Play Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle online — free shareware episode Works — shareware episode runs via DOSBox in your browser
Guide updated July 2026 · Runs via DOSBox + WebAssembly
Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle — the shareware episode of Goodbye Galaxy (1991), and the game where the Keen series hit its stride: bigger levels, the pogo stick as a genuine movement system, and the Shikadi looming over everything. id Software's smooth EGA scrolling at its best. The complete shareware episode is hosted here.
D-pad: move · JUMP: ctrl · POGO: alt · ESC: menu
⌨ Keyboard — for menus & name entry
Controls — what does what
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse / touch |
|---|---|---|
| Move / duck | Arrow keys | — |
| Jump | Ctrl | Left-click |
| Pogo stick | Alt | Right-click |
| Higher pogo bounce | hold Ctrl while pogoing | — |
| Fire raygun | Space | — |
| Menu / save | Esc | — |
| In-game help | F1 | — |
| Sound | — | Use the Sound button under the screen to mute |
Runs in your browser tab with DOSBox + WebAssembly — nothing is uploaded. Click the screen to capture input; press Ctrl+F10 to release mouse.
How it works & what to expect
The original DOS release runs in a WebAssembly DOSBox build on this page. Keen 4 is noticeably larger and more forgiving than Keen 1 — there's a proper world map, a save system, and secret levels that reward exploring. Press F1 in game for the built-in help.
Playing tips
Hold Ctrl while pogoing for a much higher bounce — most secret areas need it. Keen 4 has a proper world map and a save system, so explore off the obvious path; several levels are optional and hide the best items.
Shareware episode — and the rest
Secret of the Oracle was the free shareware episode of the Goodbye Galaxy pair. Episode 5, The Armageddon Machine, and Keen 6 are commercial — the whole series is sold as the Commander Keen Complete Pack on Steam.
Frequently asked questions
Is Commander Keen 4 free to play here?
This is the official shareware episode, which id Software and Apogee distributed free. Episodes 5 and 6 are commercial and not included — buy the Complete Pack on Steam for those.
How does the pogo stick work?
Press Alt to pogo, and hold Ctrl while bouncing to jump much higher. Most secret areas are only reachable with a high pogo bounce.
What are the controls?
Arrows move, Ctrl jumps, Alt pogos, Esc opens the menu, F1 shows in-game help.
Does my progress save?
Yes — Keen 4 has a proper save system and saves persist in this browser between visits, best-effort.
How is this different from Commander Keen 1?
Keen 4 is bigger and more polished: a world map, a save system, better level design, and the pogo stick as a core mechanic rather than a curiosity.
More you can play in your browser
Related guides
Want a game like this on your own site?
Commander Keen 4: Secret of the Oracle isn't ours to give away — we host it, we didn't write it. But eleven of the games here we did write from scratch, and those are free for anyone to put on their own page: one line of HTML, no account, no permission, no attribution beyond a credit line.