just know that you need to get to the upper-left corner of the map to exit. Ok, here we go! First of all, head over to the right, avoiding the spikey pit and getting past the Yorps. Jump over the small wall made of red bricks and jump over that fire pit. Now you need to head up through that gap and go up the stairway-like set of red bricks. Grab the two Soda cans (and go up for some Pizza if you'd like) and jump up and to the left into the gap. Follow the path, grabbing some Lollipops, and once you've made it to the top of the bridge-like structure jump up and out. Once out of there, head up one level. You now see that there are three paths. The right path leads to a Book guarded by a Garg. Straight up, next to the path with Lollipops, is a path that is difficult to navigate, but rewards you with 6 Teddy Bears (that's one-and-a-half lives)! The left path leads to the exit, so that's where we're headed now (but feel free to grab some points before heading that way). Work your way up, grabbing the Lollipops (and a Book in the upper- right). Once you make it to the top, jump down on top of the Strangling Vines, avoid the Yorps, and zap that Garg who is guarding two Teddy Bears. Now head left, collecting the two other Teddy Bears above that big fire pit if you wish (though it can be a little difficult to get out) and stop. You see three columns heading down. The first two lead down back near the beginning so you probably don't want to fall there. The third one (with a constant column of Lollipops) does, but you need to hold LEFT while falling to avoid being killed by a Garg at the bottom. If that's too scary for you, you can go as far left as possible and jump into larger space. Whichever way you take, as you fall down toward the exit keep left. There's a large pile of Teddy Bears to reward your actions! Well that was great. Head into the exit and get out of here! Time to head into that teleporter and take our second visit to the Red Maze City, this time to finish it! RED MAZE CITY, SECOND VISIT: Ok, head up and grab those Rayguns again. We're going to start off much in the same way we did last time, but we have a few more pitstops on the way. So head right and drop down the second hole. Get past that Garg and head up and through the two yellow tunnels, then make your way up and to the right until you can't go any higher up. Drop two levels and you'll find yourself once again at the place where you went right and down to go to Secret City. This time, you need to first head left and down. Make sure, though, that you hug the wall on the right! You are now in a small, circular room with the Blue Keycard. Grab that Keycard, head back up, and now go to the right and down, heading back toward the secret teleporter. You will soon find yourself back at the fiery hole that leads to both darkness and the teleporter. This time jump over the gap and head right. Watch out! There are two Gargs waiting to make a quick meal of you. After dealing with them head as far right as you can and snag that Yellow Keycard. Now we're rolling along! Work your way back up to the fork in the road between the two Keycards. Instead up heading up and to the left, where you originally came from, go up and to the right. Go up as high as you can, and then head right skipping the first small pit (the one that the Garg probably just walked into) and heading down the second. Passing the three red cylinders, keep left and go back down as far as you can. Head right and you'll find another two Gargs guarding a Keycard, this time the Red one! Grab it and head back the way you came. Going back up, keep right as much as possible. You should soon run into two yellow tunnels. Watch out! These ones are infested by a Garg! Take a shot and then from the tunnels head up and to the right. The Green Keycard! Finally, head down from the Keycard, keeping right. You'll soon find yourself at one more yellow tunnel and from there the Doors and exit. You've made it through the maze in one piece! Alright, from here the only way we can go is down. Next stop: the Second Ice Shrine. SECOND ICE SHRINE*: Well this is an easy level, you just have to walk... Oh wait. It was definitely a trick. Looks like there's more to do in this one! Well, the first order of the day would be to grab the Blue Keycard on the left, it'll be important! Now head right, past the Green Door. Oh look, a Book! Be warned that below that book is a fall-through brick. Hold RIGHT after grabbing it or you'll probably be making a one-way trip into a Garg's mouth! Continue right and when presented with the three paths of purple bricks, choose the upper one (though you might want to wait for the Garg to fall down first). Walk along it and right into the Blue Door. It seems like a simple task grabbing that Red Keycard but another one of those annoying fall-through bricks sits in front of it. Grab the Keycard and fall through to the level below. Now, that Teddy Bear there may be tempting but (not surprisingly) there are fall-through bricks below it as well. Head up, grabbing the Soda on your way, and go right. Snag as many goodies as your heart desires and head up and right to the Red Door. Another fall-through brick awaits you next to the Green Keycard so be careful! Grab the Keycard and jump up to the blue brick path, heading left. Avoid the Butler Robots and (more importantly) the Tank Robot until you've gone as far left as possible. Right now you may be saying, "Hey wait! What about the Green Door and the Yellow Keycard?" As with many things in this level, it's a trick, there is no Yellow Door! Jump up and head back to the right, eventually falling down a gap. Hey! We've finally made it to the entrance of the shrine proper! Make your way up past the fire and touch the last glowing Yorp statue that we'll see. A Yorpy mind-thought bellows: You cannot kill the Vorticon Commander directly. A bit of an exaggeration (he will die after being shot 105 times), but close enough to the truth. Time to get out of here and head to the Vorticon Commander's Castle! So here we are, only one level left. Let's not delay, get in there! VORTICON COMMANDER'S CASTLE: Alright, time to get moving! Head right past the drawbridge and into the Castle. As you walk by the grey columns, stop and take a look at the third one. Hidden bricks! If you feel so inclined, head up and to the left, weaving back and forth, and you will soon come to an excellent stash of goodies, include ID written in Soda! After you're done stocking up, head back down to the bottom and go right. Head up the icy stair and keep on going up until you reach the Tank Robot guarding the Blue Keycard. Grab the Keycard and head back down to the stairs. Walk a bit to the right (climb the dark tower for some more Soda) and the pogo up through the small gap located just before the dark fall (if you miss it, don't worry, just head right, avoiding the Butler Robots who want to push you into fire, and up). Head right and work your way up, through the Blue Door. Keep moving up, past the little robot and face your adversary: The Vorticon Commander. Go up near him, but don't enter that cage (unless you're feeling incredibly brave)! Look carefully, you should be able to see a hidden brick in the column right before the Commander's cage. Pogo up to it and to the right. You should now find yourself in the small gap between the roof and a huge slab that's held up by a weak-looking chain. Shoot the chain! SQUISH! Well, that takes care of that.... Grab the Everclear (and the Teddy Bear if you want) and head to the exit to watch the final cutscene. You've completed Marooned on Mars! Congratulations!!! [9.2] How do I get through The Earth Explodes? Well, here we are at the beginning of another exciting walkthrough! Run up into the Galley and let's get started! GALLEY B*: What happened to Galley A? No idea! Grab that HyperPistol (THIS IS NEAT) and head straight up. At the top of the map, make your way right, grabbing some delicious points as you make your way toward the exit. As this level is so simple and hazard free, it'd also be a good idea to acquaint yourself with how Keen moves, jumps, and pogos. You're going to need those skills for later! Well, that wasn't so hard, now was it? Now head left and enter Engineering B! ENGINEERING B*: After the long fall, it's time to head right. Climb on top of the blue structure and go down into the pit. Ah! It's a Vorticon! Don't worry though, this guy is a Grunt, he only takes one shot before he goes down. Take care of him, grab that Yellow Keycard, and head back up. To your right there is a bonus area full of goodies protected by a Guard Robot. Feel free to head there, but you're on your own! Now go up and to the left. Stand on the upmost red girder and ride the moving platform over to the Yellow Door. Pop through it and voila! You've finished another level! We can't just go through Engineering B without tackling Engineering A, now can we?! Head right and prepare yourself for another plasma-filled adventure! ENGINEERING A*: The first order of business here is to fall down to the bottom of the level and head right. It'd probably also be worth your time to work your way back up the right side of the girders to grab the HyperPistol and Stuffed Toy Vorticon. Go right, jumping up the purple barbells, and into the top chamber. Here you'll find the Green Keycard, but how to reach it? You'll need to pogo from the right-most blue brick. You can use the Scrub to get a little higher (or just shoot him if he's bothering you). After grabbing the Keycard, head out of the little chamber and go up to the right. After getting to the green barrels you need to head left (taking care of that Grunt) and then go up a level and work your way back right. Go through that Green Door and head out the exit! Ok, enough fooling around, it's time to save some cities! Head up and to the left. The first target city that we're going to save will be foggy ol' London. LONDON TANTALUS RAY*: Head right, but before you get the Vorta-Cola, stand on top of it (that's a neat trick!) and pogo up to grab a HyperPistol that would otherwise be just out of reach. Keep going right. Your goal here is to release a Scrub (which you can also stand on) in order to make it up the tube at the beginning of the level (with the white GO UP sign). The first Scrub that you encounter would make an excellent candidate so take the first two columns of Vorta Cola and watch the little red guy make his way to the left. Once he hits the edge up the map he'll begin to walk up it and toward the tube. As he begins to climb the tube, catch a lift and head right. Once on top, pop over to the left and push that lightswitch. Wise Vorticons don't jump in the dark, so it'll make your going a little bit easier. After plunging the station in darkness, head to the right, working your way down (avoid the pit with the Guard Robot) into the small gap. You've reached the first Tantalus Ray! Avoid the Vorticon Elite that'll come after you (at least you've gotten rid of his jumping ability) and go up to the machine. That purple thing up there is your target (it's actually part of the Big Purple Space Amoeba). Activate your pogo (but not too close to the machine or you'll activate it and destroy the world) and shoot at that amoeba. Blammo! One Tantalus Ray down, seven to go! Head up and to the right and work your way down, collecting your Stuffed Toy Vorticon for a job well done before leaving through the exit. No stopping now! Head right and stop Cairo from being destroyed! CAIRO TANTALUS RAY*: This level is fairly linear, it is also fairly danger free, as long as you can avoid being beat up by the Youths who are tearing through the place. Once you make it to the fiery pit, you can go down and grab some more goodies (guarded by a pair of Grunts), or just skip it and head to the right. As you work your way right, make sure that you grab that HyperPistol! You're going to need it in your upcoming fight with a Vorticon Elite! Head right, there's no darkness to protect you this time! Avoid the Elite's shots and hit him three times to take him out. Once he's been taken care of, shoot at the Amoeba powering the Tantalus Ray and head out of there. Cairo has been saved! Don't forget your Stuffed Toy Vorticon on the way out! So far it hasn't been so bad, two Tantalus Rays down and not so much as a bead of sweat on the brow! Our work is down here so head back to the middle and up until...great. The way is blocked by the doors to the Reactor Core. Looks like there's no choice but to go through it. REACTOR CORE*: Head right and grab that HyperPistol and then make your way down and...whoa. Who turned out the lights? No matter, visibility isn't too bad down here. Grab that tempting Stuffed Toy Vorticon and head on down to the bottom. Watch out for the Grunt, and flick the switch to make a bridge over that deadly pool of plasma. Head up right after the bridge to find a hidden cache of Stuffed Toy Vorticons. Sweet! After having your fun with them, head back down and to the right. Now all that's left is a simple (yet annoying) climb through a scrub-filled tower (if they're really bothering you, you can take the bridge out from under them, plunging them to a plasma-filled doom) and finally up past a Grunt into the exit. It's time to stock up! Head left from the core and down into Home A. Prepare to meet more Vorticons than you've ever before seen! HOME A: Grab that HyperPistol and check your trigger finger, there's some killing to do! Head right, taking out the two Grunts that stand in your way. Work your way down. You will soon come to the nursery. It's full of some incredibly annoying Youths, but it's also full of Stuffed Toy Vorticons. You're probably going to waste a lot of shots getting out of there, so it'll be a good idea to get some more. Head right from the nursery and you'll find yourself at a small armory filled with HyperPistols and guarded by three Vorticon Elite. Take as much ammo as you dare and keep heading right and down. What's that strange thing encased in glass? It's a Vorticon Elder! Remove his guard and walk up to him to hear what he has to say. The Elder Vorticon in the stasis field says: The wise Vorticon never jumps in the dark. In fact, even unwise Vorticons will not jump in darkness. Good to know! Well, now that we've milked the old guy for information, head up and to the right. Pogo from the second-highest blue platform to make it over and through to the exit. You'll notice that we skipped a room full of point items. Unfortunately it's protected by three Guard Robots and is probably way more trouble than it's worth, just cut your losses and get out with your skin! Ok, time to save New York (Go Yankees)! Head up and to the left and jump in feet-first. NEW YORK TANTALUS RAY*: This level can be particularly hard. Especially since there is a large group of Vorticon Elite guarding the machine and no lightswitch to keep them from jumping. From the entrance head to the right, staying on the middle path. Avoid the Scrubs and grab the HyperPistol above the glass window. Keep going right until you find yourself above another window. You see that blue platform right above you just out of reach? You want to use the Scrub that's merrily walking along below you as a base to get up there. Hoping that he doesn't get blasted away by the crazy Vorticon Elite below, get up there (making sure to avoid the Guard Robot) and fall down the small gap next to the white sign. Blast the Space Amoeba and get out of there before the Elites realize that they've been had! As usual there's a Stuffed Toy Vorticon waiting to reward your trouble. With that out of the way, head over to the right. We've got two more cities to save and another Home to visit before heading up towards the endgame. First stop: Sydney Tantalus Ray! SYDNEY TANTALUS RAY*: This is actually a fairly simple level and it's chock-full of Vorticon HyperPistols! Great! From the entrance, head up to the level above you and ride the Scrub up the left wall to grab the Red Keycard. Be careful not to shoot him or you'll be left in an unwinnable state! After that, head to the right and ride the other scrub up the girder wall. Four HyperPistols?! Can it get any better? After grabbing them, work your way over to the top right where both some Cake, a HyperPistol and the Blue Keycard await you. Grab them all and head down to the Doors. After heading through the Doors you'll want to use the green blocks to jump up to the small platform made of red blocks. What you want to do is wait for the Guard Robot to just pass you on the left, then jump onto his red blocks and make a sprint for the small red platform on the right. Whilst there, shoot to your right. You'll take out the Amoeba and shut down the machine. Escape up and away from the Vorticons, grab your Stuffed Toy, and head into the exit. From Sydney Tantalus Ray (or what's left of it), head up. Two places present themselves. We'll be heading into Home B first. HOME B: Oh great, a maze. Luckily this maze isn't nearly as big as Red Maze City on Mars. Start off by heading right, grabbing the HyperPistol, and making your way up and right. Take out that Grunt and grab the Green Keycard, the first of four. Get out and walk past the dead Grunt, head down one level and go left. You'll soon find yourself near some Vorta-Cola and, more importantly, the Yellow Keycard. Go back, drop down another level, and head left for yet another Keycard, this one the Blue one. Also in view is the Red Keycard. Work your way around and grab it too. Excellent! Now all Keycards are in your possession. Head on down, keeping right. Soon you'll be seeing the Doors. Head through them and drop down to the blue platform. Head left, taking out all Grunts that get in your way. Once you get to the yellow blocks, shoot the Grunt who's trapped in the small cage-like area (he'll cause trouble it you don't) and then climb up the blocks, descend into the cage, then climb up the other side. Fall down, keeping right to get a Stuffed Toy, then drop to the purple blocks above the pit of acid. Fall into the gap in the acid pit and head right (as well, there's a HyperPistol on the left if you're in need of one). Cut through those who oppose you and say hello to another Vorticon Elder! The Vorticon elder says through the stasis field: The Grand Intellect is not from Vorticon VI--he is from the planet Earth. His evil Mind-Belts control their minds. They are not evil. Please do not shoot them, human. Oh, whoops. Guess it wasn't such a good idea to go all trigger happy on the Grunts...oh well, all's fair in love and war! With that, we're done here. Head out of the pit, to the right, and through the exit. I suppose that maze wasn't too bad. Anyways, it's time to save another city! Off to liberate Paris (right below Home B)! PARIS TANTALUS RAY*: Whoa, this is a weird layout! Looks like we're making a big loop. Work your way up and to the left. Look those Stuffed Toy Vorticons! Looks like they can't be accessed yet though. Keep going left. Two Grunts guard a HyperPistol and a large string of Candy Bars indicate a drop. Feel free to follow them, or keep to the right as you drop. See those weird grey funnel things in the gaps by the Grunts? You can fall through them but can't return that way, so make sure that you're committed before going through one. After that wonderful trip, head to the right. A huge pool of plasma! If you want to access those Stuffed Toy Vorticons, you need to use the Scrub as a base to jump up and to the right. There are a whopping eight (!) Stuffed Toys in there guarded by Guard Robot, so it might be worth it to check it out. After having your fun up there, you'll need to ride the moving platform to the other side of the plasma pool (make sure that you time it so that the Scrub doesn't push you off the platform to your death). It's time for a showdown! An Elite and a Grunt guard the machine aimed at Paris. Take them out to take it out! Alright! Only three cities left to save! Head back to the center of the ship and go up and to the left. Time to restock again, this time at Weaponry A. WEAPONRY A*: Hmm, another dark level. Look! The Yellow Keycard! Unfortunately it's out of reach, so we're going to need to lure a Scrub over here to be able to grab it. Head to the right (grabbing some delicious Vorta- Cola), and up into the red area. Make your way up, grab the Red Keycard, and jump over to the blue area. Make your way up and to the left. There are two Grunts with some Youths guarding a bunch of HyperPistols and the Blue Keycard. Take them out and grab your items! If you want, you can go further left for an additional two HyperPistols. Next stop: the green area. Head back down into the red area and over to where the two Vorta-Colas are stacked under the lamp. Don't grab them! Jump on top (or over) them and make your way up to the green area. Grab the Green Keycard, and follow a Scrub as he slowly makes his way back to the beginning of the level. Grab the last Keycard and head back to that stack of Vorta-Colas. Now you can pick them up, and it's a straight course through the colored Doors to the exit. Time to save Moscow. It's directly to the right of Weaponry A (despite what the letters above it may say). MOSCOW TANTALUS RAY*: First things first, hit that light switch and work your way left. Under the cover of darkness grab the Yellow Keycard and make your way back to the lightswitch. Turn it back on and head back to where the Keycards were. Stand next to the platform and wait until all the Vorticon Elites have jumped up, away from the Red Keycard. Now head back to the lightswitch (last time, I promise!) and turn off the lights. With that out of the way, head left and fall straight through the one-way chute. Once you hit the bottom, go left and head up to claim the Red Keycard. Work your way back to the right, grab the HyperPistol, and fall down the next pit, avoiding the acid on either side. Go to the left, work your way up, and then down and take out all the Grunts and Youths that stand between you and the Doors. After going through, work your way up and over to the machine. Lure the Elite over to the left so that he falls into the pit, and take out that Space Amoeba. After destroying the machine and claiming your Stuffed Toy Vorticon, pull out your pogo stick and sneak past the exit door. There's a small gap to the right of it! Fall down that gap while keeping left and you'll pick up a HyperPistol and some more goodies! Out the second exit we go! Almost there! Head right to Rome and save the Colosseum! ROME TANTALUS RAY*: There are two ways to finish this level. If you are very impatient (and skilled) just head left from the beginning, avoid the Guard Robot, jump up through the gap in the floor into a room full of Vorticon Elites, and escape up to the exit (make sure that you destroy the Tantalus Ray before leaving or you'll be stuck in an unwinnable position)! However, I'm going to assume you want to go the more reasonable way. From the entrance head right, avoid the Vorta-Colas (taking them will slow you down), and ride a Scrub up the blue wall. Grab the HyperPistol and points on your right and then get over to the acid pit on the left. Ride the moving platform across the pit and then go up to the next level, heading all the way to the right side of the map. Once you've gotten to the other side, head down and to the left. Avoid pulling the lever for a moment and head down to turn off the lightswitch. With that down, go back to the lever a create a bridge to easily cross the pit of plasma. Jump up to grab the Stuffed Toy Vorticon and then make your way a bit farther to the left to encounter the evil Space Amoeba! Take it out. And make your way to the left, up the blue platform (avoiding the fire above), and out the exit. Before we finish