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Commander Genius

Commander Genius icon Commander Genius logo

Overview

Commander Genius is a fan-built engine for the Commander Keen and Cosmos the Cosmic Adventure series. REG-Linux treats it as a port-style platform, grouping its entries under ports and launching the cgenius binary so you can enjoy those DOS adventures without leaving the frontend.

Quick reference

  • ROM folder: /userdata/roms/cgenius
  • Accepted format: .cgenius
  • Emulators: cgenius
  • System group: ports

Requirements

The engine itself is open source, but you still need the original Commander Keen or Cosmos game files. Extract each DOS release into its own subfolder inside /userdata/roms/cgenius/games/. Shareware episodes (e.g., Marooned on Mars, Secret of the Oracle) are freely available, while registered packs (such as The Earth Explodes or Keen Must Die!) must be purchased from their respective publishers.

ROMs

Once the DOS resources are extracted, create a .cgenius launcher file for each title (e.g., Commander Keen 1 - Marooned on Mars.cgenius). The launcher helps REG-Linux scrape the entry and starts the right game folder when selected. Mods distributed through Commander Genius can reside alongside the originals; just keep each game’s files in its own directory to avoid confusion.

Emulators

cgenius

The cgenius executable is the only emulator for this entry and requires BR2_PACKAGE_CGENIUS to be built. It honors EmulationStation’s standard video and input mappings, so you can adjust controller bindings through the Quick Menu if the default Retropad layout doesn’t feel accurate.

Controls

Controller remapping is available via REG-Linux’s controller configuration and the RetroArch-style Quick Menu. You can bind the action keys to South/East/West and keep the D-pad tied to movement to mirror the original keyboard-based setup.

Troubleshooting

  • Ensure each .cgenius file points to the correct subfolder; misnamed launchers will prevent the game from appearing in EmulationStation.
  • Verify that the DOS data (IWAD/TWAD equivalents) reside beneath /userdata/roms/cgenius/games/<title>/.
  • Consult the generic support pages if you run into input issues or if REG-Linux refuses to start the launcher.