Introduction

Welcome back, young gamers of 2023! Today, we're diving into the whimsical, dream-saturated realm of "Commander Keen in Keen Dreams". And no, it’s not about that vegetable-based diet your mom keeps pushing; it’s a side-scrolling platformer where you bounce around a psychedelic veggie kingdom armed only with flower power pellets. Ready? Let’s jump in and hope we don’t get your favorite broccoli dismembered along the way!

Gameplay

Keen Dreams is like if your childhood imagination had a wild night out with a garden party. You control Commander Keen, an eight-year-old genius with a helmet and a penchant for causing chaos in the vegetable realm. Unlike the previous games in the series, Keen has forsaken his pogo stick—because jumping high through the air is so last week—and instead throws flower power pellets at enemies. That’s right: no weaponized rayguns, just a load of floral fun! One minute you’re chasing down potatoes, the next you’re dodging squash monsters—yes, they exist, and no, they don’t take kindly to your flower power antics. The game is filled with various levels that are like a twisted parade of horticultural nightmares. Here, timing is everything. Players must master the fine art of avoiding water hazards and spikes while simultaneously collecting hidden goodies for bonus points and lives. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of tossing a flower power pellet at a Tater Trooper and watching it bloom into a fragile, harmless flower—almost poetic, really. However, be warned! The pleasure of transforming your foes is fleeting, and you’ll need to quickly decide if you want to retrieve your pellet or use that moment of distraction to dash past the approaching vegetable menace. The challenge level escalates as you traverse through gardens of chaos, navigating platforms as they wobble beneath your feet. Boss fights also require a fair amount of strategy—collecting bombs throughout your adventure is the key to defeating the final showdown against the king of carbs himself, Boobus Tuber. Don't forget to make use of the game’s save feature before tackling these grueling tasks. Nothing says 'fun' like losing progress and having to redo sections because you forgot to hit that save button before leaping into a comically themed death trap! Whether the game’s optional levels are worth the detours is up to your perception of fun; just keep in mind that every extra life counts when you inevitably face-plant into a spike. Quite the challenge awaits you, so be prepared to channel your inner kid-genius as you platform your way through this veggie-fueled odyssey.

Graphics

Now let’s chat graphics! Keen Dreams has a charming, retro aesthetic that’s a nostalgic shout-out to the 90s. The game isn’t breaking any graphics records (no, we're not going to confuse this with modern AAA titles), but it has a certain pixelated charm that appeals to those of us who long for the simpler days of gaming. Each level is vividly colorful, like someone dumped an entire crayon box on a salad bar. The animations are solid, if not a tad jerky (just like how your uncle might dance after a few too many at a family gathering). The vegetable enemy designs are both quirky and amusing, making the entire experience feel less like a battle and more like an absurd veggie-tastic carnival. Overall, the graphics fit perfectly into the overall feel of the game, capturing that whimsical dreamlike quality that the plot promises! King Tuber rules over a land where garlic is your shadow and carrots take on the personality of gladiators! It’s a cartoonish delight that might make you question whether colorful vegetables can actually come to life.

Conclusion

"Commander Keen in Keen Dreams" offers a blast from the past wrapped in a delightfully chaotic, veggie-themed package. While it may not be the epic saga of gallant knights or intergalactic adventures, it definitely serves up a heaping dish of challenge and nostalgia. Perfect for seasoned platforming pros or novices looking to sharpen their skills (and their aim with flower bombs), this game is a quirky sprinkle in the larger broth of the Commander Keen series. So, if you're craving whimsical challenges with a pinch of humor and a dollop of nostalgia, give "Keen Dreams" a download on your Switch. Just remember, it’s not all fun and games; you might just find yourself with a deep-seated grudge against hard-boiled salad. Happy gaming—and for goodness sake, eat your vegetables!

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