saving the world, let's take a pitstop in Weaponry B. WEAPONRY B*: Hey, that's a nice change of background! Too bad that this is one of the most difficult levels in the game... Head right, and wait at the end of the girder. A moving platform should soon be there to pick you up. Jump on it and work your way down and right, from platform to platform. To the right of the acid pit you'll find a huge stash of HyperPistols. Just work your way over and down, taking out any Grunts that dare stand in your path. There is also a Guard Robot protecting four Stuffed Toys if extra lives are your thing. Once you've finished collecting all you need, head back up and to the left. You need to take the moving platform that serves the middle (one tile) platform. While on it, keep going left until you reach the long string of Candy Bars. Drop down that pit and then head right. Follow the Grunt you see down into the pit, head right and then go over the girder wall. Drop down until you see the long horizontal line of Candy Bars and go left (you can go right if you want, but it'll eventually dead-end into a very angry Vorticon Elite). Grab the HyperPistol and drop straight down. You'll land on the platform that sits precariously above the plasma pool. Work your way right (grabbing the Hamburgers as you go) and you'll very soon find yourself at the exit. Well, that's it! Time to turn this of the Tantalus Rays for good! Head left and up into Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON, D.C. TANTALUS RAY*: So here we are, the final battle. Jump up and turn off those lights! Grab some HyperPistols and get up onto the red platforms. There will be three Vorticon Elites hunting you down, but as long as you stay above them, you'll be safe. Head right and eventually you'll get to a point where there will be another small row of red platforms one tile below the others. Don't go down there, but wait right before it and the three Elites will fall on the right to their doom. After that, make a tricky jump over to the right and go up. You'll find a Stuffed Toy Vorticon and a lever (that you should pull). Go across your newly created bridge and wait at the edge. Soon, a moving platform will come for you. Get on that moving platform (don't worry about the Red Keycard as there's is no Red Door) and get up to the level above as soon as you can. Go right and work your way up, avoiding the Guard Robot, and snagging the Blue Keycard from the Grunt. Go back down and jump onto the moving platform as it heads left. Go through the Blue Door and pull the switch. A small bridge has been created! Get back on that moving platform and head right, again jumping onto the cyan blocks once you reach them. Hope your Scrub-riding skills are up to snuff because they're about to be put to the test! Ride the Scrub up the wall that he's walking on, and then leap over to the bridge that you've just created. From there ride ANOTHER Scrub up THAT wall (avoiding the hazard at the top), and jump on the small platform that is two tiles wide. Pogo up to the left and drop down. It's the Green Keycard! Grab it and go back up. Get on the moving platform and pogo up through the gap when it reaches the right wall. Walk toward the Green Door (make sure that the lights are still off!) and drop down the gap. Lure the four Elites into the small pit on the left. You're home free! Take out the last Tantalus Ray and head right. Once again there are two exits, this time with two paths to get there! As the game will be over, we want points, so activate your pogo, get to the right side of the exit, and drop down, hold LEFT to grab some wonderful Stuffed Toy Vorticons! Head out of the exit and into history. That's it! The Earth is saved! Enjoy the cutscene and write your name with pride on the High Score list! [9.3] How do I get through Keen Must Die!? Commander Keen begins his adventure on the Island of Vortiville. You'll find in this walkthrough that I'll guide you through every city on Vorticon VI. This generally isn't how you'd play the game, so feel free to use the map from Section [8.3], plan your route, and use this walkthrough as your adventure guide. As it is though, we've got to get going! Run up to the first city (the walled one) and let's find out the secret of the Grand Intellect! LOWER VORTIVILLE: Welcome to Lower Vortiville! Scare the Foob half to death (run into him to finish the job) and grab the chocolate bars and ammo as you head right. Take the first elevator up to the third floor. It contains more ammo, which is a precious resource at this point in the game. Go back down, then head up to the top of the adjacent building, get even more ammunition, and jump off toward the next one. You'll now be faced with a bizarre, green, one-way barrier. Both you and your shots can only go one way through it (in the direction indicated by the arrow). Jump through the barrier and head over to the next building. Go up to this fourth building's top level, grab the Pistol and ammo, and then head out through the first floor and into the final building, climbing it and going out the exit. Right beside Lower Vortiville we have Vortiville, guess where we're going next? VORTIVILLE: What a nice place! Scare off another Foob, avoid the stranded fish, and head right. Pogo up near the waterfall and jump up to the red platforms. Grab the Pistol and head right, filling up on Burgers. Once you get to the end of the platform, jump off to the right (watch out for the pit straight below!) and head into the house. Make your way right, avoiding (or killing) the Grunt, Woman, and Youths, and if you're so inclined sack it for loot and out into the garage. Go out through the loft and into the exit. Alright! Time to go exploring. Jump into the teleporter right above you and you'll find yourself in the other part of the Island of Vortiville. There are two settlements here, and we'll be tackling the smaller one first. WEST VORTIVILLE: Cool! A house built into a hill! Head to the right and up as you begin your exploration of West Vortiville. As you near the big yellow sign you may notice that the cloud on your left is bigger than some of the others. This is a special cloud that you can stand on! Pogo over to it and keep going left. There's a Stuffed Toy VortiNinja! Grab it and the ammo and walk back up the hill. Go into the first entrance on the other side of the hill and make your way underground. Once down there, head left to grab a Pistol and the Green Keycard, and then head right to drop even deeper down. Quickly head left through the one-way barrier and make the loop. Coming out the one-way barrier at the bottom, you've come face-to-face with a VortiNinja! You can choose to take him out with the pistol (which will waste four shots) or you can pick up the Ankh and be invincible for ten seconds. Whichever way you choose, get past the VortiNinja and to the exit. That leaves just one more city on the island of Vortiville. We're just cruising here! VALDEN PARK*: Here we are, deep in suburbia. Make your way to the right, jumping on top of the first building to stock up on ammo. Make your way up the second building but beware the Vorticon Woman! She takes quite a bit to take down! Climb out the roof and into the clouds. Make your way right through the clouds over to the tall building, and drop down with all the Candy Bars and work your way up the right side of the next building. Jump into the clouds again and grab some more ammo. Jump off to the right and take a nice stroll through the park itself, but watch out for the Meep's singing voice! It's deadly! Keep going right until you reach the waterfall. Jump INTO the waterfall and enter the secret base below. Head left, arm yourself, and the go right (or keep going left if you want to have the fight of your life with multiple VortiNinjas) until you can jump up and grab the Red Keycard (watch out for the shots coming from that pistol). Head left again, jump back up the waterfall, through the Red Door, and out the exit. Awesome! You've completed the Island of Vortiville! With that done, head back down into the teleporter that you first used and then jump into the teleporter that lies next to Lower Vortivile. You suddenly find yourself on New Vorticon Island, with the city of New Vorticon lying in front of you. NEW VORTICON: Welcome to downtown New Vorticon, the biggest settlement on the planet. Head right through the building and into Central Park. If you want a huge fight with Grunts and Vorticon Women, head down into the subway. Otherwise, head right into the apartment complex and try not to get lost as you make your way through it. Head up and to the right as much as possible and you should be able to find the a path through the roof. Collect all of the items that you come upon, and watch out for Vorticons! Once on the roof, either jump to the top of the next building and pogo over the pool, or fall down between the buildings and walk right. The next two buildings are full of goodies but also full of Vorticons. Attack them at your own discretion, but beware the Vorticon Women! Once you've finished plundering the homes, head out the exit at the bottom right. Well there goes the main city, time to tackle the suburbs! Head into the teleporter that you just unlocked, and then teleport again once you reach your destination. You'll notice that few of the teleporters loop back and forth here on Vorticon VI, but it can sometimes be a useful way to get around! Since we've just popped out next to Beens, we'll tackle it first. BEENS: Head right, past the Grunt and the stranded fish. If you need it, you can get some ammo up in the sky above the first building. Keep heading right and you'll soon find yourself in the second building. Rob the place blind and keep going right. Now, if you perform the Impossible Pogo Trick from the exit of the second building you'll be able to get on top of the school, grabbing some ammo and making your trip life a bit easier by avoiding a Vorticon Woman and a bunch of Youths. Fall off of the school (there are a lot of stranded fish nearby, and you don't want to be landing on any of them) and head to the right. Eventually you'll get to the city's edge and the only direction you'll be able to head is down. Go down there and start making your way left. At first it'll be easy, with just a few Grunts guarding some ammo and points but watch out! As it opens up to the left you'll encounter both a VortiNinja and a Vorticon Woman! The brown platform is your warning. You also have to watch out for a jumping Grunt below! Keep your wits about you, and you'll be able to safely make it through the exit. That end bit may have been crazy, but we still have two more suburbs to visit here on New Vorticon Island! The next one is down below, The Bonks. THE BONKS: Here's a nice small place guarded by a few Grunts. Make your way right, going into the guard tower if you only desperately need ammo and points, and over to the nursery. Though you won't be killed by anything in the nursery, if you enter it you're probably going to get beat up pretty bad by the Youths and Jack Balls. But hey, sometimes Double Chocolate Cake is worth it, right? After passing (through) the nursery, get carefully past the small volcanoes and pogo up to the exit. Only one city remains on this island, so without further ado... HAL'S KITCHEN: Prepared for Hell? (Oh wait, no, it's Hal, isn't it...) One enormous building is all that awaits you in Hal's Kitchen. Due to level design errors, a good chunk of this place isn't accessible. As such, I'll just give you a quick route through the building. First head into the building and immediately go up until you reach the Burger. From there, pop down one level and then head up to the right. From here you want to work your way downward while keeping right. You'll soon find yourself at the elevator shaft. Take the elevator up, and then head right over the dangerous spikes and out. Fall down and keep right while making your way down as much as possible until you make it to the desk. From the desk, take the elevator and begin to go up and to the right. Once you see a long string of Candy Bars, you'll know that the exit is near. Fall down, grabbing as many as you can, and then fall again to the right, getting the Cola. When it comes time to drop into the dark grey area, keep right to avoid deadly spikes below. Finally! We've made it out of the maze! Head into the exit and get out of this crazy place! With the Island of New Vorticon finished, it's time to head to the Vorticon Military Installation! Get into the teleporter right above Hal's Kitchen, and then head to the teleporter on your left after reaching your first destination. The Vorticon Military Installation! Head into the closest fort and we're off again! FORT VORTICON: Head straight down into the waterfall, grab some goodies, and head into the one-way barrier. Watch out for the opened radioactive barrels down here! Someone has been very careless! Grab the Stuffed Toy VortiNinja, go left through the next barrier, and snag the Yellow Keycard down below. Now, jump up through the red sealed radioactive barrels, and head back the way you came, up and to the right. Jump out of the waterfall and head left. Skip the first hole in the ground and then fall down the second shaft. And fall. And fall. Once you finally reach the bottom, it's time to work your way back up. Carefully use the elevators and girders to get past the laser grid that protects the interior of this installation. Once you finally make it to the top, head through the one-way barrier and begin to head downward. Be warned that those lasers that caused so much trouble while you were heading up will also cause trouble as you go down! Avoid the lasers and fall down next to the pool. Get your trigger finger ready, because this pool is infested with Youths who would just love to knock you off the moving platform as you head right to the other side (though, if you're lucky they won't bother you at all). Once you've made it safely over, head through the Yellow Door and into the deep abyss below. Head down, take care of the Grunt and head down and to the right, there you'll find a trove of six Stuffed Toys. Go back up and head left, working your way down and to the left (you can ignore the Blue Keycard as you won't be needing it). Go through the one-way barrier and grab the Red Keycard, but don't yet use the Red Door! Head right, shooting the Grunts as you go, and you'll soon see the very necessary Green Key. Grab it and head to the left and down. Make your way through the Red Door and follow the linear path to the exit, taking out all that might stand in your way. Our next target it the walled city to the north, Fort Cavort. FORT CAVORT: Get out of that tree and head left until you reach the shaft. Drop down into the missile silo and head left, taking care of the two Grunts. Climb up the barrels (watch out for the laser shooting onto the top one!) and grab that Yellow Keycard. Drop down and head right and up the elevator. This time there will be no avoiding those Youths playing in the water, but you may be able to shoot them from the other side of the barrier to avoid certain death (though if you wait a little while they'll probably jump out the Yellow Door to the other side). After you're done, make your away across the pool and jump down to the right side. From here, snipe all the Vorticons that menace you. Grab the Blue Keycard, go through the Door, and wait. You're going to need perfect timing to get past the next part. You need to drop right after the guns fire and run for your life to the right, pogoing up to the red barrels as soon as possible to avoid the next volley. If the VortiNinja has managed to get himself stuck up there, well, it's going to be impossible going from here. If not, jump up and take out that VortiNinja. Take the elevator up to the Ankh, but don't grab it yet! The timing is too limited to waste so you need to grab it as the elevator makes its way back up again. Get the Ankh and rush past the remaining two VortiNinjas into the exit. Back outside in Vorticon VI, head to your right, over to Fort Vorta Bella. FORT VORTA BELLA: This level is fairly difficult and not really worth your time, but if you insist on finishing every single level here's the easiest way to do it: First, get the pattern of the guns down. Keep to the left side of the map, the only safe spot is the second platform with four Candy Bars stacked in two rows of two on it. The Blue Keycard is at the bottom left, right in the line of fire. The Blue Door is located on the opposite side, on the bottom right. If you by some miracle survive going across the Youth infested water, head up the tree, grabbing all the Candy Bars that you can see, up to the exit. Finally we have only Fort Vox left on this part of the island. As you might imagine, it's no cake-walk. FORT VOX*: After entering, wait just one second. Everything is shooting! When you're ready, start sprinting to the right and avoid all the lasers! Jump through the one-way barrier and keep left. Kill the two Grunts that guard the radioactive barrels, grab the Stuffed Toy above you, then ride the moving platform to the left. Grab the ammo above and get the Red Keycard. Head back where you came from and drop down to get through the Red Door (ignore that exit sign, it's lying). Meep galore! If you desperately need ammo, head down to the bottom to get it, though you run the risk of having a VortiNinja lock you in. After stocking up, head left over the Meep cages and down to the exit. Get out of this crazy place! With that finished, head back into the teleporter. Upon arrival back at New Vorticon, enter that same teleporter, and upon arrival enter it again. You now find yourself near the tip of the Vorticon Military Installation: Cape Canavorta. CAPE CANAVORTA: Ah! VortiNinja! Start shooting until you take him out and head right. Ignore that Yellow Keycard and Yellow Door. If you need ammo, just jump up the small gap through which the laser is shooting. Keep on right through to the barracks. A group of VortiNinjas will try to stop you but a steady stream of Pistol shots will take care of them. After passing through the bathroom, jump up on top and grab the Ankh. Sprint through the next building and out to the other side. Take the moving platform to the right, pogo up and to the right, grabbing another Ankh in a graceful leap. Keep going right and you'll find yourself visiting the brig. Watch out for the Meeps and VortiNinjas as you make your way left, up, and around until you finally drop down near the exit. This is where we say goodbye to the cape. With that done, we're on the homestretch. Head into the other teleporter. You find yourself on the Island of The Grand Intellect. First we must make it through The Caves of Oblivion. THE CAVES OF OBLIVION: Hmm...does that sign say GO UP? Ok then, up we go! Pogo up and to the right. When it seems like you can't go any higher, use the cloud for a little boost. Go up and over to the right (stick to the clouds to grab some Stuffed Toy VortiNinjas) until you reach the exit. If you need to, go CAREFULLY by the stalagmites and stalactites to grab some more ammo. The Caves is a huge labyrinth filled with few points and no way to access the exit. Up and over, though it may seem like cheating, is the only way to get past this obstacle! Well, that wasn't too hard. Only now does the Castle of...wait. There's a small beach here. Let's go over and wait by the leafy greens. Hey! It's the legendary Messie, and she's giving you a ride! After a while you'll disembark next to the legendary Hidden City. Let's check it out! HIDDEN CITY*: First of all, just like in The Caves of Oblivion, head up with your pogo stick. Head right and you'll see a school full of Youths, a Vorticon Woman, and a complete translation of the Standard Galactic Alphabet! Keep going to grab some Stuffed Toys and then head back to the entrance. Now, if you're not feeling adventurous you can just go right at the entrance and perform the Impossible Pogo Trick to get to an early exit, but this city is full of points and populated only by Foobs (and the Vorticons that we already met up above)! I recommend going down and exploring! On the bottom level alone, you'll find a whopping sixteen (!!!) Stuffed Toy VortiNinjas. When you're done exploring, head to the bottom right to get out of here. Once you leave Hidden City, hop back on Messie and straight to The Castle of the Grand Intellect. It's time to finish this! THE CASTLE OF THE GRAND INTELLECT: No... It can't be! Mortimer McMire!!! Well, actually it can be, and it's time to destroy his machine. The first thing you need to do is jump up on the Mangling Machine's left shoulder. The shoulders are one of the few safe spots in the room. Much like the Tantalus Rays in The Earth Explodes, the Mangling Machine is powered by bits of the Big Purple Space Amoeba, and those bits must be destroyed! From the left shoulder, shoot the amoeba in front of you and jump up to get the one that looks like the Machine's eye as well. Head down to the ground, stop on the bottom-most brown platform, and take out the lower-left amoeba. You now have the precarious task of runner UNDERNEATH the Mangling Machine! The different colored bricks are safe spots, so time your sprints to get to each one before you're squished. On the right side repeat the process, working your way up from the bottom. Once all the amoeba bits are gone, the heart of the machine is vulnerable. Shoot it and finish it off! Congratulations! You've completed the Invasion of the Vorticons trilogy! Now enjoy the final cutscene and get into the High Scores! [9.4] How do I get through Keen Dreams? Ah, Keen Dreams. The Keen that never really fit in properly. It is, however, a very fun game so let's have at 'er! Right in front of you is the first level, so without any further ado, let's head in. HORSERADISH HILL: As this is the first level of the game, things are fairly easy-going to start off. Use this level to get a handle on how Keen moves and how he tosses Flower Power. He may also jump differently than you are used to (and he lacks his Pogo Stick), so practice jumping too. once you're ready, climb up the nearby poles and head up to meet your first Tater Trooper. Stun him with a Flower Power and head to the right. Grab the flower pot and jump off to the right. If your head overlaps the right side of the cloud you'll pick up an extra life on your way down! Now head as far left as you can go. Watch out for those Carrot Couriers! They can be annoying! Climb up the pole near the wall and head left over the barrier. Stun those Tater Troopers and get that Flower Pot. Down Jump from the piece of wood on the left and hug the right wall, you'll pick up a Lollipop. Sweet! After that just head right, avoiding more Couriers, grab some cookies and hit the exit. That wasn't so bad, now was it? From here, head down across the bridge. Our goal is Boobus Bombs, and that's what I intend to lead you to (with a few detours, of course). BRIDGE BOTTOMS: Yuck. Mosquitoes. They might be useful, however! Head as far left as you can go, to a Flower Pot. Now look carefully, there are two types of mosquitoes: ones with black wings and others with blue wings. The ones with blue wings can support your weight! Carefully make your way up and over to the right on the backs of the blue-winged mosquitoes. You'll find a huge cache of Flower Power and an extra life! Once you've picked that up, feel free to drop straight down, or work your way down in order to collect more goodies. Once at the bottom you still have a few choices. There is an exit at either end and some water in the middle. If you're feeling adventurous you can drop into the water and grab another Flower Pot on the left and/or an extra Keen on the right! Be