Duke Nukem II (1993)
Duke Nukem II is a 1993 DOS side-scrolling action-platformer from Apogee Software. It mixes run-and-gun shooting, gadget-like weapons, keycard-driven exploration, and a very “PC shareware era” sense of attitude—helping cement Duke as a recognizable 90s PC icon before his 3D breakout.
Game Data
| Release Year | 1993 |
| Developer | Apogee Software |
| Publisher | Apogee Software |
| Platform | MS-DOS (later ports/releases on other platforms) |
| Genre | Action Platformer / Run-and-Gun |
| Players | 1 |
| Original Media | Shareware (Episode 1) + Paid Episodes / Floppy distribution |
Gameplay:
Classic 2D run-and-gun with platforming: jump, climb, shoot, hunt keycards, and clear hazards on the way to the
exit. Weapons include staples like a rocket launcher plus signature chaos-makers like the flamethrower.
Levels reward thorough play with bonuses for objectives (and plenty of secrets).
Story:
Duke is kidnapped by aliens mid-press tour and dragged into a new interstellar mess. Armed with pure ego and
a lot of firepower, he blasts his way through futuristic bases, factories, and alien tech to escape and retaliate.
Trivia:
Like many Apogee hits, it leaned on the shareware model—Episode 1 widely distributed, with the rest sold—helping
spread Duke’s name across 90s PCs long before Duke Nukem 3D.
Duke Nukem II is a snapshot of peak early-90s PC action design: fast, punchy levels, clear “one more try” pacing, and a weapon set that adds personality (flamethrowers, lasers, rockets) rather than just bigger numbers. It’s also part of the bridge from 2D PC platform shooters to the era of character-driven 3D action.
Screenshots / Media
Timeline / Versions
Why Duke Nukem II Was Historically Important
Duke Nukem II is historically important as a strong “shareware-era” PC action-platformer that helped define how fast, punchy, episode-based PC games could be sold, shared, and remembered. It combined tight 2D run-and-gun action with personality-driven presentation—an approach that set the stage for the character-led shooters that would dominate mid-to-late 90s PC culture (with Duke Nukem 3D being the obvious next leap).
