Happy New Year y'all. I like to empty the upload queue as the year rolls over, but I misremembered what time in pacific time is midnight UTC and missed my mark. So I figured I'd just make the post in the morning since I already had enough things that needed announcing with stream VODs and playthrough videos.
There were some last minute uploads, which is always nice to see. Given the difficulty in sourcing lost ZZT worlds these days (if you have a ZZT collection, do reach out via Email or Discord) it's a bit quieter than in previous years. However, as has been the case with ZZT for the past decade, the games you do get, are usually something special.
But I did still do some rooting around the old unpreserved queue which is almost entirely games I wouldn't want to stream on Twitch to make the upload a bit more sizable. There are just a lot more games with ASCII boobs and dongs than a typical update. The hormonal teenagers of ZZT could not be stopped.
Aside from blocky nude figures, there are a good number of newer titles. Some late Oktrollberfest uploads, WiL's new showcase game for the year, and Kaddar's big refinement and successor to some previous 2.4 Hour Jam games. So it should be a good time! Take a look at what's new in this first pack of 2026!
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“Cannonball Run 2177” by WiL (2025)
Program Description
Play the part of a trio of participants in a continuous drive across the former United States. You make decisions based on the information you're given and the outcomes depend on the attributes of your passengers, the equipment you're carrying, the tech you have installed, and other factors such as your reputation among different groups.
The traditional big WiL release at the end of the year. Joining the likes of Cold and... you know actually a lot of these releases are not dated December/January so I'm just thinking of Cold and maybe the pre-Museum upload of ZOZ?
Anyway, as is also tradition, I can't poke too much into this one as it will be the first new game streamed for 2026 (with Sunday reserved for the original four ZZT worlds).
As for what I can say. The year is probably 2177. You are part of a racing team driving cross-country in the former United States. You'll get some prompts and make some decisions. There will be a lot of surprises. There will be a lot of incredibly artwork. There is a sound track. I will inevitably be completely oblivious to something for 10 minutes while WiL very patiently tells me to "look at the map" or something where a big red arrow will say "GO HERE" as I continue to go in circles.
This isn't a very good description. This is what WiL's page for the game has to say about it:
“CANNONBALL RUN 2177 is a simulation/management game with many potential encounters, decisions, and opportunities along a 4625km (2875 mi) journey from New York City, NY to Redondo Beach, CA. Game events come down to a limited set of choices - the events that occur, the choices you make, and whether you succeed or fail all depend on your car's loadout, inventory, driver, passengers, and other factors such as weather. Because these factors are constantly changing, you can play the game many times and come across something new every time. ”
Okay I went to get a few screenshots. This is insane. Also I mashed through the tutorial because I'm just looking for gameplay screenshots.
You know "Ryda McDrift" is gonna be on my team. Trent Carwell ass name...
“b” by Kaddar (2025)
Program Description
a sequel to "d"
"b" stands for "belated". This Oktrollberfest entry was easily one of the most impressive, a sequel to previous year's "d", but in a way where that connection is really is the focus of things. Lost in the backrooms of ZZT you're certain you're the real player, and not of one the many player clones whose job it is to clean up any glitches that occur while the player goes through their adventures.
It features some really impressive work with Weave, including a number of tricks that even having an idea of just what folks can pull off with Weave will surprise you! Easily one of my favorite entries this year.
“minecr☺︎ft” by Kaddar (2025)
Minecroft, as I continue to call it despite the canonized smiley face in the title, is a traditional "child makes ZZT game based on that thing they like" game. Its murky origins have since been revealed Kaddar backwards and ROT13ed is enqqnx, and it's a well executed tribute! Go through the whole process of punching trees to finding iron and making portals and finding eyes of ender etc etc.
And I still really like the "inventory" board always to the north.
“Botdown” by Kaddar (2025)
Program Description
The sequel to https://jakeout.itch.io/bombpt-complete-edition
... and prequel to https://jakeout.itch.io/bomodi
Preserve energy, dig, explore, and collect precious ore to upgrade your ship in this old-school (textmode) exploration game within a lightly randomized moon mine. Styled after games like motherload and steamworld dig, this exploration game puts your patience to test! You're a hyperintelligent mouse mining the moon in search of a lost robot. Good luck on your mission. We're counting on you.
A Game made for the 2025 Dosember (https://itch.io/jam/dosember-game-jam/)
Tested in Weave 4.0 & Zeta.
A thing I really enjoy with Weave games is things basically being ZZT but a little fancier at first. Here, our little triangular mousey player and much more complex text window system than ZZT's board covering pop-ups. ...Only for you to notice a "C"haracter button on the sidebar that you press and then realize that this game is gonna be so much more.
Explore the moon. Find resources. Figure out how to gather what you need to complete your mission to recover a lost robot and make it back in one piece. This one looks really dang cool and I'm gonna have my upcoming streams booked at this rate.
“ZZT Level Authorizing Sheet v1.0” by Ian Burgmyer
An old historical document. A template text file to provide standardized information about accompanying ZZT releases. If you dig around, you'll find some that do in fact use this one! It appears to be very inspired by the standard text file used for Doom mapping.
“Gadfly Goods Grub - Zine 3” by RT-55J (2025)
A new issue of the Gadfly Goods zine! Filled with a ton of artwork and WIP boards of its development, commentary on various ZZT releases since the last issue, and a few previews of some upcoming projects!
“ZZBlue aahhhttt gallery” by ZZBlue
One of a handful of games on the unpreserved queue that couldn't be streamed for various reasons. In this case, because of the ASCII boobs. It's crude. It's sexually charged. It's got a drawing of Mr. Bill. If that ain't art, I don't know what is.
“Tim's Wacky Adventure”
Another "no thank you" game. While it looks like a mix of traditional yellow bordered newbie ZZT game design with a few imported boards from official ZZT worlds, it's also a game with some unflattering portrayals of sex workers. Sex workers that call you gay when you don't have sex with them. Boom gottem.
“Bizanloo” by Booth (1997)
Unstreamed not because of unsavory content, but simply because it's not all that different! Bizanloo is one of a number of ZZT games that received updates at some point or another, replacing any copies of the original release and making them lost media. But hey, here's one now! The differences here are minute, and also something that I figured out like 6 months ago and have written in a text file somewhere so I leave it as an exercise to the reader.
But if you're expecting a radically different game in any way, this ain't it. If I played this one on stream and was asked what was different about it, I could only say that it doesn't call itself a special edition.
“Interactive Fantasies 24 Artistic Hours of ZZT - 1999” by Various (1999)
A unique spin on the classic 24 Hours of ZZT contest format! Rather than task entrants with making a game adhering to a topic, participants instead had to create three art boards relating to "Summer", "Monster", and "Medieval". There's some genuinely really impressive stuff in here. Also a wizard with an erection, so mind that explicit tag. (Thank you Draco. RIP)
“DarkMage Catalog Summer '97” by Dustin Hubbard (1997)
Not a ZZT world, but rather a DOS catalog created with a tool for making text-mode catalogs. Shows off a few ZZT screenshots with some text added to sell you on the games. A neat period piece!