careful though, these lower paths are protected by Broccolash and Melon Lips! Once you're finished exploring, head out to the exit! Alright! Getting past Bridge Bottoms opened up some more paths! First head left, we're going to hit up a water-filled level. RHUBARB RAPIDS: Alright! Boobus Bombs Near!!! From the entrance head up, and to the left. Watch out for the Squasher as you had over the wooden structure. Make your way down, and grab the Key. Now it's time to double back for Boobus Bombs! Jump left across the waterfall and climb the logs. Get as far right as possible on the log and jump for it! It's a bit of a tough jump, but if you don't get it on your first try you should probably be able to make it on your second. Stun the Squasher and work your way down, through the enemies (including a very scary looking Tomatooth) and grab your first three Boobus Bombs! Nice! Make your way back up and over the structure, and get over to the exit on the bottom-left side of the waterfall. Watch out for the water below! After leaving the Rapids, it's time to move left and up to visit the Grape Grove. GRAPE GROVE: More Boobus Bombs! Right on! Head right, and sprint under the Sour Grapes. Holy cow! They're screaming at you! Keep on running right until you get to a platform with a really low Grape. If you feel confident in your platforming skills, head right and leap over the gap. Otherwise, use the platform to jump up to the left and work your way back, up and around. This path has the added benefit of a decent amount of points, so it's definitely the way I'd recommend. Eventually though, the upper path will come to an end with a Cookie arrow pointing down. Head downward and continue to the right. Jump over the first platform that you first run into, and then run to the right past six more grapes, and wait for them to fall and go back up. Once that has happened, sprint back to the left, jump on the platform, and jump across the gap before the long-falling Sour Grape makes its way all the way back up. Now you need to stop and "deke-out" the next Grape. Take one small step below it but then jump right back to where you were. The Sour Grape will fall, and as it begins to float back up, run underneath it! Continue to run to the right until you reach the pole. Climb it, take care of the Tater Trooper and Asparagusto, and head right to the other pole and three more Boobus Bombs! Descend the platforms and head to the right to exit. Ok, so far, so good! Now work your way down and to the right of Bridge Bottoms, and head to Parsnip Pass. PARSNIP PASS: Oh, no Boobus Bombs this time! Oh well. The first order of business is to jump up on the log to avoid Broccolash. With that done, head up and to the right (though collect any points that catch your eye). When you get to the long log with multiple enemies on it, shoot up with Flower Power to clear a path. Jump onto the concrete tiles and head left, but watch out for Frenchy! His fries will make short work of you! Jump over to the pole that Frenchy was guarding and grab the Key. Work your way right and up. There is another Frenchy on the right. Take him out, grab the Lollipop, and then fall on the left side of his platform, aiming a little to the right. You'll land on a small concrete platform with a strange hole to the side of it. If you wait a few seconds you'll see that a Pink Owl lives inside! He only sticks his head out for a second, but if you time it properly you can use it as a platform to jump up and grab an extra life and some mega points! After your visit with Mr. Owl, head back up and to the left, working your way up as easily as possible. Get past the three Tater Troopers and head out the Door to freedom. From Parsnip Pass it's a short walk up to Squash Swamp, our next destination. SQUASH SWAMP: Hmm, this tall grass seems dangerous. Indeed, it's an excellent hiding place for Squashers, but there are Boobus Bombs to find so we must continue onward! Head left, avoiding the angry Squasher that patrols this part of the swamp. As you jump the gap, hop onto the lily pad and up past the Broccolash to climb the pole. From the top of the pole head right. A pair of Asparagusto guard three Boobus Bombs on the top lily pad so be careful! After collecting the bombs head left past the pole and climb the lily pads up to some delicious Cookies! Grab those cookies and drop down to the exit (collecting the Flower Pot hidden in the grass before you leave, if you need it). Well, that does it for these areas down at the bottom. Head back to Bridge Bottoms and work your way up. Head up and to the right from Horseradish Hill, there's one more watery level (which looks very much like the last one) that needs to be visited. BRUSSELS SPROUT BAY: Another small level with lily pads, head up and to the right. Points are found on the upper lily pads, and the exit is found in the bottom right. Head past the evil Broccolash, skipping the pole unless you absolutely need to collect every available point, and head over the earthen barrier to the right. There are some points up high with a Broccolash and an Asparagusto, or you can play it safe and stay down low, heading for the exit. Now it's time to double back and enter the mine that we passed before and prepare yourself. This level is a biggie! THE MELON MINES: Well here we are, already presented with a choice! You can only go right a short distance, but you'll score some Flower Power and get a glimpse at the mysterious Magic Eyeball. After exploring that way, head to your left, work your way down two levels, and go right. Jump over the gap (and watch out for the Tater Trooper) and head right. Stun any Tomatooth that gets too close, wait for the Melon Lips to spit, and then sprint right to claim the Magic Eyeball. Sweet! Three extra lives and eight Flower Power! Continue down and you'll find yourself near some tracks patrolled by some Tater Troopers. Avoid them and head off the platform to the right. Work your way down (watch out for some Asparagustos at the bottom!) and climb the first pole to grab a Key. If you've tired of the mines, head straight up the next pole and you'll soon find yourself at the exit. If you want to see where this Key will lead you, head down the pole, deeper into the mine. Be careful around the Melon Carts that run along these tracks. They'll get you safely over the radiation but they'll also squish you into walls and push you off of cliffs. Head to the left and down. After you've reached the bottom, head over to the right. Look out for the Tomatooths! Keep going right and you'll find a Door. Open it and inside you'll find three more Boobus bombs and an extra life! Head back the way you came and up the pole. Just before reaching the top of the pole, jump left. A hidden extra life! With that, climb up the pole and out of the level. Great! We've now got enough Boobus Bombs to take out King Boobus Tuber! However, let's not end this show early, head left into Apple Acres. APPLE ACRES: Boobus Bombs! Head to your left, and up, but watch out for Apels, they like to swing down poles and cause trouble. As you continue left, climb up trees to find goodies. Once you make it to the pink pole, climb down and explore the small cave. You'll be rewarded with both Flower Power and an extra life. Climb back up the pole and jump into the tree tops. There you'll find lots of goodies for your enjoyment! Make your way to the left, jumping from pole-to-pole across the pit, over to the other side. If you're feeling really brave, you can jump from the bottom of the third pole (counting from the left) over to a secret chamber on the left. There you'll find three Boobus Bombs, some Flower Power, and an extra life! Above the Flower Power is a hidden pole you can climb to get out of there. Before you go past the pink pole to the exit, make sure you climb up the gold one to grab three more Boobus bombs! Once you've got them, drop down to the left and exit. Just one level left before we tackle Boobus' Castle! Head down to Spud City and let's get started. SPUD CITY: Not surprisingly, this city is infested with Tater Troopers and Frenchys. Head left, stunning all in your path, until you get to a pole. Climb it, and then jump on the blue mosquitoes on your right to grab some awesome points! After that, drop back down and head left until you get to the pink pole. Climb down underground, this is where most of the goodies are hiding! Head to the right and you'll see two rooms. Jump up right between them and you'll find a hidden pole! Climb it up and you can head left to the Lollipop. Even better though, if you jump to the right in the gap where the pole is, you can find a secret path heading to some very precarious Boobus Bombs! The way out is a secret pole on the other side of the fire, so you'd better get across if you ever want to get out of there! Head back to the blue pole and get out of there (there's actually more goodies hidden down here, including a Magic Eyeball; jump to the left once you've climbed about half-way up the pole and you'll be on the right track, if you do go for the Eyeball, make sure that you land only in water that has markings one the roof above). Once you've made it out of there, head all the way left. Just before the exit you'll find more mosquitoes. If you want more Boobus Bombs (and why wouldn't you!) head up the pole and take the upper path to the right. After grabbing them, head back to the left and through the exit. We now have all 21 Boobus Bombs that were scattered around The Land of Tuberia! It's time to head up and attack Boobus' fortress! CASTLE TUBERIA: Welcome to the outer fortress. Head right into Castle Tuberia, avoid the Tater Troopers, and climb the pole on the right. Walk a little to the left and wait underneath the grotesque faces. They'll stick their tongues out at you, and you can climb them! Use the tongues for platforms and head up the pole into the secretive area. Stun the Frenchy and go up the right pole (getting the Tomatooths first, of course) for an extra life and some Flower Power. After that, head up the left pole and to the left to get the first of two Keys. Once you've gotten the Key, head back down the way you came and go left from the tongue faces. Watch out for the Squasher and Tater Trooper and work your way up as high as possible, until you get to the fire. Jump OVER the fire and outside, falling left. As you fall you'll snag the second of two Keys. Re-enter the Castle and work your way back up to the fire. Instead of heading left, go right this time. There are many enemies so don't let up on your Flower Power (you won't need it after this anyways). As you go past the Tomatooths and the second Door, head up the log ladder before going through the exit. On top of the Castle there's a great stash of lives and extra points that will boost your score before finishing the game (use the 'I' of ID as a pole to get the extra lives)! Once you've collected everything up there, head back to the right and exit. This is it! The final showdown! Go up and head to the final confrontation. BOOBUS' CHAMBER: Had we only collect 12 Boobus Bombs, we would have to be very deliberate with our shots. However, since we have all 21, just go wild! Begin throwing the moment you enter the chamber and before you know it, King Boobus Tuber will be nothing more than mashed potatoes! Congratulations! You've beaten Tuber and turned off the evil Dream Machine! Read the story's end and get your name on that High Score table! [9.5] How do I get through Secret of the Oracle? Ah, Secret of the Oracle. This is probably the most-played of all the Commander Keen games and thus the one for which people have the fondest memories. Chances are, if you're reading this FAQ you've finished this Keen game multiple times and have no need for a walkthrough. Nevertheless, for your pleasure and enjoyment, the walkthrough for Commander Keen 4: Ah, here we are in the Shadowlands. First things first, launch into the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and let's get started! BEAN-WITH-BACON MEGAROCKET: Wow, not much here, is there? Spend some time playing around with the controls, figuring out how Keen run, jumps, and pogos. You can come back any time to admire the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. As well, any time you run low on ammo (4 shots or less), you can return to the Megarocket for a free Neural Stunner! Ok, with our practice out of the way it's time to head up and make a run for the Border Village! BORDER VILLAGE: Alright! The first real level! First of all head left, and practice jumping on the Bounder and using him as a platform to get sweet candy. Heck, you can even go for a ride if it tickles your fancy! Once you're done with the Bounder head into the first building. You're in a small room with some Shikadi Soda. Not too interesting. Head out and into the next building (watch out for the Poison Slug). This is more like it! Take the ammo and head down the pole into...what is this place? A shrine to the King of the Poison Slugs?! Bizarre! Head to the left, watching out for the bubbling pools of poison. Now it's time to head into the super-secret area! Stand on the left side of the second (left-most) poison pool, and perform the Impossible Pogo Trick towards the upper-left. Before you reach the wall, make sure you deactivate the pogo but keep holding LEFT (this may take a bit of practice to get right). If you've done it right you'll find yourself climbing INTO the roof of this underground passage! Above you there will be a floating platform, pogo onto it and grab the seven extra lives waiting above. Be warned! If this platform drops it won't be coming back so make each jump count! Once you've cleaned house just head up to the right and into the exit door! Awesome! We're off to a good start: one level down and a ton of extra lives in store. Head upwards and slip into Slug Village SLUG VILLAGE: Grab the Raindrops and avoid the Poison Slug as you head to the left and down into the pit. Once at the bottom jump right, into the wall, and head down the secret passage that you've just discovered. Grab the goodies that are to be had and then out again to the left. As you continue left feel free to drop into the first pit to snag some treats from the evil Mad Mushroom that guards them, and to head into the secret path in the right wall of the seemingly-empty second pit. Head up the pole once you get to it and head right (or, if you must have every-single point, first follow the path to the left), going left once you once again reach the surface. Watch out for the blue Lick! He's a nasty character who'll quickly put an end to your adventure with his fiery breath. Keep heading left, using the Bounder to grab the goodies that would be otherwise out of reach, and then sprint out the exit! Hmm, almost seems too easy, doesn't it? Well we still have a lot of adventuring to do, so no dilly-dallying! Head up into the frozen wastelands of the north, but yourself under the blue crystalline structure, and reflect upon entering Crystalus. CRYSTALUS: Here we are, the first big level that we have to tackle. It might seem like a huge obstacle, but there's a prize waiting at the end. What is it? Continue on and you'll see! Head to the right, avoiding the hazards and jump up onto the first platform that you see. From here jump to the left until you get until the diamond of Shikkers Candy Bars. Wait here until a moving platform shows up and take it up. Once at the top of the lift go left (though there are some optional points to the right, if you so desire) and head up. Once you get up high enough to see more solid looking ground to your right with some Three-Tooth Gum above it, head in that direction, avoid the Poison Slugs, and drop down into the pit, keeping right. Sweet! The Green Gem! Once you've hit the bottom head to the right (through the ring of Shikkers Candy Bars) and onto the above platform (watch out for the Mad Mushroom). From this platform that is now guarded by the Mushroom you need to jump over to the left and take the moving platforms up. If you're having problems with the platform that keeps dropping, remember that if activate your pogo you can jump on it without too many problems! Once you make it to the top, jump through the small gap above. Hey it's the Yellow Gem! That's our next objective, but it'll take some work to get there. Head up the poles, jump onto the little platform, and head to the right and up. Blow through the Green Door, head to the left, and follow the path of the Shikadi Soda down to the Yellow Gem. Make your way out of the pit (make sure to follow the trail of Soda leading out or you might find yourself once again dropping down the pit that contained the Green Gem!) and head to the left. Jump up onto the platform once you reach it and open the Yellow Door to snag the Red Gem! From here, if you have the pogo skills, jump ON TOP of the room containing the Red Gem and follow the precarious path above to get some great points. Once you're done getting points, head right and once again fall down the chute that contained the Green Gem. Continue heading right and up to the platform with the jumping Mad Mushroom. This time instead of heading jumping left from the platform, jump to the right. Head upwards, navigating the falling platforms, and you'll soon find yourself at the Red Door. Go through it and head up the pole. Watch out for the angry Lick that will come attack you for the intrusion! Jump up the two falling platforms and snag your prize: the Blue Gem! From getting the Gem, head back the way you came, past the platform that holds the Mad Mushroom and drop down. Once you've dropped down to the solid ground below, head to the right. Watch out for the Bird! He'll only be temporarily stunned by your shots, so scoot by him quickly! Run into the Blue Door and through the archway that presents itself. Head right, avoiding or stunning all enemies that you see. Most of all don't touch that egg! It'll hatch another Blue Bird at the slightest disturbance! Finally, you'll see your first Council Member, walking around, waiting to be rescued. Run up to him and finish the level. No sweat, oh guardian of wisdom! Ok, one down, seven to go! Our next destination should be pretty obvious, so head left and shiver along the Chasm of Chills. CHASM OF CHILLS: This place seems at first glance to be a fairly simple one to navigate, but it holds great secrets! First of all, grab the goodies in front of you and drop down. Head right, avoiding the Mad Mushroom, and make your way to the small pits guarded by Poison Slugs. Jump over the first pit, but fall into the second pit, make sure you shoot down and kill the Slug before dropping in there, though! Jump into the wall on your right and you'll fall down to a secret door! Enter it and head right. Grab some points and watch out for the Lick, Mimrocks, and Poison Slugs! Climb down the pole and head into the door. After falling and grabbing a bunch of Raindrops, catch the moving platform back up to the beginning of the level. This time, work your way right. Be careful! Keen won't grab the edge of these platforms so if you miss the jump you'll have to work your to the left and back up the lift! You'll eventually make it to a platform that lets you see the grass and blue sky above. Jump two more platforms to the right and you'll see a Lick hopping around on the grass above. Shoot up to stun him and then pogo up and onto the grass (you'll have to use The Impossible Pogo Trick to get enough height). Continue to pogo into the cloud above and you'll bounce right into Princess Lindsey! Princess Lindsey says: The way to the Pyramid of the Forbidden lies under the Pyramid of Moons. Thanks for the mysterious clue, Princess! With that out of the way, head to the right until you reach the Thundercloud at the edge of the screen, and then jump down to make your way to the exit! Thankfully, we're almost out of this freezing-cold area. Only one more place to visit in this snow-filled area of the Shadowlands. Time to plod down into the Cave of the Descendents. CAVE OF THE DESCENDENTS: This is one dangerous cave! From the entrance head left and don't stop until you find yourself at the gap. Drop down the gap onto the moving platform and continue left to grab the Red Gem. There are goodies to be grabbed by continuing on to the poles, but be warned that a Skypest patrols the area and spikes lay below. Once you're ready to move on, go back to the moving platform (which is almost stationary unless you flick the switch) and drop down to the other moving platform which lies below. Once there go through the door and head back to the right and up. The gap may seem impassable but as long as you continue to hold RIGHT when you reach it, you'll cross over with no problems. Continue to up to the right and you'll soon come to an evil Mimrock. Sneak by him and jump up to the right to enter the Red Door. Sweet! It's the Yellow Gem! Grab it and head all the way back to the gap where you snagged the Red Gem (if you'd like, continuing to the right underneath the Red Door leads to a large amount of point-items, though the path will eventually dead-end). This time instead of falling down into the gap, jump across it and head left, heading into the arched doorway. You've almost made it to another Council Member, but you'll first need to navigate a treacherous route patrolled by Mad Mushrooms! Ascend the platforms, but make sure that you always look up to make sure the path is clear before jumping up. Continue to the top and you'll find yourself at the Yellow Door and your second Council Member! Sounds like a plan, bearded one! Time to get out of this frozen wasteland, make your way down out of the snow and stumble upon Hillville. HILLVILLE: Here's a simple, linear level with some secrets in the sky. Start out by heading to the right, and waiting on the first island that lies between the two spike pits. Look between the trees almost directly above the rock, and you'll see something glinting in the sun. It's a flash of insight! Flashes of insight can be stood on just like any normal platform, they're just hard to see in the light! Pogo up to it the flash and then wait until you see the next one, a little bit above and to the left. Continue up the hidden flashes and you'll soon make it to a set of platforms being held up in the air by thrusters. First head left to collect a bunch of ammo for you Neural Stunner, and then head to the right as far as you can. Once you get the Doughnuts, wait and perform the Impossible Pogo Trick to the right. You should land on another flash, and be able to collect the Lifewater Flask for an extra life! As you fall, you should land near a hill. Hey it's Princess Lindsey, back for another visit! Princess Lindsey says: There's gear to help you swim in Three- Tooth Lake. It is hidden in Miragia. Thanks, your highness! From the Princess, swing down the pole and flick the switch. This will activate the moving platforms. Go across the platforms and make it to the other side of the fire, spikes, and other danger. If you pogo off to the right of the right-most moving platform, you should land on another flash of insight (it's just above and to the left of the first raindrop on the right). Follow the flashes up to more platforms in the sky. Up there you'll be able to grab a Jawbreaker and an Ice Cream Cone! Once you've finished head right and exit Hillville. We're rolling now! Head down from Hillville into the grove of pyramids. First on the list? Back into the Pyramid of the Moons. PYRAMID OF THE MOONS: From the beginning, jump over the structure and head to the right. Slide down the first pole you see to grab some goodies below, climb back up, and then repeat at the next pole you come to. Watch out for those dart shooters! They'll make a quick end to your