Secret Agent

Playing Secret Agent means solving side-scrolling puzzle levels where one wrong jump into a shark pit or a misaligned pushable barrel soft-locks your entire run.

George Broussard's engine powers a pure tactical puzzle platformer

Most players in 1992 expected an action platformer from Apogee Software, Ltd. to feature non-stop shooting, but Secret Agent is built around spatial logic. Programmed by Peder Jungck on the same tile-based engine used for Crystal Caves, the game drops Agent 006½ onto an island hub map with 15 radar installations. You can tackle these stages in any order you choose before unlocking the final fortress. Every room is a tight, deliberate sequence of key-hunting and hazard navigation.

Your actual goal in every single level never changes. You must shoot the island's radar dish, pick up a floppy disk to disable security laser barriers at a computer terminal, and grab a stick of dynamite to blast open the exit door. Because your rifle has severely limited ammunition, blasting through every henchman or guard dog on sight guarantees you will run out of bullets when you need them most.

The deliberate mechanics that make or break a run

The movement feels weightier than standard arcade shooters from 1992. Pushable barrels serve as essential stepping stones to reach high ledges, but they obey harsh collision rules. Drop a barrel into an inescapable pit or against a wall, and you permanently block your own progress for that attempt. The game offers no undo button, forcing you to sacrifice a life just to reset the room layout.

Level design routinely tests your patience with precision jumps over spikes, acid pools, landmines, and water pits loaded with sharks. Special gear like speed boots lets you cross wider gaps, while platform-revealing goggles expose hidden paths. Pickups like money bags, briefcases, and walkie-talkies boost your score, but collecting the letters S-P-Y in exact sequence awards the true target bonus.

Dated EGA visual choices and built-in cheat codes

Even upon release, the 16-color EGA visual style looked visually outdated compared to competing MS-DOS titles on the market. Reviewers noted the retro art direction, though the fast response times made up for the sparse background art. The audio relies entirely on native PC Speaker bleeps and chirps, which gives every gun blast and item pickup a distinct metallic chime.

If you get stuck on the tougher platforming sequences in Episodes 2 or 3, the developers left behind a few handy debug shortcuts. The code P + J + X grants full God Mode, while pressing U + V + K instantly tops off your ammunition to 25 shots. If you simply need the level keys, hitting Z + G + I hands over the floppy disk and dynamite immediately.

Why this shareware classic is worth your time tonight

The shareware release model distributed Mission 1: The Hunt for Red Rock Rover for free, while Episodes 2 (Kill Again Island) and 3 (Dr. No Body) required ordering from Apogee. The core action loop remains surprisingly satisfying because the levels reward planning over raw reflex speed. The tight level designs and strict ammo management turn every single screen into a small, satisfying puzzle.

You can play Secret Agent free in your browser right now with no setup needed. Jump straight into the first island level, spell out S-P-Y for the secret score bonus, and remember to think twice before pushing your first barrel into a pit.