It's time again for some less than fresh uploads. The front page is now split down the middle with a dozen of the most recently released worlds, and a dozen of the most recently published worlds (with the former kept out of the latter). This should let me get around to really attacking this queue, and for today I'm going to start with the files sitting in the queue the longest.
Also a 2021 release that's mine and I swear that's a coincidence. I know within the next few days there's going to be another 2021 release out so I'll be bumped from the first spot soon enough.
Of course, I can't simply go for the backend of the upload queue as there's some finicky old programs that need slightly more work to get screenshots and some demonstration videos, but that's for a different update. Here are a clean dozen to fill out the front page.
Death Treasure
DEATH TREASURE is a game, where, a treasure known as the Death Treasure, hit you with a weapon and now you have 30 more minutes to find the cure for this or else you DIE! It accually shows each boss "TALKING!" and it looks like he's really talking! To run this game, run ZZT and select the DEATHTRS world.
That says it all really.
Web Killers
Another newly unearthed Super ZZT world. This one is from 1996 but the file modification date is incorrect so a more precise release window can't really be narrowed down.
In the opening for this one a character laments Square isn't going to be making games for the Nintendo 64.
Again, for a Super ZZT game the actual boards tend to be quite small and do little with the extra space afforded to them over regular ZZT. Despite the tiny boards though, asie mentioned on Discord that this one is "of significant production value".
Operation: Demon Hunter
You Are A Top Secret Agent Under Cover For The C.I.A.
CodeName: Demon Hunter. You have been assigned your Most Dangerous Assignment Yet:
Enter Your Past- And Stop World War VII...
Why do I write anything. The games are doing a better job than I could ever hope.
The Nuke Plant
I've been curious about this one for awhile because it seems to be about a nuclear flower and not plant as in power plant. After looking at the boards I'm much less curious.
Race Track Engine
Thanks ZPlayer, for breaking the file viewer with this one. This game uses a custom font, and the batch file renames the file to give it a .ZZT file extension and back to .Z_T when you're done playing.
Well that was not worth the effort. It's a pretty straightforward racing engine with a font. If you crash into a wall you instantly get a game over. The lap counter lets you just drive in circles and finish laps in moments, which I only mention in direct comparison to Speed Racer X which does everything this one does in a far better package.
This world also starts on the wrong board. Impressive for a two board world.
Funhouse
The first release by its author, Funhouse looks like a first ZZT game, but not meant in a disparaging way! It appeared on one of asie's ZZT stream where everyone seemed to enjoy the game and its humor.
ZZT Library
Now here we have something really interesting. ZZT Library looks to be an alternative to Alexis Janson's Super Tool Kit, released earlier that same year. However, despite STK's head start, this looks to have been made independently, and by an unknown author no less! ZZT Library's board order follows the internal element ID order used by ZZT, and this one also includes text! Text wasn't included with the original STK making this the earliest known example of all characters being available in ZZT's text elements. Prior to this special text was assumed to originate in Chronos30's More STK which wasn't released until 1997!
Star Wars Mode (August 1996)
That's no fangame. Star Wars Mode is a font meant to be used for making Star Wars ZZT games though!
House Party
A game based on every teenager's biggest fear: throwing a party while your parents are out of town and then all the guests refusing to leave. Your mission is to get everybody out before your parents get home.
This game has all the rooms of a house you'd expect. There's a kitchen, a bathroom, a ROOM OF DEATH, and a bedroom.
Bebop!
HI! THIS IS A MEGAERIC BRAND GAME FILLED WITH FUN STUFF. IT HAS 3 LEVELS. THE LEVELS ARE: COLECTOLAND, PRIZOM PRIZON, AND THE FINAL LEVEL: THE BRIDGE. YOU ARE BEBOP THE KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
House of Doom
Asie described this one as a troll game so be prepared.
Nothing too eye-catching here, though this is a nice example of one of those games where the author discovers STK towards the end so suddenly a few dark colored blinkwalls and conveyors will show up.
Doug Tudeap in: The Ore Gone Trail
Lastly, I get to toot my own horn with a ZZT release of my own. This is a very short (like play it less than 10 minutes for sure) score chasing engine game where you have to manipulate gates on a minecart track to collect as many ores as possible before the time limit runs out. It was created in 48 hours for Ludum Dare 48 and consumed my weekend. I hope you enjoy it!