trip! After coming out of the second pit head left and go down the first pole into that little area with a door. Grab the candy and then stand on the moon for a few seconds. Hilarious! With that Easter Egg out of the way, head into the door. You'll now find yourself standing on a platform high in the air. Head to your right and jump onto the moving platform, from the moving platform jump over to the Yellow Gem and pogo back up again. Return through the door by which you entered and head back up the pole. Head left, skip the first two poles that you come to, and drop down the third one. You should now find yourself in another small chamber with a door. Enter that door and you'll find yourself in a big room filled with dart shooters and Inchworms. Run over to the right and you'll reach the Yellow Door. Open it up and flick the switch inside. Remember how Princess Lindsey said something about the way to the Pyramid of the Forbidden being under the Pyramid of the Moons? Well it turns out that we're in the basement of that very pyramid and it's time to find the secret path to the Pyramid of the Forbidden! The secret lies with the Inchworms; you know how twelve inches make a foot? Twelve Inchworms make... well, you'll see! Make your way to the left at a leisurely pace, allowing all of the Inchworms you've seen follow you without problem. Once you get to the small bridge, sprint across it and pogo up just to the left of the grouping of four dart shooters. You notice how you'll go into the roof? There's a pole hidden up there so at the apex of your jump, deactivate the pogo stick and hold UP. You'll begin climbing, but watch out for the dart shooter directly above you and the other enemies that patrol the small chamber! Make your way to the right and go through the door. Sweet! It's an extra life guarded only by a Poison Slug! Grab the life, and go back through the door. But wait, there's one more secret to be had in this pyramid! After returning through the door, pogo straight up and to the left. Another secret passage! Continue left to grab a bunch of Ice Cream Cones. If you go through the door in front of you, you'll pop out on top of the pyramid, allowing you to get a view outside and make a quick exit. We, however, want to return back down the way we came. There's a secret pyramid to visit! Head back to the Inchworms and get them to cluster at your feet. BOOM! Twelve Inchworms have become a foot! How bizarre! Jump on the foot and you'll have escaped from the Pyramid of the Moons. Oh weird. This has to be the strangest way Commander Keen has ever travelled, and seeing how he's ridden the back of a sea monster, that's really saying something. You'll soon be dropped off in a clearing, and it's time to hesitantly cross in the Pyramid of the Forbidden. PYRAMID OF THE FORBIDDEN: WATCH OUT! From the beginning, two Licks will come flying towards you at high speeds. This pyramid is by far the hardest level in the game. It's fairly linear, but it definitely won't be a cake-walk. Make your way up and to the right. If you survive the journey you'll score a Lifewater Flask. Awesome! You've now come to a gap. As you fall down the gap make sure that you keep left to avoid spikes at the bottom. If you miss the Red Gem on your way down, CAREFULLY jump out to grab it and open the Red Door. Run to the left and flick the switch stand over to the gap that you created and look down. You're going to have to fall in such a way that you avoid both the Poison Slug, the dart shooters, and the darts. As well, you'll need to duck to avoid the darts at the bottom. Make your way over to the Yellow Gem, ducking under every dart that passes, and open up the Yellow Door. Sprint through the Yellow Door, smoke the Slug in the pit, and go through the doorway. Whew! And that was only the first section! From the door, look down and you'll see a moving platform. Jump down to it while it moves right and duck! You'll make it past the outcropping at head level and can jump down below onto safer ground. Kill the Poison Slugs and the Lick that drops down and flick the switch. Use the now liberated moving platform to pogo up and continue on the pathway. Once you see the Ice Cream Cones, STOP! There are an outrageous amount of Skypests guarding this small chamber. Take them out carefully, one-by-one, claim your Ice Cream prize, and head through the door. From the doorway, once again look down. Drop onto the moving platform as it heads left and jump up once the gap appears. Snag the Green Gem on the left and then head up to unlock the Green Door and get the (second!) Red Gem. Be careful around those spears! Once you have the Red Gem in your possession, head back onto the moving platform and pogo back up to the door. From the door, pogo up to the left to get the Neural Stunner, open the Red Door, and flick the switch. Go back to the doorway, look down, and jump onto the moving platform as it heads right. Immediately duck as you hit the platform, and ride it to get the Blue Gem. As you come back, pogo up through the Red Door and unlock the Blue Door above you. Finally, drop down the gap, grab the Doughnuts, and head through the doorway. Almost there! After reaching the bottom of the drop, jump onto the moving platform and pogo onto the other platform on the right. Be warned, this platform will drop so make sure to not deactivate your pogo stick! Continue from platform to platform until you make it to safe ground on the right. From there, make your way to the up and left using the moving platforms. Watch out for the Skypest and Poison Slugs! Once you've safely crossed over to the other side, enter the doorway. You're practically home free! Oh no, the other side holds a switch puzzle! Flick the first switch, watch out for the Lick, and jump up to the left. Flick that switch, and drop down the gap you just created to your right. Jump across the small gap to your right and flick that switch. Head back to the left and up, and flick the switch next to the spike pit. Work your way back up to the gap that was just created, zap the Lick, and flick the switch that he was guarding. Now that there's a platform over the spikes above, head up and cross them to flick the switch on the other side. Head back down and go to the bottom right. Kill the Poison Slug that guards the switch and flick it. Finally, make your way back up across the spikes and drop into the hole that you just made. Avoid the Mad Mushroom and push through the arch. Jump on the moving platform and collect some well-deserved Ice Cream Cones. Awesome! A Council Member! Go save him and...wait.... A janitor!!! This had better be a joke. Oh well, head through the door, grab the extra life, and take that foot out of here! Well, that was absolutely crazy. It's time to relax a little and head to the left to reverently enter the Pyramid of the Gnosticene Ancients. PYRAMID OF THE GNOSTICENE ANCIENTS: Here's a nice wide open pyramid for your enjoyment. The first order of the day is to head right and blast any Treasure Eater that you see. They'll eat your goodies! After the first Eater takes the two Lifewater Flasks from you, zap him, cross the bridge, toggle the switch, and jump up to the platform above you. Take care of any creatures you may see there and climb the pole. Flick the switch up top and take the moving platform up to the pole above you. From the top of the pole head right and take the path downward. Flick the switch and head back up, dropping into the pit on the right that you just opened. Follow that path down and you'll find ANOTHER switch that you need to flick. After toggling that switch head back up and continue down the slope, avoiding the Lick and dropping down the gap. Head to the left and jump up to the first gap that you find. Continue up the structure and flick ANOTHER switch (only two more, I promise). Go back down to where you came from and take the path to the left downward to find...the Red Gem! Grab the Gem and head back up and to the left, dropping down the now opened bridge where you encountered your first Treasure Eater. From the bottom of the drop, head to your right and cross the very dangerous tar pit, watch out for the spear and flick the switch that it guards. Head back to the left, open the Red Door, and watch out for the Lick! Head down, and try to pogo into the left side of the outcropping above the arch. Walking through the secret passage, hop over the little ledge that blocks your way and collect some ammo and an extra life. Head back to the arch and go through it. You're near your objective! Jump up to grab the Green Gem and flick the switch. Ride the moving platform to the left, jumping up onto the platforms when you reach them. Don't worry about the Licks, they can't hurt you or land on the moving platform. Once you get to the left side of the room, open the Green Door and save the Council Member! No problemo. Only one pyramid remains. Head to the right and move silently in the Pyramid of Shadows. PYRAMID OF SHADOWS: The first part of this pyramid is very maze-like, so to avoid getting lost the simplest route will be taken. However, if you feel like exploring you'll be rewarded with a multitude of goodies. Anyways, from the entrance head right, avoiding the spears and Poison Slug until you get to a doorway. Enter the door and immediately drop down the pole next to you to avoid the Skypest. At the bottom of the pole, head to the left and drop down. Walk right and jump up to take the middle path. Continue along this path, look down to avoid landing on a Slug below, and fall down. Grab the Doughnut on your right, and then flick the switch and head through the doorway on your left. Head right, across the newly created bridge, and avoid the hazards to make it through the doorway. After exiting the door, head to your right, jumping across the dangerous falling platform to the safe ground on the other side. If you wish to get the extra life that was underneath the bridge, pogo up to the left to toggle the switch up there and you'll deactivate it, allowing you to backtrack, if you so desire. To continue on with the level, however, head right across the multiple falling platforms. When you at last meet a Poison Slug, you'll know that you're on the right side of the room and can take the falling platform in front of him down to the doorway. Go through the doorway and flick the switch. Carefully avoid the Skypest and dart shooters to get to the other side. If you're in the mood for a lot of extra lives and don't mind replaying the level, you can duck as the moving platform hits the right wall. You'll enter a secret area. If you drop to the right from the platform, you'll find some seven Lifewater Flasks waiting to be consumed. However, the only way out is by being burned by the tar to your left. If you decide that suicide isn't the answer, head into the arch. From the other side of the archway, head right, grab the Blue Gem, avoid the hazards, and open the Blue Door to save the Council Member! Great. You know, you look a lot like the last guy I rescued... Well, that's it for pyramids! Head out of the grove of pyramids and to the left into the desert of the Shadowlands. After that, grit your teeth and enter Sand Yego. SAND YEGO: What was that? A flash of insight?! Indeed it was! Wait to see it again and then use it to jump straight up to grab a hidden Ice Cream Cone! Drop down and grab the lift up to the first part of the fortress. Stay up on the top level and jump to the right, watch out for the Mimrocks that guard the way! You'll soon get to a small platform with a cloud in from of it. From there pogo up and to the right to grab the ledge of the platform with the pole running through it. If you look to your left, you'll see another flash of insight! Follow the flashes to get to a floating platform that holds some goodies, including a Lifewater Flask! After grabbing them, head back to the platform with the pole and jump up to get the Green Gem. After getting the Gem head down the pole to your right and through the doorway. On the other side of the door avoid the urge to pogo up to the Shikadi Soda above you (a Skypest guards the way) and head to the right and up the path, stunning any slugs that might bother you. After a little bit of climbing you'll soon reach the Green Door! Go through the door and up the pole. Grab all the goodies you can and head right, carefully making your way past the Mad Mushroom. From the Mushroom, drop down into the pit below the bridge and switches. Toggle all of the switches, and then ride the moving platform back up the gap. From the top of the gap head right (watch out for Skypests) and back into the structure. Ride the moving platform up, avoid any Skypest you see, and watch out for the Mimrock at the top. From the top, climb the pole, head right, and climb back down the other pole. From there you have no choice but to go right, and up into the exit! Back in the Shadowlands, head up and to the right, until you're able to disappear into Miragia. MIRAGIA: Miragia is a unique and interesting place full of goodies and strange platforms that will disappear and reappear. From the beginning head to the right and take the moving platform up to the next level. Pogo up to the disappearing platform to grab some Doughnuts and continue to the right. Jump up the two disappearing platforms, on top of the dome, and jump into the entrance on your right, grabbing some Shikadi Soda and Raindrops on your way down. Climb down the pole and head right (going up the path of disappearing platforms if you need more candy). You will soon come to a pathway leading up. Make sure you look up to avoid the Poison Slugs above you and work your way up. Once you've made it to the top, you have a choice. You can head to the left a take a large roundabout route, collecting a lot of goodies on the way, or you can jump onto the disappearing platform and up to the right. Either way, the way out is by collecting the Wetsuit. Cool! You can breathe underwater now! Almost out of this desert. Head up and to the left and crawl into Lifewater Oasis. LIFEWATER OASIS: A nice simple level to finish off the desert levels. Head to the right, avoiding the Poison Slug, and fall straight down into the pit. Hopefully you landed on the platform on the left. If not, jump up to it and jump over to the small ledge on the right. You'll see a sign that says HIGH LOW and a switch. Flick the switch and jump back to the platform on the left. Near the left edge of the platform you're on, jump up and you'll enter the roof. Climb up to the left and you'll quickly fall to a secret lower pathway. Admire all of the Raindrops and Lifewater Flasks that you can't access, and head to the right. Hit the switch and ride the moving platform up, jumping to the left at the top to escape the hidden passage. Once you've dropped down, head to the left, watching out for the Poison Slug and Wormouth, and climb up the pole. From the top of the pole head right, up to the moving platforms. Take the moving platforms up and to the left, watch out for the Thundercloud, take the pole down, and enter the arch. On the other side of the arch, watch out for the sneaky Mimrock behind you and drop down on the second falling platform. Grab the Green Gem and activate your pogo stick to bring the platform back up. Jump over to the right and enter the Green Door. Through the door, head right and save the Council Member! Good idea, Gramps. Alright, enough of this desert! Head all the way back to Slug Village and go down, passing to the left of Border Village in order to plummet into The Perilous Pit. THE PERILOUS PIT: From the beginning head into the house, stock up on ammo, and drop into the eponymous pit. Once reaching the bottom slide down the pole on your right, jump into the wall to the right of the sign the says HI to grab some candy, and sneak under the Mad Mushroom to grab the Red Gem. Climb back up the pole, head left, jump across the small gap, and climb up into the room containing the Bounder and the Blue Gem. Climb back down and fall into the gap. Open the Red Door and watch out for the hazards you encounter. Use the poles to safely navigate the path above the Lick, and climb the third one to find the switch that is guarded by a Mad Mushroom. Toggle the switch and head back out the way you came, climbing back out onto the right side of the gap. If you don't already see it, a moving platform will soon come down near where you're standing. Ride it up to its highest point and head left past the Mad Mushroom into the arch. On the other side of the arch you'll find the Blue Door and another Council Member to save! May the road rise to meet your feet Mr. Member. Endgame time! Enter Three-Tooth Lake and muck along the Isle of Tar. ISLE OF TAR: Head to the right, enter the house to grab some goodies, and carefully make your way across the tar pits until you can fall down into the pit, collecting Raindrops on your way down. Ignore the switch for now and head left, using the falling platform to jump up to the left. Pogo up to the tar pits, jump across them, and fall down hugging the right wall. Flick the switch in the little chamber that you find yourself in, and head left. Jump to the ledge that's parallel to the falling platform and continue left. Watch out for the Wormouth! Jump up to the moving platform (if you miss it just head right, enter the two doorways, and you'll find yourself back in the hall with the Wormouth), avoid the Skypest, and grab the Red Gem. With Gem in hand, head back down to the hall with the Wormouth and continue to the right. Continue to ignore the switch that you come across and slide down the long pole that you will soon come across. From the bottom of the pole head left, drop into the pit, flick the switch, and wait. Soon a moving platform will come down to get you. Take the moving platform up, enter the Red Gem, and snag the Yellow Gem. Head back to the long pole, climb all the way up, and head to the left. Continue down underneath the hall with the Wormouth and jump across the gap to open the Yellow Door. Head down, avoid the Mad Mushroom, flick the switch, and walk INTO the wall on your right. After hitting the ground, head right, look out for the Wormouth, and enter the doorway. From the doorway head left and drop down into the pit. Now prepare yourself, because some crazy stuff is about to happen. You're going to jump over the small outcropping, avoid the two Wormouths that guard the ledge, jump over to the Blue Gem, fall straight down, and quickly hop across six falling platforms until you can grab the pole above the sixth, climbing back to safe ground. Are you ready? GO AND DO IT! With that insanity over, you'll find yourself back near the Red Door. Go left, use the moving platform to get up to the right, and once again climb the long pole. At the top of the pole head right and open the Blue Door. Head right, ride the moving platform up, and climb the pole. Enter the house, grabbing a well-deserved Lifewater Flask in the top-left corner, and then leave and make your way up to the right to exit the island. Swim down and to the left to blaze across the Isle of Fire. ISLE OF FIRE: This level has a very simple layout (a nice change from the Isle of Tar) but can at times be difficult due to the nasty invincible Berkeloids that guard the island. From the beginning head right, avoiding the fire the gets in your way, and drop into the pit to climb down the pole. Head left, watch out for the Poison Slug and multiple Mimrocks that want to end your adventure, grab the Yellow Gem and flick the switch. Make your way back, open the Yellow Door, and climb up the pole above the Yellow Gem holder. The switch has activated a moving platform in the sky to the left. Jump on it and work your way left to snag a whole bunch of Ice Cream Cones. After grabbing the Ice Cream, head back to the right, down the pole, and go through the Yellow Door. Grab the Neural Stunner and climb down the pole, heading right. Mind the sign and head up using the moving platforms that you encounter. Kill those pesky Slugs and fall down to the right. Head right and begin to climb down the pole. You need to grab the Blue Gem without being killed by the Berkeloid. If you're successful, climb back up the pole and fall down to the right. Jump over the fire, open the Blue Door, and save the Council Member! Wise plan of action, your ancientness. Alright! We've saved the best for last! Head right and hopefully enter the Well of Wishes. WELL OF WISHES: This level's a complete change of pace from the others. No pogoing, no shooting, just swimming. Use the button or key usually used to jump in order to swim faster. The Well of Wishes is a maze infested with Dopefish and other nasty creatures so I will just take the most direct route to the exit. Exploring will net you some good candy, but can be frustrating. From the entrance, swim down, collecting the Schoolfish and avoiding the mine. Keep going down, avoid the Sprite, and you'll find a Lifewater Flask. Sweet! An extra life! Continue down and to the right, until you can't go down any further. Once at the bottom of the well, head to your right, avoid the first path up (the one with the Shikkers) and take the second. Unfortunately this second path is guarded by a Dopefish; this is where Schoolfish come in handy. Use the poor little Schoolfish as bait for the Dopefish, and swim away as fast as possible as he chomps down on them. Soon, however, you'll reach a branching path that will free you from the tyranny of the Dopefish (however it also makes it very difficult to return from where you came). Continue upwards, avoid the mines and Sprite, and you'll be forced left. You're almost there! Continue around to the left and you'll find a chamber guarded by a Sprite and two Dopefish. Do some fancy swimming and you'll be able to head through the arch to save the last Council Member! You're the last one, fella. Let's both get back to the Oracle chamber! You've discovered the Secret of the Oracle! Not sit back, relax, and enjoy the final cutscene. [9.6] How do I get through The Armageddon Machine? Ah, Commander Keen 5. My personal favorite. In fact this was the final walkthrough that I wrote as I wanted to save the best for last. It's unique among the PC Keen games in that every level (except for the secret level) needs to be completed to finish the game. Anyways, you're starting off at the bottom of the Omegamatic and have to work your way to the top, so go up and investigate the Ion Ventilation System. ION VENTILATION SYSTEM: Ah, a simple vertical level, useful for Keeners who want to figure out the controls and get a grip on how Keen moves around. As this level is so thin, very little instruction is needed. Once you have a good understanding of how Keen moves, jumps, and pogos, head right to grab a bunch of Shikadi Gum, zap the Sparky, and climb up the long pole on the left. Grab more Gum on the structure to the right of the pole, try to avoid the Little Ampton without shooting him as ammo is fairly limited in this first level. Work your way up the left and you'll soon find a horizontally-moving purple platform near a sentry gun that shoots down. As the platform reaches the left end of its route (and when it's safe to do so) perform the Impossible Pogo Trick and deactivate the pogo at the apex of your jump while holding LEFT. You'll grab hold to a hidden ledge. Pull yourself up into the wall, and perform the Impossible Pogo Trick again, this time holding RIGHT. Pull yourself up and continue holding right to pass over the top of the level and dropping down on the other side. (If you're having a hard time performing the Impossible Pogo Trick, just grab the Neural Stunners below the sentry gun, and head right to go out the exit.) After the long fall, go to the edge of the platform and look