5 Games From id Software You Forgot Were Awesome

These days, most fans know id Software for its genre-defining first-person shooters. From Doom to Wolfenstein to Quake, the developers at id Software have proven to be trend-setters in the genre. Heck, they’ve even been able to stave off the loss of top developers and come back with great games that do the classics justice. That’s a rarity in the video game space. While id’s best known for FPS games, the studio has had a few surprises throughout the years that are worth a shout.

Here are five id Software games that you might’ve forgotten were awesome.

5) Doom RPG

Doom RPG could’ve been a bad mobile knock-off, but director John Carmack decided he wanted to make something much better than most other mobile games in 2005. The team at id Software took the visuals and general style of Doom, but turned it on its head. Doom RPG is still in first-person, but this time, players are engaging in turn-based battles against the demonic hordes.

That said, it’s still very much a Doom game, even starring the same protagonist as the original trilogy. You’ll still recognize plenty of series’ favorites, though id did introduce a few new elements. That includes the Wolfenstein 3D dogs, which are now known as hellhounds. Funnily enough, you can find a mind-control dog collar that turns the hellhounds to your side. It’s a weird take on the series, but it is one of the best mobile games of its era.

4) Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons

This is a collection of the first three episodes in the Commander Keen series. Technically, it was developed by id Software from the Deep, but that studio quickly became id Software, making this one of the first games from the studio. Programmed by John Carmack and John Romero, Commander Keen was an instant hit for publisher Apogee Software, pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That convinced Apogee to continue working with id, helping pave the way for Wolfenstein 3D. Beyond that, the side-scrolling platformer was such a hit with players that it received several sequels, one of which you’ll see later on this list. What started as an experiment to replicate Super Mario Bros. 3 on a PC turned into one of the most legendary studios in gaming’s history.

3) Wolfenstein RPG

Wolftenstein RPG is very similar to Doom RPG. The studio took the classic first-person combat from Wolfenstein and jammed it into a turn-based game. It also added a few extra minigames, letting players jump into games of the card game War and a game called Chicken Kicking, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Granted, Wolfenstein RPG is a little less dark than the rest of the series, but it translates well to mobile platforms. The developers perfectly captured the classic Wolfenstein style and humor with the mobile gameplay style. As a more updated version of Doom RPG (and Orcs & Elves), I have Wolfenstein RPG ranked slightly higher, but both games are worth playing.

2) Catacombs 3-D

Catacomb 3-D puts players in the shoes of a high wizard named Petton Everhail. As you descend through the titular catacombs, you’ll fight off a lich named Nemesis and his minions in your quest to rescue your pal Grelminar. Visually, it was a big change from Commander Keen, but more importantly, it took the studio to a new dimension.

For Catacomb 3-D, id decided to try out first-person gameplay. It’s not as successful as the studios’ later shooters, but it is still a landmark release for the genre. The developers took the engine they used to make Catacombs 3-D and bolted on a few important enhancements. That engine was then used to make Wolfenstein 3D. Hovertank 3D is also worth a shoutout, but Catacomb 3-D is the more direct descendant and is still a fun novelty to play through.

1) Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy

Goodbye, Galaxy consists of the fifth and sixth episodes of the Commander Keen series. Playing as the rad, eight-year-old genius, players platform their way through vibrant new worlds as they try to save the galaxy. While it retains most of the gameplay that made the first game so popular, Goodbye, Galaxy includes a few important updates, including the ability to save progress at any point.

When it launched, Goodbye, Galaxy‘s sales were much slower than the original set of three episodes. However, quality eventually won out, and Goodbye, Galaxy quickly became a top-seller. Unfortunately for fans, this was the last Commander Keen game id made, as the success of Wolfenstein and Doom quickly trumped any popularity Commander Keen had.

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