Vorticon Commander's Castle
| Game | Keen 1 |
|---|---|
| Level number | 16 |
| Location | South Polar Cap on the Dark Side of Mars |
| Collectibles | [[Has collectible::  |
| Dimensions | 110 x 72 tiles |
| Total points | 72200 |
| Total ammo | 1 Raygun1 ammopack <br />1 VorticonHyperPistol <br />1 Pistol <br />1 SuperFlowerPower <br />1 NeuralStunner <br /> |
| Extra lives | 0 |
| Song | None |
| Required? | Yes |
The Vorticon Commander's Castle is a level in Keen 1, one of the few levels in the game with an official name[1]. It may also be seen as the final level, as it is the farthest from the beginning, and has the only boss in the game. However, it does not have to be completed lastly.
This level is either a castle built for the Vorticon outpost, or the vacated castle of the Martian king. It has a moat, some defense towers, and a main tower, where the Vorticon Commander can be found. It also has an underground chamber with a Pogo stick and a Raygun, guarded by Gargs. However, besides two Tank Robots, the level is not very protected, as if the Vorticon Commander trusted his own strength to deal with intruders.
It is possible that the rooms that the Gargs are in some sort of dungeon. Each room is shaped like the next, and designed so that the Gargs cannot leave. Furthermore, each cell has a "window" through which Keen can shoot through and kill the Gargs.
This level contains one of the missing parts from Keen's ship, the Everclear.
The letters "ID" are written at the top-left of the level. The Pogo stick is also available in this level. Of the levels required to complete the game, only this one requires use of the pogo stick. If the pogo were not available in this level, the player could be stuck in an unwinnable situation if by some strange chance they completed the Pogo Shrine level without collecting the pogo stick.
In this and other ice levels, such as the First and Second Ice Shrines and the Ice City, there are two kinds of slippery surfaces: white blocks, which are slippery when walked upon but can Keen can still be controlled; and ice blocks, where Keen loses control unless he jumps off the block.
The Vorticon Commander found at the end of this level is not invincible, he can be killed with 105 raygun shots. Luckily he is trapped underneath a large concrete slab, which can be dropped, squashing the Commander. However, either shooting him or bringing down the slab are not required, thus allowing the player to finish the game with zero shots expended. The player may go under the slab where the Commander is and there jump over him, get the teddy bear and head for the exit. One should be careful not to exit before getting the Everclear, which is on the door's left side, as one is now approaching the exit from the right.
November Beta variations
The so called November Beta version of this level has some slight differences:
- There are many Teddy Bears to the top left, which have later been replaced by Sodas
- You cannot go back down below the Vorticon Commander once you are up.
See also
References
- ↑ Hint Sheet (Invasion of the Vorticons) under Hints for Episode One