down. You should be able to just see the top edge of a Keg O' Vitalin. Aim for it as you jump off to the right and snag a whopping ten extra lives! Lives received, head right out the exit. Well after clearing the ventilation system, it's time to head up and strut through the Security Center. SECURITY CENTER: Head to the left as you listen to the jazzy tune that plays in the Security Center and slide down the pole you come to. Jump into the right wall for some delicious Bags O' Sugar and then continue on to the left. Climb up the pole and push the button you come to, then fall down to the left while holding RIGHT to find some more hidden Sugar. Look out for the Sparky below and drop down, head left, and climb the next pole you come to. Zap the Sparky and grab the Neural Stunner, Gum, and Red Gem. With the Gem, head up and to the right, drinking the Chocolate Milk as you go along and jumping across the gap to go through the arch. Place the Red Gem in its socket to open the Door above and climb the pole to grab some Marshmallows and the Blue Gem. Head back over to the left, jumping the gab again and dropping down to where the Red Gem was. Jump up to the green platform and into the wall next to where the bridge used to be to eat some delicious hidden bowls of Sugar Stoopies Cereal (boy, Keen is going to have a terrible time at the dentist after all of this sugar). Climb up the pole and pogo up and to the left into the roof just to the left of the Blue Gem socket, to grab even MORE Bags O' Sugar and a Keg O' Vitalin! Drop down and head through the Blue Door. Zap any Sparky that you see, and follow the hint given by the Marshmallows by jumping up onto one of the moving red platforms to go up. Use impressive jumping skills to avoid the fire helixes and land on the safe ground at the upper left. Time your moves to avoid the Slicestar, and run through the arch to grab the Chocolate Milk and Keycard. Drop back down, then head right. Jump through the first hole in the floor to get some Marshmallows and ammo, and then down the second hole (watching out for the Sparky) to grab some Chocolate Milk to activate the switch and bring the moving platform down. Ride the moving platform up and head left. Avoid the Slicestars and stun Sparky and make your way carefully through the strange phaser hazards that will block your path. Blast the Sparky on the left of the phasers, grab the Neural Stunner, and head through the doorway. Blast the Sparkys while avoiding the blasts from the sentry guns, and jump into the right wall of the next doorway to get some more hidden goodies. Head through that doorway, blast the last two Sparkys, grab the Tart Stix, jump into the wall to the right of the exit to feed your Sugar high, and then exit out the security door. Alright, with security out of the way, time to head into the elevator and into the lower section of the Omegamatic. After the ride up, head right and regret entering Defense Tunnel Sorra. DEFENSE TUNNEL SORRA: This Defense Tunnel is an extremely linear run from left to right. From the entrance, drop down to the Shikadi Gum and head into the wall to the right. You will first find some hidden goodies, but if you jump over a small barrier and keep heading right you'll find some hidden Bags O' Sugar! After collecting the points, head all the way back to the left and jump up to the level above and continue right. Avoid the Slicestars, Volte-faces, and Sparky, until you get to the non-functioning sentry gun. Jump into the wall above the sentry gun for some goodies and continue to the right, avoiding the dangers, and drop down to the left to get the Keycard guarded by the Volte-face. From the Keycard, continue right and climb up the purple pole. A mean- looking Robo Red will hover by, looking for trouble. Once he passes back along to the right. Drop down and quickly slide down the pole in the floor. Watch out for a Sparky and first go left to grab some ammo and then right, pogoing up to the grab Yellow Gem. When it's safe to do so, climb back up through the floor and head to the right and pogo up to the ledge above. Drop down the other side, grab the ammo, open the Yellow Door, and zap the Sparky. Pogo up into the roof on either side of the exit for goodies, and finally exit out the security door. Alright! That wasn't so bad. Go right and blow through the Neutrino Burst Injector. NEUTRINO BURST INJECTOR: From the entrance, head right and try to shoot down at the Shelley as you pass over her, and collect the Shikadi Gum that lies in your path. Drop down into the pit to protect yourself from the Slicestar, keep to the left wall if you didn't manage to destroy Shelley, and head over to the right once it has passed. Make sure there's no Shockshund above you, and climb the pole and continue heading right. Watch out for the Shelley and refresh yourself with some delicious Vitalin before dropping into the pit guarded by the Volte-face (it would probably be a good idea to zap him as well). Climb up the pole on the right and stun the horrific Shikadi from the safety of the pole. Pogo up to the platform above, grab the ammo guarded by the Slicestar, and then continue up the ramp to the left. Avoid the Shockshund, grab more Vitalin, and then blast the Sparky to the left and you jump to his platform. Do the same to the Sparky on the platform up to your left, and then continue right. Watch out for the Shelley, she's in a very difficult position to attack. It's probably safest to attack when she's on top of one of the "humps" and you're protected behind an adjacent one. Go through the arch on the right, and jump onto the purple moving platforms and grab the Blue Gem (jump straight up to get some hidden Bags O' Sugar as well). With the Gem, flip the switch and carefully fall into the wall below for some points and a quick way down. Go down the pole you came up, and climb down the pole below while you're at it. Drop down the green platforms to your right to grab some Tart Stix, and the Red Gem! Jump back up the green platforms and then head down the pole on your left for some extra points. Watch out for the Shikadi that will zap the pole below and drop down to get the ammo and Cereal that he was guarding. Climb back up the poles and once you're in the same area as the Volte-face, jump through the gap on the left, grab the Bags O' Sugar if you can, and open the Red Door. Drop down to open the Blue Door as well, and carefully make your way past the Shikadi and Slicestar into the machine room. Grab the Sugar Stoopies and pogo on the fuse to disable the Neutrino Burst Injector. One of the four machines protecting the main elevator shaft--toast! With the NBI out of the way, purposefully wander to the left and invade Defense Tunnel Vlook. DEFENSE TUNNEL VLOOK: From the entrance grab the ammo on the level below you and continue left, blast the Sparky, and jump into the wall next to the Spindred. Inside the wall, pogo up to the left to grab a few points, and over to the right to get some monster points and an extra life! Once you're done in the wall, head underneath the Spindred and follow the Shikadi Gum to the upper- left and continue along the upper path. Watch out for the two Sparkys that will try and charge you and climb down the pole when you come to it. Head right from the bottom of the pole, watch out for the Sparkys and Little Ampton, and climb down the pole you find to grab the Keycard. Carefully grab the Neural Stunner to the right (a Robo Red guards that chamber) and head over to the left, past the pole that originally brought you down there, and across the three Spindreds in order to grab the Red Gem. With the Gem head to the right, and back up the pole, go left through the Red Door, make it by the two dangerous Slicestars, and grab the Yellow Gem. Now it's time to go back down that pole, and head left back to where you grabbed the Red Gem in order to open the Yellow Door. Blast the Sparky and toggle the switch to start the red platform moving, and use it to get over to the left. Pogo up to the left above the arch to get some hidden goodies (and if you can, even higher up to the right for a hidden Keg O' Vitalin), and then continue left under the Spindred. Stay along the upper path, avoid the Sparky and sentry gun, and head through the security door to exit. Another Defense Tunnel down! Continue left and engage Energy Flow Systems. ENERGY FLOW SYSTEMS: Ah! Robo Red is watching you! Don't worry though, he'll (mostly) stay out of the fight for now. Head to your left under the sentry gun and pogo from the edge of the platform to grab the Red Gem. With the Gem run right and climb up the silver pole. Grab the Sugar Stoopies hanging in the air, and blast the Sparky from the safety of the pole. Jump off to the right, go up to open the Red Door, zap the Sparky, and grab the Yellow Gem hiding with the Shikadi Gum. Head back down and CAREFULLY climb down the pole. A Robo Red guards the area at the bottom, and you need to sneak past him to climb down the next pole to the level below. After climbing down, blast the Sparky and any Little Amptons that may cause you grief, and climb up to the right to snag some Vitalin. Climb back down and head left, climbing down the pole, pushing the button, and heading through the Yellow Door to get the Blue Gem. From the Gem, jump right, into the wall and continue a little ways until you fall. From there, head left (admiring John Romero's name written in pipes) and collect the Keg O' Vitalin. Head back the way you came and begin climbing up the pole, but don't enter Robo Red's chamber just yet. Wait for the Robo Red to pass over to the right, and the carefully climb up and run over to the left, down into the chamber full of Bags O' Sugar next to the pipe-swastika (or, half- swastika, depending on the version of the game that you're playing) and then jump onto the moving purple platforms. Once you get up to the pipe above, jump off to the left to grab some Vitalin and jump on the small red platform to get up to the Blue Door. Head through the Blue Door, look down to avoid landing on a Sparky, and climb down the pole. Look out for the Little Ampton and Sparky on the landing below, climb down, and then jump over to the left. Look down, and you'll see the dangers lying between you and the Green Gem. Figure out your preferred method of dealing with them, grab the Green Gem, and head back up to the Blue Door. From the opened Door, jump on a moving purple platform for a ride, and make your way around to the upper right, heading into the two areas with "NO HUMANS" if you so desire for extra points, Vitalin, and ammo, and finally jumping through the arch. Open the Green Door, grab the points, and destroy the fuses with your pogo stick. One of the four machines protecting the main elevator shaft--toast! Back on the Omegamatic, head down and barrel into Defense Tunnel Burrh. DEFENSE TUNNEL BURRH: Begin by climbing up the pole and heading over to the right. Continue to the right, stunning the Sparkys, and climb down the pole once you get there. Push the button and return back to the long pole that brought you up. Drop down to the bottom of the long pole, grab the points, and then climb up the pole and head right along the middle path. Blast the Sparkys, climb down the short pole that you come to in order to increase your Vitalin count, then keep going to the right and drop down the now disabled bridge. Get the Vitalin as you continue to the right and pogo up to the left in the roof above the sentry gun. Climb up and jump around, and fall down to the left for an extra life. With that out of the way, go back under the sentry gun until you get to the edge of the platform, drop down into the gap on the left, zap the Sparky, and grab the Red Gem. Get back out and climb the fibrous-looking black pole into the roof above. Be warned that a Robo Red guards the area, and there are two Little Amptons that could also ruin your day! Head to the right in the little chamber and snag the Yellow Gem. After grabbing the Gem, jump into the wall on the right and you'll safely get on the other side of Robo Red's chamber. Drop down the hole to get some Sugar Stoopies and ammo, and then head right through the Red Door. Perform the Impossible Pogo Trick up the right to grab the pole and collect a Neural Stunner and some Bags O' Sugar, and then make your way to the right, through the phaser, climb up the hill, and drop down the hole that's guarded by a Slicestar. Head right through the Yellow Door, under the arch, and pogo up into the roof at the right of the doorway for some hidden Chocolate Milk. Go through the doorway and pogo straight up to collect both the Blue Gem and some points hidden up in the roof above. Head back through the doorway and back up through the hole guarded by the Slicestar. Jump up into the roof on the right of the sentry gun for some hidden Tart Stix, and then head to the right and jump down through the cyan platforms. Continue to the right. Jump up through the Blue Door, grab the Green Gem, and then jump up through Green Door to get the Keycard. With Keycard in hand, drop down and run through the exit. After getting through the Defense Tunnel, head down and go nuts in the Regulation Control Center. REGULATION CONTROL CENTER: Sparky! Blast him and climb up the pole. Zap the other Sparky above, flip the switch, and grab the Red Gem. Drop down and continue to the right. Head through the Red Door, avoid the Sparky and Sentry Guns, and push the button. Head back to the left and use the red moving platform to get up to the yellow poles. Climb up the pole, avoiding the Slicestars, and use the stationary red platform to jump up to the Yellow Gem in the upper-right corner. Head over to the left, climbing down the pole to get some Vitalin, blast the Sparky patrolling the small platform above, and then head right across the pipe, open the Yellow Door, and drop down to the doorway below. Fry the Sparky in the room with you, push the button, and head through the doorway. On the other side, drop down the deactivated bridge and try to fall into the gap on your right (if you miss, just go left, grab the Blue Gem, and open the Blue Door). Look down from above and you should see a Robo Red patrolling the area. Drop down when he heads left and sprint over to the right, running for dear life, blasting the Sparky, and jumping across the phasers. Get to the upper- right and ride the purple moving platforms up. Jump over to the right after blasting the Sparky, and then climb the pole. Shoot the Shikadi on your left from the safety of the pole and then head up to the left. You'll now encounter what can be the most dangerous of all the enemies: a Shikadi Mine. You need to get near to the Mine until it starts to light up, and then run off to safety. Its blast pattern is pretty random, so it can also be a good idea to save before attempting to destroy one. With the enemies dealt with, jump up the two right- most flipping red platforms to get on solid ground. Grab the Chocolate Milk and Vitalin, blast the Sparky over to the left, set off the Mine, and then push the button. Jump up to the left, grabbing the Shikadi Gum as you fall down to the green platform below. Blast the Sparky and grab the goodies in the machine room, but watch out for the Shikadi Mines! Once you're done getting filled up on the good things in life, activate your pogo and destroy those fuses. One of the four machines protecting the main elevator shaft--toast! Only one more machine left. Head up and trot through Defense Tunnel Teln. DEFENSE TUNNEL TELN: From the entrance climb the pole, jump over to the right to stock up on ammo, and then jump over to the left and immediately climb the black wire to the roof. A Robo Red guards the Red Gem here. Carefully make your way from wire to wire and grab the Red Gem. Make your way back the same way you came, then drop down and climb down the pole for some points, both visible and hidden. Continue left, make it past the phasers, blast the Sparky, and climb up the steps to the level above. Head through the Red Door, stun another Sparky, lure the Shelley to her own destruction, and grab the Yellow Gem that she guarded. Drop back down, open the Yellow Door, and head left. Watch out for the Little Ampton as you climb the pole, let the Shelley attack you as you stay below ground level, and then climb up to the upper left to grab the Green Gem. Slide back down to the bottom of the pole and head left into the Slicestar pits. Though it may not seem like it, you can duck underneath the Slicestars as they pass by. Continue to the left and you'll be rewarded with some Tart Stix and, more importantly, ammo. Head back to the pole the same way as you came, and then go left along the middle path. After passing under the sentry guns, you'll come to a room above you guarded by a Slicestar containing a lot of Vitalin. If you look carefully, you'll also notice a Blue Gem hiding among the decorations! Jump in there, make your way around the Slicestar, and grab all of the Vitalin and the Blue Gem. Drop back down and continue to the left. Drop down into the pit to grab some Tart Stix, then jump up to the upper left. Grab the Tart Stix in the up above and then steel yourself and head through the Green Door. The situation is similar to the one earlier in the level, with a Robo Red below some black climbable wires. Make your way over to the left, and grab the Keycard. After getting the Keycard, head back right, drop down, and go left through the Blue Door. Zap the Sparky as you continue left, then jump up to the security door (stunning the Sparky that guards the door, of course). Leap into the wall next to the EXIT sign and start slowly pogoing to the right to get some hidden Sugar Stoopies Cereal and Bags O' Sugar. Finally, with the rush of sugar, head out the door. Time to toast that machine! Head up and break into the Brownian Motion Inducer. BROWNIAN MOTION INDUCER: Head left from the entrance, and make your way across the moving purple platforms. Climb down the pole, keeping your head below danger as you go right to collect the goodies, then climb back up the pole, blasting the two Sparkys and taking the ammo that they guard. Climb to the top of the pole and head down the slope on the left. Watch out for little Amptons as you slide down the pole that you come to, stun the Sparkys that will try and charge you, climb the other pole into the roof for some hidden Tart Stix, and then grab the copious amounts of Vitalin on the right. After collecting all of the goodies, head back up the pole, up the ramp, climb the other pole, and jump on top of the red platform. Grab the Tart Stix and jump up the hole in the floor that's right above you. Head through doorway A and upon exiting on the other side stun the two Sparkys, grab the Chocolate Milk, and begin to climb down the pole. Jump over to the right on top of the non- functioning sentry gun, then jump down to grab the Sugar Stoopies Cereal below it. After that, make your way left across the poles and grab the Blue Gem. Climb back up through the floor using the right-most pole and head back through the doorway. Drop back down the hole in the floor, head right through the first arch (watch out for the Sparky that hangs out nearby) and jump up through the next hole in the floor. Grab the Shikadi Gum (and the Sugar Stoopies and Marshmallows, if you dare) and head through doorway B. Jump onto the purple moving platform, and grab the Sugar Stoopies and Yellow Gem. Ride the purple moving platform to the left and drop down to stock up on ammo. Climb into the wall and drop down for some mega points. Once at the bottom, head right, climb up the pole, and jump back up on the red platform above. Head all the way to the right, passing through the arches, and grabbing the Shikadi Gum and Bag O' Sugar. Head back left, jump through the hole in the floor, and run through doorway C. Head right, jumping to grab the Vitalin, and open the two Doors. Grab the Sugar Stoopies on the right side of the machine, then activate your pogo and destroy those fuses! One of the four machines protecting the main elevator shaft--toast! The main elevator shaft is now open! Head into the doorway of the now open right elevator and up to the top of The Armageddon Machine. Run up and hurry through the Gravitational Damping Hub. GRAVITATIONAL DAMPING HUB: Ah, the Gravitational Damping Hub. A fairly complex level that hides the way to the secret Korath III Base. Also the music rocks. From the beginning, wait for the Spirogrip to make his first lunge, do the Impossible Pogo Trick to get the Bags O' Sugar above, and then head to the right. Jump down into the Vote-face's chamber to get some more Sugar (and some hidden ammo above the Bags) and then jump out and climb the pole guarded by a Sparky. At the top of the pole, carefully make your way to the upper-right using the red moving platforms, and flick switch A. Jump over to the area on the left that's guarded by Spindreds, run underneath them, and watch out for the shots coming from the sentry guns as you head left to grab the Keycard and push button B. Continue back to the right on the purple moving platforms and drop back down to the bottom of the chamber. Slide down the pole and run left across the now activated platform, grabbing the Tart Stix as you go. Climb up the pole that you come to, and by wary of the Sparky and Sphereful that are nearby. Pogo up into the little chamber almost directly above the pole to stock up on some more ammo. Lure the Sphereful over to the left, then pogo up to the green platform above. What does that sign in the room on the left say? JUMP DOWN AT ARCH? Weird. Surely that'll become important later. Anyways, blast the Sparkys, pogo into the roof on the right of the bridge, and push button C to fall on the Green Gem. Gem in hand, slide down the pole, head right until you reach the end of the platform, drop down and head left to the beginning of the level. Open the Green Door, grab the Shikadi Gum, and push button D. Head back to the right, jump up to the platform above, and once again ride the red moving platforms up. This time, use the red moving platform that came out of the roof when switch A was toggled to jump through the now deactivated bridge D. Head right and around to the top, zapping the three Sparkys that guard the way, and then drop down when safe to run through the doorway. Coming out of the other side of the doorway, jump into the wall on the right for some hidden Bags O' Sugar and then head left. Blast the Sparky and, hey look! An arch! Jump down while under it and you'll fall below it. Head left and you'll drop down for a long time. When you hit the bottom, avoid the Slicestar as you use the red moving platforms to get up to a pole that's guarded by a Volte-face. Climb up the pole and carefully time your moves so that you can avoid the sentry guns' shots in order to grab the Red Gem. After getting the Gem, pogo up to the left from the top of the right- most sentry gun, open the Red Door, grab the Sugar Stoopies, and head up into the teleporter. As you step out onto Korath III, admire the yellow planet and head right to face danger in the secret Korath III Base. KORATH III BASE: Ah...bagpipes...their sound stirs the Scottish blood that flows deep in my veins. Anyways, try your best to avoid stunning the Scottish-looking natives of Korath III, they won't hurt you (though they do tend to be kind of pushy) and really just want to get on with their day. There is a very quick way to end the level, but we're going to spend some time collecting points. First of all, follow the arrow and drop into the pit below. There are two very long strings of Vitalin, first on the left-side of the pit and then on the right-side. After falling for nearly ten seconds, you'll eventually hit the bottom. Head to the