While consoles had Mario and Sonic, DOS gamers enjoyed a rich library of platform games uniquely suited to the keyboard. Commander Keen by id Software and Jazz Jackrabbit by Epic MegaGames were beloved mascots of the shareware era. Prince of Persia introduced rotoscoped animation and fluid physics that felt revolutionary in 1989. Jill of the Jungle, Hocus Pocus and Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure rounded out a genre packed with creative level design and memorable characters. DOS platformers are a fascinating slice of gaming history that often gets overlooked next to console equivalents.
