Keen 5 Versions

This page lists the known versions of Keen 5 and any differences discovered between the versions.

Keen 5, despite not having that many revisions still has quite some interesting history. Firstly, it is one of the two Keen games (the other one being Keen 3) that had a relatively critical bug in the initial release. Entering the Korath III Base secret level when playing with easy as the level of difficulty in the initial release of the game lead to a crash. Secondly, Keen 5 is also the only game in the series where something got censored in a later revision. The swastika that appeared in the Energy Flow Systems level ended up changed.

Full versions

Title screen from the CGA version of Keen 5

Version 1.0

• Released December 18, 1991
• Distributed by Apogee Software
• Initial release
• Versions available:
  • CGA (4-color)
  • EGA (16-color)

Version 1.4

• Released February 27, 1992
• Distributed by Apogee Software
• Versions available:
  • CGA
  • EGA

New features:

• Added Gravis Gamepad support
• New command line parameter /JOYPAD added
• Added "Fix jerky motion" menu option under the Configure/Options menu to make movement smoother on certain computers (EGA)
• New command line parameter /JERK, which enables the jerky motion fix, added (EGA)
• Using the F10+Y debug cheat now surrounds tiles with collision with a border, instead of showing corrupt graphics (EGA)

General changes:

• Improved sound card detection
• Shelleys push Keen instead of turning around when colliding
• The options in the options menu have been reorganized (EGA)
• Now includes the sprite substitution tile graphics used by TED (EGA)

Level design changes:

• The background just before the exit of Korath III Base is slightly changed
• One of the Volte-faces just before the exit of Korath III Base now starts off at a different position

Text changes:

• Mitzi has been removed from the high scores and Jason Blochowiak has been added back to the top
• The mention that pressing F1 opens up the help menu has been removed from the key legend on the bottom of the main menu

Fixed bugs:

• Korath III Base no longer crashes when playing on Easy difficulty

Miscellaneous:

• Copyright date on the initializing screen has been updated to 1992

Version 1.4 (GT Interactive Software)

• Released September, 1993
• Distributed by GT Interactive Software in North America at retail
• EGA version only

General changes:

• "Order info" section removed

Graphical changes:

• The main control panel screen now has writing on the bottom informing of the help screen that is available by pressing F1

Level design changes:

• There's an additional stationary S Goplat in Security Center when playing with the easy difficulty below the Goplats that follow a pattern
• The swastika in Energy Flow Systems has been censored

Text changes:

• "About Id" section updated
• The high scores list has been changed, a year is no longer mentioned and Jason Blochowiak has been removed; instead Kevin Cloud, Shawn Green and Jay Wilbur have been added

Fixed bugs:

• Fixed a typographical error on the warning sign sometimes located by the fuse structures
• You can no longer get stuck in the secret area at the end of Defense Tunnel Sorra

Miscellaneous:

• A line promoting GT Interactive Software has been added to the bottom of the initializing screen
• The exit screen no longer mentions Commander Keen: Aliens Ate My Baby Sitter!
• The exit screen no longer mentions Commander Keen: Invasion of the Vorticons
• The exit screen no longer includes ordering information
• KEEN5E.EXE has been renamed to KEEN5.EXE