left and begin the long climb up. Climb the first pole, stun or avoid the Volte-face, and climb up the pole that he guards. Grab the Chocolate Milk and Neural Stunner in the next room, and avoid the sentry gun as you pogo up through the hole in the ground to the level above. Be careful around the Slicestars and make your way on top of the platforms in order to climb the pole up into the next room. This time you only have the inhabitants of Korath III (Korathians?) to worry about. Jump to the upper platform and then climb the cyan platforms up the gap on the right side. Climb the purple pole, grab the Sugar Stoopies and Chocolate Milk and work your way up past the non- functioning sentry gun to climb the other purple pole. At the top of that pole, run to the left, grab the Blue Gem, and slide back down the two purple poles to enter the Blue Door and grab the Yellow Gem that it contains. With Yellow Gem in hand, head back up the two purple poles, grab the Neural Stunners, and go through the Yellow Door. Work your way up the small cyan platforms, grabbing the bowls of Sugar Stoopies Cereal and the Keg O' Vitalin by jumping along the left wall. Head through the arch at the top of the platforms and continue working your way up until you get to another pole. Climb the pole and grab all the Shikadi Gum as you continue to make your way up using the platforms. Finally you'll make it to a purple pole. Climb the pole into the bluish room and grab the ammo and the Green Gem. Once again prepare yourself for a long drop, grabbing any Vitalin you missed on the first trip down. This time, once you hit the bottom head right, jumping into the roof on the right-side of the arrow for some hidden Tart Stix. Jump up to the level above, and flick the switch. This will allow for the red moving platforms to escape and start moving up the left wall. Pogo up the small red platforms and the red falling platforms until you make it up to the arch. Pass under the arch and continue to work your way up, avoiding the Slicestar at all costs until you can make it to the pole above. Climb the pole and work your way up and around, grabbing all of the Shikadi Gum that you can. Once you make it to the poles, it's probably a good idea to stun the Little Amptons to avoid a frustrating death as you collect the Gum and climb up the middle pole. At the top of the pole, head left, watch out for the Slicestar, make your way up the small red platforms, and grab the Blue Gem up above. Drop back down and head right, riding the red moving platform up that side of the room, and head through the Blue Door. Jump up the flipping red platforms and climb the pole up above. Pogo straight up the red moving platforms until you make it to the safe ground above, and grab that Keycard. Now holding the Keycard, once again take the long drop down. Keep left, in case the red moving platforms are moving up, and make your way down until you hit one of those platforms, or the ground. If you did miss the red moving platforms, wait for them at the bottom, and ride them up to the top. Once you've made it to the top, jump over to the right (you'll probably end up opening the Green Door, but don't bother going through it), and pogo up against the right side of the wall above and deactivate the pogo as you reach the apex of your jump while holding RIGHT. You should pull yourself up into a little alcove. From there, use the Impossible Pogo Trick to get up to the cyan platform on the left (it can be tricky), grab all the Bags O' Sugar and ammo, use the Impossible Pogo Trick to get up to the fuse at the upper-right, activate your pogo stick, and bust that fuse! I wonder what that fuse was for.... Fuse destroyed, head into the teleporter, and once you pop out the other side run up and explode into the Quantum Explosion Dynamo. QUANTUM EXPLOSION DYNAMO: If "Mars, the Bringer of War" playing in the background didn't give you a hint, this is the big one, and can be at times very difficult, but don't give up! First head to the left wall and perform the Impossible Pogo Trick up to the left to grab a hidden ledge and move slowly to the left. You should drop down a bit, continue left and you'll come out in a room with some Neural Stunners. Grab the ammo, and pogo up above the left-most Neural Stunner for some hidden points. Head back to the right until you hit a hidden wall, and then pogo up to the left to grab an edge. Run left out of the wall, under the hazards, and grab the points and ammo. Finally, head back into the wall, jump while holding RIGHT, and keep right until you fall back down to the entrance. From the entrance, pogo up the red platforms and then perform the Impossible Pogo Trick to get on the sentry gun attached to the right wall above you (if you're having a hard time doing the Impossible Pogo Trick, you can just do a normal pogo jump up to the pipe first, but it is a bit more dangerous). Continue to use the Impossible Pogo Trick to work your way up the sentry guns on the right wall, jump up to the ledge above, and climb the pole. Avoid the sentry gun's shots and flick the switch to the left. Hope that the Shikadi Master doesn't teleport his way into the room you're in, and ride the purple moving platforms to grab the Green Gem above. After grabbing the Gem, slide down the pole and continue to the right. Work your way up the red platforms while avoiding the Slicestars and jump over to the right. Jump down through the platform and avoid the Spindreds as you slide down the poles as far as you can go. Once at the bottom of the poles, jump into the roof above the cyan fusebox on your left for some hidden Tart Stix, and continue right and drop down along the side, collecting the Vitalin as you go. Grab all up the ammo on your left, and jump into the chamber filled with Marshmallows. Mercilessly massacre the Shockshunds from below, then grab all of the Marshmallows and pogo up to their platform and over to the right to grab the Blue Gem. Head left under the arch and push the button to open up the bridge. Run under the Spindreds when it's safe to do so, and grab the goodies and, of course, the Red Gem. Head out of the pit and continue left across the hazard, which has always reminded me of a similar, spike-covered hazard from the original Sonic the Hedgehog (which came out some six months before The Armageddon Machine), up to the pole on the left. Climb the pole and head right across the other ones, but avoid clinging to the silver ones, as they connect to the Shikadi below. Make sure to grab the Yellow Gem below the second yellow pole, and climb up the right-most silver one. With all four Gems in hand, it's time to finish this. Head left through the Green, Blue, and Yellow Doors, climb the pole, head right across the phasers, and jump up to the Quantum Explosion Dynamo. You'll find that trying to destroy the core with your pogo or Neural Stunner is futile, you need heavier firepower. Pogo up to the ledge on the right, grab the ammo, and open the Red Door. You need to lure a Shikadi Mine over to the QED and have it explode over top. Specifically, you need a piece of shrapnel from the Mine to pierce the heart of the machine. Don't worry if you die in the explosion. As long as the machine is destroyed, you'll finish the game! Congratulations! You've completed Goodbye, Galaxy! Now enjoy the end text, translate the note for some shocking revelations, and get your name in the High Scores list! [9.7] How do I get through Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? Oh no! The evil Bloogs have kidnapped your babysitter! Time to get to work and rescue her! First off, head right and return to the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. BEAN-WITH-BACON MEGAROCKET: At first glance it seems like there's nothing here, but the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket holds a secret! Pogo up to the right wall and you can grab a secret ledge, what's more, if you perform the Impossible Pogo Trick up to the left from that ledge, you can get to ANOTHER secret ledge, enabling you to grab some Pizza Slices up above! If you're having trouble getting up there, save your game while Keen is off-screen on the first ledge, and load it again. Due to a bug in the program, after loading you'll be able to see the edges of the level, making it much easier! After getting the Pizza, return to the first ledge and head right to drop down to a fairly hazardous area. Make your way past all the hazards and claim some more goodies before heading out the exit. You can return to the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket at any time to stock up on Pizza Slices. What's more, if you're low on ammo (4 shots or less) you can return to the Megarocket to pick up three Neural Stunners (one above ground, and two in the secret passage below ground)! As well, it's a great place to practice jumping, pogoing, moving, and shooting. Well, with that out of the way, head to the left and hop across Bloogwaters Crossing. BLOOGWATERS CROSSING: Here's a nice simple area to start things off. Head right, collecting candy and Vivas, and avoiding the Bloogs and deadly water below. When you reach the switch, flick it up and continue to the right. After safely making it across the pillars in the water, climb up the two branches of the first "tree" that you see and wait. After some time a moving platform will come into view, it doesn't get too close so pogo over to it as soon as you feel like you can make it. Ride the platform to the left, collecting everything you can, and you'll soon make it to a Queen Viva! Grab the extra life and head back to the tree you jumped from. Clean out the nearby treetops and then drop down to the right to exit (watch out for the Babobba)! That wasn't too bad! Now it's time to head straight up and into the teleporter. After popping out the other side, head left and fight your way through Guard Post One. GUARD POST ONE: From the entrance, head left, watching out for the Babobba. Ignore the area and enemies above and...oh, a trap! You've dropped down into a pit. It's going to take some effort to work our way up to the other side. From the bottom of the pit, head to the right and jump into the alcove containing Neural Stunners. After stocking up on the ammo, drop down again and head to the left, dropping down as far as you can. From the bottom, head left to grab some goodies (watch out for the Bloog and Babobba) and then head to the right and flick the switch down. Go up one level and over to the pit of spikes. The switch that you just flipped let the platform to your left start moving. Jump onto that platform and ride it into the roof, jump to the left while in the roof to grab a ledge and collect some ammo. After that, get back on the moving platform and grab the Blue Gem. From the Blue Gem, head right and back up the small platforms to reach the Blue Door. Go through the Blue Door, watching out for baddies, and ride the two moving platforms back up out of the underground. Get on top of the Guard Post to perform a Cool Jump while collecting all of the Ice Cream Bars, and head out the exit. Alright! From the Guard Post, head to your left and cross into the First Dome of Darkness. FIRST DOME OF DARKNESS: The First Dome of Darkness is a simple looking level that contains many secrets. From the entrance head right into the dome. There is a path down below, marked by a sign with a flashing red hand. There are many rewards to be had there, but the path is fraught with danger. If you choose to take that path, you're on your own. You choose to live, however, head to the right until you make it to a small platform that leads upwards. Make your way up using the small platforms until you reach a switch. Flick the switch down and make your way down and back to the dome's entrance. To the right of the entrance there is a small platform you can jump to. Look up from it and you'll see the Blue Gem above you. Use the moving platform to grab that Gem and then head right. Jump up to the Blue Door, flick the switch on the other side, and ride the moving platform up to receive your reward. Wow! A rope and grappling hook! They look useful! With Grappling Hook in hand, head right and dare to enter the Second Dome of Darkness. SECOND DOME OF DARKNESS: From the entrance, head to the left, watch out for the Gik, and jump up the little platform right above the deactivated bridge. Waste the Bloogs and work your way around to snag the Blue Gem. From the Blue Gem, make your way up and to the right (grabbing the Neural Stunner on your left if you need some ammo) collecting the Bloog Soda until you reach the Bloog that guards a pole. Climb down the pole, work your way down a level, jump through the arch on your left to grab some ammo, then drop down again to open the Blue Door. Watch out for the Babobba as you head left and down, and flick the switch that you come upon. Make your way back, past the Blue Door, and jump up to the right. Head right, dropping down past the deactivated bridge, and go through the arch and down to the poles to collect the Yellow Gem (and the Banana Splits, if you're brave enough). After grabbing the Yellow Gem, head back up the pole, through the arch, and jump up the gap above to get to the Yellow Door. Toggle the switch on the other side of the Door, and head back down to the now activated bridge above the arch. Pogo up to flick the switch above the bridge, and then head back up to the pole that was guarded by the Bloog. After climbing the pole, pogo up to the right and climb over the structure. Watch out for the Bloog below, and continue heading right, until you fall into the gap above a small room containing a Bloog guarding some Ice Cream Bars. Jump over to the small platform to your left and look down. Jump down to the moving platform below, and allow the OK block to push you off, letting you safely collect the Red Gem and fall below. After hitting the ground, head left, cross the now activated bridge across the spikes, open the Red Door, and head out the exit! Ok, this cave is clear. Go out the other teleporter and head up to hungrily enter Bloogfoods, Inc. BLOOGFOODS, INC.: Here is a somewhat confusing and frustrating level with a delicious prize waiting at the end. From the entrance, avoid the pounder and take the moving platforms up and over to the left. Climb the platforms and jump down to grab the Red Gem. From the Gem, collect the Bloog Soda with a Cool Jump and upon landing jump down to the moving platform. Get on the moving platform that is going right and jump to the ledge that you come to. Make your way over from the ledge and jump down below. Continue right until you make it to the end of the platform you're on, fall off, and continue left under the pounders. Grab the Ice Cream Bars as you make your way under the pounders, carefully jump over the exhaust vent, and grab the Blue Gem. After grabbing the Gem, head back to the right and ride the moving platform (operated by a Bip) up to the switch. Flick the switch, head through the Blue and Red Doors, and jump up to toggle the other switch. Pogo up onto the moving platform above and then over to the small platform. Pogo into the wall on your right for some hidden Banana Splits and then go back through the Doors. Jump to your left across the two conveyer belts and wait on the small ledge. Soon, a moving platform will come down near to where you're standing. Ride it up to the top, take out the Blooguard, jump over to the platform along the right wall. Jump down and, when safe, head to the left and take out the Blooguard. Jump up the platform and wrap around to grab the Green Gem. Once you have the Green Gem in your possession, fall down and head right back through the Blue and Red Doors. Run past the switch (avoiding the exhaust vents, of course) and drop straight down to open the Green Door. You'll now be in a room with six switches guarded by a Bloog. Take out the Bloog and flick all but the second switch. Wait for the moving platform to come down near the first switch and ride it up to the conveyer belt (you may have to pogo off the slope on the left side). Grab the goodies in the alcove above the belt, and then wait for another moving platform to come down the left side. Zap the Blooguard on your right, flick the switch he's guarding, grab the goodies above that switch, and ride the now moving platform up. Jump to the left and ride the moving platform to the right. Take out the Blooguard, head right, and bounce off the falling platform to grab the Stupendous Sandwich of Chungella IV. This is second biggest sandwich I ever saw! Pockets full of food, head back through the teleporters to Bloogwaters Crossing, head left and use the Grappling Hook to climb up the steep cliff and foolishly enter the Bloogdome. THE BLOOGDOME: Ah, the Bloogdome, home of the Nospikes. As the sign with the red hand indicates, this level is dangerous and optional, but there are some goodies to be had so don't lose heart! Nospikes are tough enemies, each taking four shots to down, but if you get one to charge off a cliff he'll fall to his doom. From the entrance grab the Neural Stunner, zap the Nospike before he runs you through, and jump up to the Vivas on the ledge above. Continue upwards and flip the switch on the left to engage the moving platform. Carefully make your way up the moving platforms while avoiding the plasma orbs. Watch out for the Gik that guards the platform with the Blooglet. Ride the rotating platforms to the upper-right to grab the goodies up there, then ride them down to the passage in the lower left. Jump up to the pole and slide down, grab the goodies below, and then climb back up again. Jump back up to the rotating platforms and head to the bottom right. Jump over to the platform the Blooglet is running across and pogo up (if you can) to the ledge above for some Ice Cream Bars and Pizza Slices. If you've tired of the Bloogdome, avoid the plasma orb next to the Blooglet's platform and fall against the right side of the dome's outer wall to quickly reach the exit. If you want to stock up on some more points, however, stick close to the red rock wall as you fall. Look down from the purple platform that you'll land on, and jump down when it's safe. Take out the Nospike and avoid the Gik, flip the switch and climb the pole. This will start you on a linear path to the very dangerous, yet rewarding underground section full of points, Vivas, and moving platforms. Once you're done down there, head back to the Gik and run out the exit on the right. Well that was a nice bit of dilly-dallying. From the Bloogdome, head down and make your way into Bloogton Manufacturing, Inc. BLOOGTON MANUFACTURING, INC.: From the entrance, watch out for the Blooguard and head right, flicking the switch and riding the now moving platform up. Ignore the Red Gem, we won't be needing it. Ride the moving platform up, and jump to the left while grabbing the Ice Cream Bars to reach the tilted platforms on your left. Shoot the Blooguard from the conveyer belt, jump over, and pogo up to the top of the long sloped platform. Climb up that platform, grabbing Ice Cream Bars and taking out the Blooguard until you get to the small platforms slanting up to the left. Pogo up the small platforms and jump up to the right using the yellow platform. Pogo up to the little platform supported by the red girder to get some delicious Pizza Slices and then get up to the sloped platform above you. Head left up the platform and jump over to the strange octagonal structure. Slide down the pole and flip the switch. Pogo back to the sloped platform and ride the now moving platform up to the other octagonal structures. Flip the switches and grab the goodies in both, and return to the entrance. From the entrance head right, look out for the Ceilick (and jump into the roof to grab the goodies he was protecting) and ride the moving platform over to get Queen Viva. The platform, however, will get too close to the roof right after getting the extra life, so much sure you jump up to the right to get it, landing on the other side of the plasma orbs, and then wait for the platform to make another round before using it to hop back over to the left. From there, make your way over to the far left side, avoiding the other Ceilick (and getting his goodies too), and ride the rotating platform over to the Yellow Gem. After snagging the Gem, reverse your steps all the way back to the top of the right-most octagonal structure. From there, jump up to the Yellow Door on the right and fly through the exit. After clearing the factory, run up and ascend Bloogton Tower. BLOOGTON TOWER: Kill the Bloogs and run left to grab the first Red Gem, then head to the right elevator shaft to wait for the moving platform to come down. Jump on the platform and take it to the top. Eat some delicious Ice Cream Bars and grab the ammo, and then jump into the right wall to find a secret passage downwards. At the bottom of the shaft, jump into the roof at right to grab some hidden Ice Cream Bars, and then head to the left elevator shaft. Ride the moving platform up to its first stop and jump right. Get the Bloog Soda below (look out for the Bloog) and the Root Beer Floats above, and then jump back over to the left side. Flip the switch and wait for the next floating platform to lower so you can take it up. At the top, jump left and head through the first Red Door. Drop down the gap, first to the left to grab the Neural Stunner and the Pudding hidden in the right wall, then jump over to the right to flick the switch. Ride the moving platform up to the top of the elevator and jump left. Blast the Blue Blooglet and grab the Blue Gem from him. Take that Gem and head to the right to head through the Blue Door. From the Door get up to the platform above, stun the Blooguard, and flick the switch. Continue left, pogo up to the ledge above, and up to the pole. Slide down the pole, grab the ammo, then jump up to the switch to toggle it. Drop down two levels to get to the pole below (watching out for the Ceilick) and flick the switch down the pole. Fall down one floor (past the Blue Door), and head right. Pogo up to grab the second Red Gem. Return to the foot of the tower and head left. There will now be a moving platform controlled by a Bip, use it to grab the Green Gem and then ride the moving platforms back up the elevator shaft to the Blue Door. Wait next to the switch above, and use the moving platform to go up to the switch above, and open the Green Door and flick the switch inside. Grab the Pizza Slices and Ice Cream Bars, and ride the moving platform up as high it will go. Head left, taking out the Fleex that guards the way, then use the moving platform to jump up to the left. Open the second Red Door, flick the switch, and right the moving platform to the left to collect your prize: What's this? Cool! A Passcard for the Bloogstar Rocket! (It can fly through their force field.) Now that we've collected everything we need for the journey, head up and smash through Guard Post Two. GUARD POST TWO: This Guard Post is a decently sized level containing many secrets both high above and down below. From the entrance, pogo up into the tree above, grabbing Vivas and some ammo, and into the entrance on your right. Blast the Blooglet and Blooguard and head right, carefully falling beside the plasma orb for a Pizza Slice. If you're confident in your jumping skills, you can ride the moving platform to the right for additional points, but it'll soon dead-end and eventually you'll need to make your way back out the arch and drop down to the Guard Post's main entrance below. Watch out for the Blooguard guarding the entrance, and then fall down to the left to flip the switch in front of the Yellow Blooglet. Return back to the main entrance, jump up to the right, and ride the moving platform