Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission is a 1984 platformer developed by Epyx, a classic of home computers such as the Commodore 64 and designed by Dennis Caswell. Players take the role of a secret agent infiltrating the underground lair of the mad scientist Elvin Atombender, who is preparing to launch a nuclear attack, and must stop him before time runs out.
Exploring a maze of rooms connected by lifts, the agent must perform acrobatic somersaults over patrolling robots and search every piece of furniture for hidden puzzle pieces that, once found, are combined in a mini-game into passwords needed to reach Elvin's control room. Its remarkable digitised speech, including the chilling greeting "Another visitor. Stay a while, stay forever," and its blend of platforming, puzzle-solving, and exploration made it a technical and design standout.
Impossible Mission is remembered as one of the finest games of its generation and received a sequel and later remakes. The original remains available through retro compilations and emulation.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Impossible Mission, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
The Swindle Indie
€ 14,99An indie heist platformer about infiltrating buildings, hacking and escaping robotic security.
The Swindle runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Katana ZERO Indie
€ 14,99An indie precision platformer with acrobatic movement and lethal split-second decisions.
Katana ZERO runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Deadbolt Indie
€ 9,99One-hit-kill side-on infiltration where every room has to be planned before you open the door.
Deadbolt runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Filcher Indie
€ 8,50Room-by-room infiltration with guards, gadgets and no combat, Impossible Mission's structure modernised.
Filcher runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Untested.
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