asie is uploading files RIGHT NOW and we're at 25 in the queue as I first open this file to write up the descriptions and get all the screenshots.
You'll get a few hours of two pages of uploads I bet. And there are two names to blame for this plethora of new material.
First, TheBigTimeDude, makes his annual(ish) visit to the Museum to express mail a whole lot of brand new games and demos in the iconic Yoshi-ZZT style. Big characters, strange stories, lots of angry copyright lawyers (please don't narc).
But also, a new surprise recently arrived in my inbox. Somebody was interested in uploading their childhood ZZT games to the Internet Archive and Museum and was asking for some help getting DOSBox to do its thing over on IA. I only have that somebody's actual name and don't know if they want that immortalized on one of these amazing publication packs or not. Expect a good number of uploads from them in the near future though. When I asked if they had other ZZT materials besides their own, they were happy to provide.
Just a cursory glance, before asie began running scripts to identity potential new finds, made it clear there was a good amount of previously unavailable material. A number of unseen Nivek games! Now that's a Christmas present for me. The first release of the ZZT Encyclopedia! Several alternate versions of already preserved files! It's a great way to end the year for sure.
Those new items will be making their way to the private queue so as not to immediately bury the site, while the revisions of known material get added sooner rather than later. Expect a Nivek stream in the future.
Right now, there's still quite a lot of new creations to be published. So let's just make this the official TheBigTimeDude update, and fill out the rest of the update with some new finds that have been idling in the back of the queue for a little too long.
asdfkjalsdkfj;asldf. I've been had!
Contents
“BRAND NEW LEGEND OF MIDNA NEW VERSION OF DEMO WITH PURE INSANITY” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
A fuller Midna demo that promises insanity to be a requirement in order to complete it! Fix your shield, say farewell to Error, and try to rescue Midna before it's too late.
“COCO BANDICOOT ZZT FULL VERSION GAME” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
Coco Bandicoot must get the magic crystals back from the evil mad doctor and make sure the planet earth does not get transformed into a strange ZZT board. She also must rescue her brother Crash
This one seems to have a heck of a lot of engines in it!
“Last Dude Standing” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
In 2070 a green slime destroyed much of the Earth. Ploog has constructed a spaceship to fly to terraformed Mars and start a new life on a less slimy planet. However, his ship was wrecked and he must now defeat the slime, stop the zombies it produces, and find the missing ship parts before it's too late.
“Legacy of the Sploot Kingdom Demo” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
A crazy game about a magic kingdom run by the good king Azlamb who is a sheep. The magical creatures known as SNIBBs that used to protect the kingdom are missing, and you are a college student from Earth who somehow ended up in this weird world. Inspired by Narnia and Alice in Wonderland
“Old Man Keesh: Preview of A New Yoshi Game” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
A single board plot synopsis for a new Yoshi ZZT game. One where Bowser has a new weapon known as a "Scrambled Egg". Don't be fooled though, this weapon is capable of blowing up the Mushroom kingdom completely. So watch out for that.
“X Files Reopened Full Version with one new case & some Extra Dialogue” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
An updated X-Files game with a number of cases to solve as Mulder and Scully. Beware the cigarette smoking man that sends the two to alternate dimensions where they'll have to solve mysteries ranging from Bigfoot, to DB Cooper, to Slenderman.
“X Files Reopened 2: The Syndicate Strikes Back” by BigtimeDudeProductions (2023)
More X-Files, this time with Marvin the Martian. BigTimeDude promises it to be even more unusual than the previous! Oh, and of course, Robo Queegqueg.
“Bob 2: Abducted!” by BoothWare (1997)
After a wild night of partying leads to a late night alien abduction, Bob and his friend Kobe need to make it back to Earth. Once they do, check out a weird theme park, and watch a bunch of ZZTers fight in a no-holds-barred cage match. Will it be Sweeney? Janson? Williams? Place your bets!
“The Legend of Zelda: Mystery of the Triforce” (1994)
In incomplete Zelda fan game that gets off to a pretty promising start. Gather the pieces of the triforce to return them to their proper resting place of the Sun Temple. Travel the land of Hyrule searching for its many dungeons, conquer the giant bosses within, and claim the pieces. Don't forget to register this shareware with princess Zelda in order to find the third piece and more!
“Richman 1 & 2” by Joel M. Smith (1995)
R. M. Lou, the richest man in the world, has a problem. He's being robbed! Also there are aliens with a malfunctioning robot that keeps trying to kill him. It's tough out there, you know? Chase down the thieves, recover the six stolen money bags, and hoard your wealth once more!
In part 2, the aliens are back, and stealing all the gold in Fort Knox. Team up with the cops, and find out who's really redistributing this wealth and why.
Very prescient games.
“Fred and Jeremy” by Jason Foulke, Jeremy Lewis, LHS13
A potentially brilliant, double-Groundhog Day game where Fred and Jeremy are caught in a time loop. Players get to take control of one character at a time, while the boards are cut in half showing you what both characters are doing at any given moment. With each loop, the controlled player changes, and slowly you discover the cause of the loop and how to break it.
That sounds great! And it is! Or would be, if not for a scene that has aged incredibly incredibly poorly where one character, realizing that the day is going to reset, decides to get a gun and go bad-ending Undertale on his peers. Do be mindful if you try this one yourself.
“Kaddar's Engines” by Kaddar (2002)
And finally, a number of small engines made by Kaddar. These include an elaborate system to make an object that will dodge bullets, a digging engine to unearth items and ancient artifacts buried in the ground, some sort of player-gravity engine that wants to push the player back to the ground with boulders (that doesn't seem to work?), and "oops I somehow made invalid ZZT elements and they like to crash the game".