up to the Red Blooglet. Stun the Blooglet and grab the Red Gem and Root Beer Floats that he guards. Gem in hand, head back down and to the right this time. Grab the Root Beer Float above the Yellow Blooglet, zap the Bloog, and flick the switch. Head right and ride the moving platform over to the other side of the deadly chasm. Make your way through the Red Door on the right and up to the Yellow Blooglet to get the Yellow Gem that he holds. With the Yellow Gem, go back to the chasm's edge and pogo up to the ledge on the left. Go left, stun the Blooguard, and head left and right, working your way up the interior of the structure, avoiding enemies and grabbing goodies as you go. You'll soon see the Yellow Gem's socket. Blast the Red Blooglet and Blooguard, and place the Yellow Gem to open the Yellow Door below. Work your way back down, head through the Yellow Door and out the arch on the other side of the Guard Post. Once again, jump into the tree for some Vivas and a Pizza Slice up top, and then jump right, out the exit. With another Guard Post out of the way, head up and seek thrills in Bloogville. BLOOGVILLE: From the entrance head right, activate the switch, and ride the moving platform up the shaft. Head to the left and down, and begin on a high note by grabbing the Red Gem (though watch out for the Ceilicks above you). Red Gem in hand, head back to the right (you can also jump up to the left to head towards a hyper-dangerous area full of goodies and death, but I won't be helping you there) and jump over to the other side of the shaft. Fall down the gap for some delicious Banana Splits, and then jump up to the right to flick the switch above. Jump back to the moving platform and ride it up top to the Red Door. Go through the Door and jump into the right wall for a hidden Pizza Slice. Head right, flip the switch down, and double back to grab the goodies that were behind the electric arc. Now return to the switch, flip it back up, and then jump off of it with your pogo stick to get to the platform above. Jump onto the rotating platforms and take them around to the right side, don't forget the Pizza Slices above! Jump out of the arch onto the branches of the nearby tree. Grab all of the goodies that you can around the tree, work your way down on the right side, and grab the Yellow Gem! With the Gem, try using the Impossible Pogo Trick to make your way back up the way you came. If you're having a hard time doing that, just head left and take the moving platform back up to the Red Door. Take the rotating platforms to the left, avoid the Ceilick, and hop to the upper platform. Watch out for the Gik and head through the Yellow Door. Flick the switch you've unlocked, head down to the left, and then run right to grab the Blue Gem. Head back to the rotating platforms and take them over to the right once again. Jump down past the trees, head left, and drop down to the level below. Head right, and watch out for the dangerous Gik that will get in your way. Drop down once you get to the edge of the platform, open the Blue Door, avoid the Ceilick and grab the Green Gem. Now that you have the Gem, drop back down to ground level and head right through the Green Door and to the exit. With that town out of the way, head right. Put the Grabbiter to sleep with the Stupendous Sandwich, continue to the right and rocket into the Bloog Aeronautics and Space Administration. BLOOG AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION: It's a Fleex infestation! I hope you like horizontal travel because in BASA you'll be moving mostly from left to right. From the entrance head right, jump up to the switch on the upper right, flick it and ride the moving platform over to the left to collect the Red Gem. Red Gem in hand, drop down to the right, flick the switch you run into, pogo up above the pole to find some hidden treats in the ceiling, and slide down the pole to the Red Door. Go through the Red Door, watch out for the Gik, and use the moving platform to get the Yellow Gem. Climb back up the pole, watch out for the Gik, and head right through the Yellow Door. Head right through the electric arcs to grab some good stuff, and then climb up the pole and head to the right. Flip the switch and jump on the moving platform to take a ride on the moving platform into the wall and down to the left. Ignore the first switch for now and ride over to the second switch. Flip the second switch, run across the newly formed bridge, getting all the Ice Cream Bars you can, and then pogo up to the first switch to flick it as well. Run over to the right and jump up the landing. Avoid the urge to flip the switch, and jump onto the Gik's back. Ride him over all of the radioactive waste to get some Puddings and Ice Cream Bars, and then jump over to the right side and climb up the pole. Kill the Fleex on the left from a safe distance and then hop over the gap and head left and up. Up on the next level, head right, but watch out for the Orbatrix, he's invincible and has a strange attack pattern. Get the Green Gem at the very right and then head back over to the pole. Climb down both poles and head right, go through the Green Door. Work your way up and around and grab the Blue Gem. With Blue Gem in hand, you're ready to escape from BASA. Climb back up the pole and head to the right. Blast the Fleex and unlock the Blue Door. With that out of the way, run out the Blue Door and exit! Alright, we're almost ready head into space for the final showdown. First though, head left and boldly assault Guard Post Three. GUARD POST THREE: From the beginning, head right, zap the Blooguard, and drop down to the left to grab the Red Gem. With the Gem in hand, jump up to the Red Door, open it, and run through. Head up and to the right for some goodies, and then back over to the left. Flip the switch, then head back to the arched entrance of the Guard Post and jump up to the moving platform. Climb up the pole at the top, run left, flip the switch and grab the goodies nearby, and then drop down into the pit. Zap the Yellow Blooglet for the Yellow Gem, flick the switch, and head back up to where the Blooguard was. Run right, through the arch, and wait for the moving platform to come back up for you. Ride the moving platform down (or jump up to the Pizza Slices on the right) and fall down on the left side of the now open pit in the ground. Flip the switch and grab the goodies, then jump across to the right into the lower structure of the Guard Post. Hit the switch and drop off the right side while hugging the wall to grab some hidden goodies. Jump back up and ride on the moving platform to get some Vivas. Be warned though, it will slide into the red rocky wall on the right, so make sure you hold RIGHT as you approach it to avoid death below. Head back to the left and ride the moving platform back out of the pit. (An interesting sidenote: you can fall down along the right side of the wall into the slot where the moving platform was originally hiding in order to snag three Queen Vivas. The only problem is, it's very difficult to get out without dying, so it's probably not worth the effort to get a couple of extra lives.) From the top of the pit, head right, back up through the Red Door, and up to left to go through the Yellow Door. Blast the Blooguard and hit the switch that he was guarding. Ride the moving platform up to the arch on the left and stun the second Green Blooglet to get the Green Gem. Now that you have the Gem, head back through the Red Door and drop down to open the Green Door and head over to the right, cross the bridge, grab the Bloog Soda with a Cool Jump, and head out the exit. Guard Post out of the way, jump into the rocket, fly up to the space platform, the run down to whoop it up at Bloogbase Recreational District. BLOOGBASE RECREATIONAL DISTRICT: Eat at Joe's! From the entrance head left and flick the switch, but watch out for the Bipship, its shots will make quick work of you. Climb down the pole and drop down to the level below. Blast the Red Blooglet to get the Red Gem, and head left into the Red Door (watching out for the Babobba) to get the Yellow Gem. With the Yellow Gem, head back up to the pole and go left to open the Yellow Door. Go down the slope, flick the switch up, and jump into the right wall for some monster points. Head back to the pole, and jump up through the newly opened hole above. Head left, watch out for enemies (including the slow- moving Blorb), and flick the switch, and jump onto the moving platform that comes down to get you. As the platform reaches the top of its ascent, perform the Impossible Pogo Trick into the air on your right. You'll land on an invisible platform! Run to the right and head through the door. Six extra lives!!! Take your reward and head through this hidden exit. Alright! Almost time to save Molly, but we're not done having fun at the Bloogbase just yet! Head up and purposefully strut into the Bloogbase Management District. BLOOGBASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT: From the beginning, grab all the candy around you and head left. When you get to the edge of the floor you're on, drop down to the right, into the wall. Jump around and continue right and you'll get some great hidden treats, including Pizza Slices and Banana Splits. Once done there, jump left across the dangerously uncooled radioactive fuel rods to the Bloog Soda spelling out ID in the Standard Galactic Alphabet. Look down, and drop to the switch when it's safe to do so. Ride the moving platform up, pogo up to the left, and drop down on the other side. Carefully work your way across the yellow platforms over to the left, across the bridge, and pogo up to the ledge above using the falling platform. Make your way left and up to the ledge above. Flip the switch and drop back down to the bridge that you just crossed. The bridge will be gone, so flip the switch that was underneath it and go up right back where you came from. The bridge up top will now be activated, so run across it and jump off the falling platforms to the right. Grab the goodies, flick the switch that you encounter on the other side, and drop down. Head over to the left, jump across the electric arcs, and run out the exit. With the Districts out of the way, run left THROUGH the Bloog Control Center and wait against the railing. Very soon a satellite will come by to take you to the secret level! Once there, warily enter Blooglab Space Station. BLOOGLAB SPACE STATION: Ah, the secret level. Head right, grabbing the goodies, and run through the arch into the station, jumping into the small wall on the right for some points. From there, jump up to the left to grab some goodies, and then head right and start climbing down the pole. Go through the arch on the left, zap the Yellow Blooglet for the Yellow Gem, and climb down to the bottom of the pole. Head left through the arch and drop down. Ride the moving platforms on the left to grab some Pizza Slices and a Queen Viva, then go through the Yellow Door on the right. Climb up, flick the switch above, then drop down and head right to grab some treats and, more importantly, the Blue Gem. After getting the Blue Gem, go back up through the arch and open the Blue Door. Ride the moving platform up into the roof and immediately jump to the right. You'll drop down into a secret passage head left to find some ammo, monster points, and a translation of the Standard Galactic Alphabet! Once you're done here, flick the switch and ride the moving platform back up to the Green Gem. After grabbing the Gem, climb back up the pole and head right through the Green Door. Flip the switch up, take a ride on the moving platform as far as it will take you, climb down the pole, and head out the exit! Finally, it's time for a showdown with the Bloogs. Jump back on the satellite to return to the Bloogbase and bravely enter the Bloog Control Center, looking for Molly. BLOOG CONTROL CENTER: From the entrance of this dark place, activate your pogo stick, bounce off the switch, and land back safely on the right. Jump onto the moving platform that will come your way, jump over the plasma orbs, and land next to the door. Look down. You see that Blue Blooglet down there? He has the Blue Gem. Blast him and grab it. After grabbing the Blue Gem, pogo up and head through the door. The Green Blooglet you see running above you has the Green Gem. Head right, jump to the platform above, make your way safely across the pools of radioactive waste, and zap the Blooglet to get it. Green Gem in hand, go back down below and enter the first doorway (the one you came in through). What the...? This room looks exactly the same as the last! But wait, there's a Yellow Blooglet above and he has, unsurprisingly, the Yellow Gem. Once again make your way up to the Blooglet, stun him, and this time get the Yellow Gem for your efforts. With the Gem in your possession, drop down and enter the third doorway (that is, third from the left). You'll now drop down a chute into dangerous territory. Ignore the pole (though pogo into the roof above it for some points) and head right, watching out for the electric arc. Watch the spinning red platforms for a moment to get their timing down, and then jump up first to the Banana Splits on the right, and then over on top of the eyeball on the left. Jump across the arcs when it's safe to do so, and run through the doorway. Oh boy, a room full of Red Blooglets. Use the poles to safely make it past the sentry gun, and run into the flood of Blooglets. Hopefully you have a lot ammo to spare, or it'll be tough going. If you are running low, just make sure to watch out for the Ceilicks along the lower path. The Red Blooglet you're looking for is one of the two at the upper-left. Blast them and you'll gain possession of the Red Gem. With all four Gems, it's now time to save Molly. Blast the Blooguards and jump up on the right-most eyeball, blast the Blooglet, and head through the doorway when it's safe. Coming out the other side, head right and flip the switch. Jump up the claws and take the moving platform over to the left. Bounce off of the switch over to the eyeball next to it, and blast the Blooguard guarding the Gem sockets. Place the Gems in the appropriate sockets and use the moving platform that passes by to get some last-minute Pizza Slices and ammo at the very upper-left. Use that same moving platform to head right get up above to the Doors. Ignore the doorway with the big NO sign next to it, head left through the Doors and save Molly! Sit back, relax, enjoy the dialogue, (possibly) learn some shocking new things, and give yourself a cookie for having completed the final Commander Keen game for the PC! [9.8] How do I get through Commander Keen? Well, it looks like Mort is at it again, causing trouble in the universe! Let's go put a stop to his plan. As a bonus, each level begins with the level summary found in the Commander Keen manual! You start off on the Omegamatic Warp Drive. Head down and to the left and teleport to Droidiccus Prime. From there enter into the first area. ROBOT HIVE: 'A huge factory with high-tech robot construction equipment. As you'd expect, your main enemies are an assortment of robots with varying intelligence. They buzz around like bees and are looking for heroes to sting!' Well here we are in the first level of Droidiccus Prime. Start off by getting used to the unusual controls. Practice pogoing, jumping, and shooting. Once you're comfortable with it head over to the left. Take out the robots that stand in your path and jump up to the platform with a tipped toxic barrel. Wait a moment and a moving platform should come to you. Grab it and head right. After reaching the end of its journey, go up and flick the switch. Once you've flicked the switch, head back as far left as you can go and you will see a small platform. Jump onto it and it will begin to rise, heading toward the Yellow Key. Grab the Key and head right, pogoing up past where you originally teleported in. Watch out for the Cyba-Mallow and Droids as you work your way to the right. If you're in the mood for points, the path above definitely provides. Eventually you'll make it to a pole. Climb down it and jump over to the spikes on the right. Once again, carefully work your way to the right, avoiding (or eliminating) any opposition. After riding a moving platform, you'll come to a bizarre hazard of metal shuttles that zip up and down. After passing them and going a little farther right, you'll find some platforms that try and move you into spikes. Jump past them quickly and you'll find the Yellow Door. Pass through the Door, head right, and you'll find the teleporter which will take you to the next part of the level. Coming out of the teleporter, head left. Ignore the hint that points you in the other direction and go up to flip the switch. This will activate the moving platforms that you'll need to use for the rest of the level. Use these platforms to work your way to the right, constantly collecting goodies and avoiding death. If you find that some yellow boxes are blocking your path, shoot them! These Shootable Blocks will fall down and open the way for you. You'll eventually come to a seemingly impassable pit of spikes (right near the crazy clock), but if you just wait a moving platform will come to get you. Take it and pogo to the other side of the pit. Keep heading right, jump over the pole, and you'll get to a hint of an Up-arrow. Shoot at the boxes above your head and use them to reach the upper path. Take this upper path to the right, and ride a movable platform above the chain. You will now probably see and extra life just out of reach. Shoot up while behind the pillar and a Shootable Block will drop, allowing you to get the life. Keep heading right and up, and you'll finally see the exit teleporter, guarded by a Sentry Droid. Sneak past the Droid and finish the level. Head up the path, and it's off to the Fiery Canyon! FIERY CANYON: 'This dark and shadowy cavern is full of fire pits, falling platforms, Fire Imps, and moving platforms. Be careful where you jump!' Hmm, there's a weird tribal theme going on here. You start off with the Green Door on your right, so head to the left to begin your exploration. Make sure to keep to the upper path, as below is fraught with danger. If you manage to make it all the way to the upper left, you'll find a teleporter, take it and you'll find yourself in the next section of the level. Head to the right. You'll find yourself waiting for a lot of baskets in this section of the level. Entertain yourself by collecting all the goodies scattered about. Eventually, after many basket trips over fire, you'll find the Green Key. Grab it, and head back the way that you came. Coming out of the teleporter, head down and to the left and flick that switch that you come upon. Now head all the way back to the right, taking care around the Fire Imps, Doods, Dargs, and Droids, and go through the Green Door. Head to your right and ride the basket over to the other side. Go up and ride the green moving platform for some extra points, and then keep going right. You'll soon come to a huge pit of fire and a yellow moving platform. Ride it to the right, grab the extra life, and then come back and head downward, avoiding the Droidican Elite, and go through the teleporter. Coming out of the teleporter, head left to collect some goodies, and then go back over to the right. You'll ride a basket over to the right (watch out for the Elite!) but it'll stop mid-way! Get up on the platform and pogo over to the right, aiming to land between the edges of the big pillar in the background. Beware the Fire Imp and then head right. There's the exit! It's time to get a Plasma Crystal! Head up and attack The Imperial Palace! THE IMPERIAL PALACE: 'It's the third level in the world of Droidiccus Prime and things are getting tricky. To complete this level, you'll have to face the Droidican Emperor.' From the entrance, head to the right. Blast the Shootable Block to create a platform to jump up to the flasks on the left. Mega points! Climb down the pole and prepare to perform the most difficult jump in the game. You need to pogo to the right, over to the flag on the other side. If you don't launch off the very edge of the platform, however, you probably won't make it. Once you get to the Yellow Door, work your way left and up, and flick the switch. From there work your way back to the beginning of the level. Head left, climb the pole, and then head to the right. You see that small yellow almost star-shaped platform? That's your target! Jump on it and ride it down between the gap below. Flick the switch on the right and jump back up. From here, follow the hint and head left. Climb the second pole, continue left, and then flick the switch. After that you're ready to head right into the teleporter. Coming out, head left, grab the points, and then drop down the gaps in the middle of the platform structure that you come upon. It's the Yellow Key! Grab it and head back to the teleporter. Back in the main room, head over to the right again, across that difficult jump, and through the Yellow Door. Head right, grabbing the points and pogoing up for an extra life, shooting at your enemies. Head into the teleporter and prepare for your battle with The Droidican Emperor in the Royal Chambers. The Droidican Emperor is a fairly simple boss to beat. Jump over to the green button on the left and push it whenever he's underneath the jet in the middle. Blast the robots that he teleports in, and stand to the right of the button when he tries to throw poison at you. He'll be scrap in no time! Claim the Red Plasma Crystal and teleport out. Head back to the Omegamatic Warp Drive and take the right teleporter to Shikadi. It's time to roast some mushrooms! FOREST O' CRAZY MUSHROOMS: 'Oversized alien mushrooms are all over this level. Commander Keen must also avoid the deadly slugs that compete with the mushrooms for the sparse sunlight on this strange planet.' From the entrance, make a quick left for some goodies and then head to the right. Watch out for the Berkeloids, Poison Slugs, and collapsing ground as you head toward the twisting trees. Stand on the large fungal protrusions and jump over to the teleporter. Once you pop out of the teleporter, head left for some goodies and then head down below the teleporter. Once you reach the bottom, wait at the hint arrow that points right. Eventually a moving platform will come for you. Jump on it, avoid the Shikadi Sentries, and grab the Red Key. Head up, collect the points up in the trees, and then head back to the teleporter. (Note: You can actually pogo from the right edge of these trees over to the right and skip part of the level, but it's kind of a difficult leap and really doesn't save too much time.) Out of the teleporter continue trekking right, and you'll soon find yourself at the Green Door. Climb down the pole, claim the Green Key, and go through the Door. Head to the right, grabbing point items and avoiding enemies, and then jump into the teleporter on the top level (pogo on the Bounder if you find yourself below it). Popping out of the teleporter, head right and into the trees. Make sure you always find safe footing on the platforms! You'll soon find yourself at yet another platform. Jump into it and you'll find yourself right above the Red Door. Head right while staying on the upper path and you'll soon run into the teleporter that gets you out of these insane woods! After the forest we have to deal with some mines. THE PLASMA CRYSTAL MINES: 'The whole place has been littered with robo- mines, making it tricky to negotiate the maze-like tunnels and inlets where the Shikadi harvest plasma crystals.' Personally, I find this to be the most difficult of all the levels, mostly due to the fact that the deadly fire chutes blend very nicely into the background. But there's no way around it! We have to go through these mines! From the entrance head left, always avoiding the fire! If you want to get the Small Crystals, hit the Shootable Block and use it to pogo up there. As you head left, you'll soon encounter a switch. Flip it and head up for some points. Now head back over to the right, grab some Small Crystals and watch out for Robo Red! Keep on going until you see some platforms heading up and to the left. Jump up these platforms and head left to grab the Red Key. Head right to the Arachnu and use the moving platform to pogo up to the next level. Continue right and you soon find yourself at the Red Door. Blow through it and keep on going and you'll soon reach a teleporter. On the other side of the teleporter, head right, go up, and grab the Yellow Key. Go left, through the Yellow Door, and follow the path to the switch. Flip that switch and then run back to the Door. Jump on the little platform to get up to the extra life, and then go right and up to where the Yellow Key was. The other small platform will now also go up, so jump on it and head to the right and up. When you come upon the extra life, knock down the Shootable Block and pogo from the higher ground towards it. From there keep heading right and you'll find yourself at a chasm that can only be crossed by using the small moving platforms. Time your jumps carefully, and move your way to the right. Once back on safer ground, continue right avoiding the fire pits and Shikadi Sentries, and you'll soon find the teleporter out of there. Only one level remains here on Shikadi. It's time to go into space! SHIKADI IN SPACE: 'Commander Keen is beamed aboard the Shikadi Spacecraft for a showdown with the Shikadi Overlord. He'll hunt you down and blast you to smithereens with his rocket launcher so you'd better be ready for him.' Watch your step as you come aboard! That dangerous looking beam above you IS dangerous! Head right and down into the teleporter that you'll soon come across. Collect all the Rockets and jump up to the right to flick a switch, then head back through the teleporter. If you want to grab some extra points, from here head all the way back to the entrance. If not (or if you've been there and back again), head down and right from the teleporter, making your way over and up until you see a Shootable Block. Knock that sucker down and use it to jump up there and snag the Yellow Key. With Key in hand, head back down and take the moving platforms to the right and up to the teleporter. From the teleporter, head right across the dropping green platforms. Head through the Yellow Door and hit the Shootable Block above you to be able to pogo on top of the Door and ride a moving platform to an extra life. With that done, it's time to head into the teleporter for a Shikadi Showdown. The Shikadi Overlord is probably the easiest of the three bosses. Touching him won't kill you, he telegraphs his moves, and you have lots of room to maneuver if he does manage to get a shot off. Just stay under him and shoot his eye when it glows. Without too much of a fight he'll be defeated and the Blue Plasma Crystal will be yours! Only one more world to go! Head back to the Omegamatic Warp Drive and up to Fribbulus Xax. Go up to the lake and we're ready to go! BLOOGLET LAKE: 'This swampy lake-land is infested with deadly creatures, but some are harmless. The water in this lake contains some nasty surprises, so you'd better time your jumps right!' Ignore the writing on the wall that tell you to go right and head left. Avoid the enemies and admire the drawing of a Dopefish on the wall. Continue onward until you hit the Danger sign. Stand on the small island next to it and wait for a small wooden moving platform. Jump on it and right to the left to grab the Green Key. Head up and left for some goodies and an extra life, or just head back to right to continue on your journey. After going to the right for a while, you'll run into a switch. Flick it, and ride the wooden platform to the right, making sure to avoid the dangerous solid platform that will push you off if you're not careful. Head through the Green Door and over to a pit of spikes. If you get to the edge of the pit, you'll notice a Shootable Block. Knock it down and pogo over to it (make sure to not back up too much, or the Block will bring itself back up and you'll be pogoing straight into a bed of spikes). Head to the right, avoid the leaping Dopefish and jump into the nearby teleporter. If that Gik below is jumping right into you, be sure to mash the SELECT button to teleport back-and-forth until you find yourself in relative safety. Head right past the Bloog and Dopefish, and jump onto the moving wooden platforms. Keep heading right, and when you get to the Shootable Blocks, hit the first one and pogo onto the second to snag the life and get across. Once you get to the pole, climb up it and continue right and up. It looks like you've come to a dead-end! Look carefully though and you'll see a wiggling cloud with candy on it. Jump over to it, and continue on the path of wiggling clouds until you get on solid ground. From there, it's a simple task of heading right and soon finding the exit. Almost there! Head up and into the fortress that lies ahead. BOBBA FORTRESS: 'This fortress has so many traps, guards, and intruder deterrents; it'll be super-hard to get out alive. Keep your eyes on the ceilings, walls, as well as the floors, and you might make it through.' Welcome to what is easily the most frustrating level in the game. Begin the torture by grabbing the goodies around you and heading right. As you come toward the second brick structure, notice that there is some candy above two little green platforms. This will become important a little bit later. Continue right, and you'll soon come to a much bigger castle-like structure with some more little green platforms, along with a little red one that appears out of the wall. It'll be these red platforms that will drive you crazy later, so practice jumping on this one now. Head to the right and down, watching out for the Bobba and Nospike. Continue right, past various enemies, points, and a pole, and you'll soon find yourself at a castle with some dangerous looking chained spikes. Avoid the trap, go right, and head downward, grabbing some keys as you go. Once you've made it as far down as you can go, head left and take the moving platform across the spikes to the Yellow Key. Armed with the key, head back up where you came from and head right through the Yellow Door and into the teleporter. From the teleporter, head right and up to the platform that has a left- facing axe. Soon enough a moving platform will come towards you. Take it and go along the upper path past the Nospikes. It's the Green Key! Grab the Key and wait for another moving platform to come to you. Get on it, head to the right, and after grabbing all there is to get up there fall down. As you move right you'll run into a big axe, some of those red platforms that go in and out of the wall, and the most frustrating point in the entire game. I hope you've saved up some lives and continues, because you're most likely going to be using them to get past this part. The idea is to jump from one red platform to the next to get to the right side, and then go up and double-back, working your way up to the top. As long as you're patient and only jump once your platform has begun to move into the wall, you should be able to get past this deadly skill puzzle (all that awaits below you is a bottomless pit). The hardest part is jumping up to the last two red platforms, as it requires you to use your pogo stick, which may throw off your rhythm. After making it to the top, get onto safe ground on the right and flick that switch. Head right and wait at the axe for a moving platform to take you above the barrier. Jump over on the right side of that barrier, hugging the wall to avoid the antenna's shots, and head right through the Green Door. Keep going right, taking the upper or lower path (or both), defeating enemies, collecting goodies, and making your way over obstacles, and you'll soon find yourself at the teleporter that exits the Fortress. It's time to grab that last Plasma Crystal! Prepare yourself, and enter the Techno Lab. TECHNO LAB: 'What's worse than the Bloogs you've just defeated? The ROBO-BLOOG of course! 'This guy is the last enemy on this world and if you can defeat him you may just be able to save your planet. Watch out though, Robo-Bloog has the brain of an evil super-computer and can outsmart almost any being.' This is it! From the beginning, head to the left, up, and back over to the right. Flick the switch that's guarded by a Blooguard and then head down and to the right. Keep on going right, and keep on the lookout for the second strange Keen-like worm thing in a blue tank in the background (not the one that's above a blue platform). Right below this abomination you'll find the Red Key! Continue to the right, past multiple enemies and goodies. In time you'll come to what may appear to be a dead-end with an arrow sign pointing to the right. Trust the arrow and pogo off to the right, continue in that direction (watching out for a collapsing floor that hides an extra Keen directly above it) and you'll find yourself at the Red Door. Rush through it, and before entering the teleporter make sure that you go to the right and up in order to grab the extra life that's on top of the Red Door. You may very well need it! Once you're ready, prepare yourself, take a deep breath, and jump into the teleporter to face the Robo-Bloog. The Robo-Bloog is undoubtedly the most difficult boss in the game, but he follows a predictable pattern and can be easily defeated. He start off, however, with a cheap-shot. He will shoot at you as you teleport in, so immediately move to the right to avoid certain death. What you need to do with the Robo-Bloog is avoid the shots he fires and push the big red button up top. Every time you hit the button, the Robo-Bloog will shoot at you and begin walking towards you. Both he and his shots will kill you and, as with the other bosses, dying will reset their hit points, so learning to avoid danger is crucial to finishing this fight. As well, every time you hit that button he adds another shot to his arsenal. So as you come in, he will shoot at you once. Hit the button and he we shoot at you twice. Again, and he'll shoot at you three times, etc. After he's fired his shots, though, he has to go back to recharge at his terminal. This the time that you need to push that button! Personally, I find the best way to avoid the shots is by pogoing left and right in an arch patter around them. You'll have to find what works best for you, but continue zapping the Robo-Bloog with that button and he'll soon crumble. Get the Yellow Plasma Crystal and teleport out. You've saved the Earth and destroyed the Omegamatic Warp Drive! Congratulations! Enjoy the end-game cutscene, give yourself a pat on the back for having finished all of the Commander Keen games, and then head on over to Section [11] to find out where to go next! ---------------- [10] The Endings ---------------- The Endings! I strongly suggest you actually experience the endings of each of the Commander Keen games for yourself, just having the words isn't the same. Read on, not much more to go! [10.1] What's the Ending to Marooned on Mars? Commander Keen returns to the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket and quickly replaces the missing parts. He must get home before his parents do! Keen makes it home and rushes to beat his parents upstairs. Shhh, honey...let's see if little Billy is asleep. Billy...? Are you a--WHAT IS THIS ONE-EYED GREEN THING IN YOUR ROOM!!!!??? Aw, Mom, can't I keep him? Well, we'll talk about it in the morning, son. you get some rest. OK, Mom. Goodnight. Goodnight, dear. But there is no sleep for Commander Keen! The Vorticon Mothership looms above, ready to destroy Earth! TO BE CONTINUED.... [10.2] What's the Ending to The Earth Explodes? After disabling the weaponry of the Vorticon Mothership, Billy heads for Earth. Even great space-heroes need a nap after defeating a vicious horde of violence-bent aliens! The Vorticon ship limps back toward Vorticon VI to tell of their defeat at the hands of Commander Keen. The Grand Intellect will not be pleased. Wake up, Billy. It Snowed last night! There's no school! Wonderful, Mother. That will give me time to rid the Galaxy of the Vorticon menace and discover the secret of the mysterious Grand Intellect! Ok, hon, but you'd better have a nourishing vitamin fortified bowl of Sugar Stoopies first. Ok, Mom... TO BE CONTINUED.... [10.3] What's the Ending to Keen Must Die!? No... It can't be! Mortimer McMire!!! Mortimer has been a thorn in your side for as long as you can remember. Your IQ test score was 314--Mortimer's was 315. He always held that over you, never letting you forget for one day. All the practical jokes, the mental cruelty, the swirlies--each memory makes your teeth grit harder. And now he's out to destroy Earth! You have had enough! "All right Mortimer, what's the problem? Why destroy Earth?" "You and all those mental wimps deserve to die! I'm the smartest person in the galaxy. Aren't I, Mister THREE FOURTEEN! Ah ha ha!" "I'll get you for that, Mortimer!" "Come and try! You'll never get past my hideous Mangling Machine! Prepare to die, Commander Clown!" With Mortimer McMire out of the picture, and his brain-wave belts no longer controlling them, the Vorticons are freed from their mental enslavement. "Commander Keen, in honor of your meritorious service in freeing us from the Grand Intellect's mental chains, I and the other Vorticons you haven't slaughtered want to award you the Big V, our highest honor." "Thank you!" The End...For now! [10.4] What's the Ending to Keen Dreams? Yes! Boobus Tuber's hash-brown-like remains rained down from the skies as Commander Keen walked up to the Dream Machine. He analyzed all the complex controls and readouts on it, then pulled down a huge red lever marked "On/Off Switch." The machine clanked and rattled, then went silent. He had freed all the children from their vegetable-enforced slavery! Everything around Keen wobbled in a disconcerting manner, his eyelids grew heavy, and he fell asleep.... Billy woke up, squinting at the early morning sun shining in his face through the bedroom window. Nothing. No vegetables to be seen. Was it all just a dream? Billy's mom entered the room. "Good morning, dear. I heard some news on TV that you'd be interested in," she said, sitting by him on the bed. "What news?" Billy asked, still groggy. "The President declared today National 'I Hate Broccoli' Day. He said kids are allowed to pick one vegetable today, and they don't have to eat it." "Aw, mom, I'm not afraid of any stupid vegetables," Billy said. "But if it's okay with you, I'd rather not have any french fries for awhile." *"Okay, honey," Billy's mom said. *"Uh, Mom, what are we having for supper tonight?" Billy asked. *"Oh, we're having liver, dear." *"I HATE liver! I don't have to eat liver. I saved the earth!" THE END *(Possibly continued in..."Commander Keen Meets the Meats") *Commander Keen will definitely return in... *"Goodbye, Galaxy!" *Watch for it! Note: The lines with * only appear in the first commercial release of Keen Dreams (v1.0). [10.5] What's the Ending to Secret of the Oracle? Wow, this is really an impressive way to activate this monolith of ancient wisdom. click Everyone be silent. The Oracle is about to speak. Hmmm. Maybe it's got a dead battery or something. The Shikadi are a race of shadow beings from the far side of the galaxy. They are building an Armageddon Machine and are planning to blow up the galaxy with it, then rebuild it to suit their needs. They live on the third planet of the Korath system, which is 71,000 light-years from Gnosticus IV. The Armageddon Machine is almost complete. And this is what they look like. These Shikadi are toast! Thanks for the scoop, Oracle. I'm outta here. I hope it doesn't rain on my folks.... Meanwhile, back on Earth... To be continued... [10.6] What's the Ending to The Armageddon Machine? CONGRATULATIONS You have completed "Goodbye, Galaxy!" Commander Keen has saved the day once again! But things are still in motion . . . . With their Quantum Explosion Dynamo in ruins, the Shikadi rush to their getaway ship and hightail it back to their own galaxy. *Due to a freak fuse malfunction, they cannot take off and are arrested by the Korath III Police for double-parking. Keen rummages through the control room of the QED for clues as to why the Shikadi wanted to blow up the galaxy. He stumbles upon a note written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet. DEAR BILLY YOU FELL FOR MY ANDROID DUPLICATE PLOY IN THE MANGLING MACHINE AND NOW YOUVE FALLEN FOR IT AGAIN IM BLOWING UP THE UNIVERSE NOT THE STUPID GALAXY THIS WAS JUST A BIG DISTRACTION DODO TAG YOURE IT MORTIMER PS GANNALECH IS HOW THESE DUMB SHIKADI PRONOUNCE GRAND INTELLECT OR DIDNT YOU NOTICE THAT MISTER THREE FOURTEEN Keen takes the note with him to decipher on the long space voyage home, not seeing anything else of interest . . . . Back at home after having saved the galaxy, Billy feeds his rain-soaked parents ice cream and gently shakes them back to consciousness. Hopefully, this won't affect his allowance. See you Christmas '92 when Commander Keen returns to battle for the universe! It'll be the biggest Keen ever! You won't believe your eyes! Thanks for playing! *When you do something special in the secret Korath III Base, this sentence is added. [10.7] What's the Ending to Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!? "Gee, thanks Billy," said Molly. "Boy, my brother is gonna get in trouble for this." "Your brother?" Keen asked. Molly is the older sister of his former nemesis, Mortimer McMire. But he was caught in the explosion of his Mangling Machine . . . wasn't he? Could he be alive? "But he's . . . he's . . ." "He's in trouble is what he is. He told the Bloogs to take me hostage. In exchange, he told them where to find the Stupendous Sandwich of Chungella IV." "Yeah, I've seen it," Keen said. So, Mortimer's back eh? thought Keen. "Where IS Mortimer?" "Oh," said Molly. "He said something about blowing up the entire universe or something. Well, let's get back before your folks get home." "Yeah, we'd better--THE UNIVERSE?!" Keen said. "Yikes!" See you next time, when Commander Keen and Mortimer McMire battle for the universe! Thanks for playing! [10.8] What's the Ending to Commander Keen? The Omegamatic Warp-Drive is destroyed for now, but next time you won't be so lucky Mr. 314!!! I'll always be one step ahead of you! But I stopped you this time Mortimer. And I'll still make it home for Dinner! Congratulations You have defeated the Droidiccus, Shikadi and Bloogs of Fribbulus Xax and destroyed the fabled 'Omegamatic Warpdrive'. Thanks to you, the world is safe once again. But with your arch-enemy 'Mortimer McMire' still at large, who knows when Commander Keen will be called on again... -------------- [11] Now What? -------------- So. You've finally reached the end. Congratulations! You may now be asking yourself "What should I do next?" Well the first thing you should do is head over to the Public Commander Keen Forum (http://www.pckf.com), home of the Commander Keen community on the net. Want to find out more in-depth Commander Keen information, download Keen mods, or access the repository of all current Commander Keen knowledge? Then you need to go check out the KeenWiki (http://www.shikadi.net/keenwiki)! And hey, if all else fails just type 'Commander Keen' into your favorite search engine and sees what shows up! ---------------------- [12] The End of it All ---------------------- Well here we are, over ten years since I first started (and published) this FAQ, and some four weeks after the 20th Anniversary of the Invasion of the Vorticons trilogy. It's been a lot of fun going back, writing the walkthroughs, making minor updates here and there, and finally truly acknowledging the existence of Commander Keen for the Game Boy Color. It is, of course, kind of silly that a grown man should be playing these games and writing these things, but at the same time Commander Keen was a very important part of my childhood, and the FAQ has been a small way that I could help others experience the joy that I have. As it says in section [1.13], this will be the final version of my FAQ. The KeenWiki has practically made it obsolete, and to be honest, sharing information through text documents is way past its prime. Besides, very few people are interested in what a twenty-five-year-old man has to say about a twenty-year-old game to begin with. So did you like it? Hate it? Have questions, comments, or concerns? Shoot me an e-mail at flaose@hotmail.com, it should be valid for at least the next ten years (unless something totally takes the place of e-mail), and I'll always respond (unless I can't figure out what you're trying to say). Most of all, thanks for reading! I hope that at least in some small way, I've helped you find more appreciation for this classic side-scrolling series. -Dave --------------------- [13] Acknowledgements --------------------- These are all the people that have helped me along the way and inspired me. If I missed you, I apologize in advance, just don't attack me with a trout for it! First and Foremost, Tom Hall - How could I not thank this guy? He's the Big Brain behind Commander Keen, he created him and his universe! All I can say is, thanks Tom. Everyone Else in Alphabetical Order: Bill Amon - Bill created the first Commander Keen FAQ, and inspired me to make a better one :) Adrian Carmack - He may not like it, but he digitized the entire Commander Keen Universe on the computer screen. John Carmack - John has held onto the Commander Keen rights all these years (I think he secretly still loves Commander Keen). Ben Cruz - One of my partners in crime with cc314. You know I love ya buddy! Andrew Durdin - For creating the best utilities to edit Commander Keen with! Derek Greentree - Creator of the amazing Rise of the Triad FAQ. He's who truly inspired me to create this massive document. Thea Gregory - Thea's been a good friend, helped me when I was down, gave me encouragement, and kept me from going crazy. Adam Nielsen - Host of the KeenWiki (an amazing source of Commander Keen info) as well as gracious host of the very dormant cc314. John Romero - Created some really great levels for Commander Keen, he actually answers questions and fan mail! Joe Siegler - Joe's put up with me over the years, answering my questions, explaining to me a million times that the Universe is Toast was cancelled by id, not Apogee, and not getting too crazy about it. He's a great supporter of Commander Keen and has an awesome and funny webpage on the Dopefish from Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle: http://www.dopefish.com/ Geoff Sims - Geoff may be the sole reason Commander Keen's still around today, the founder of Cerebral Cortex 314, he has inspired many a people and projects. Tore Stubhaug - My other partner in (cc314 inspired) crime :D You - For reading this enormous and comprehensive FAQ. ----------------- *END OF DOCUMENT* ----------------- +--------------------------------+---------------------------------+ | _|\_ | |\ _,,,---,,_ | | \ / \ Pisces Swimeatus | ZZZzz /,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ | | |>< |> OO The Dopefish | |,4- ) )-,_..;\ ( `'-' | | / \___/UU | '---''(_/--' `-'\_) | +--------------------------------+---------------------------------+ 'I just drew this stupid little fish.' - Tom Hall