Closer Look Articles
Closer Looks are one of the main components of the Worlds of ZZT project. The Closer Look series consists primarily of (re)visiting ZZT worlds and looking at them from a contemporary perspective, attemping to give both a complete playthrough of them while also pointing out noteworthy design decisions.
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Closer Look: The Fool's Quest / The Three Trials
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
April 30, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
The funniest prank of all: Falsified data! Still, only a fool would overlook this classically-styled adventure
Closer Look: Big Beast in the Maze
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
April 15, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Deal with mazes and monsters in this far out game
Closer Look: Speed Racer X
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
March 31, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Race the clock across 20 courses in this ZZT game that defies expectations... until it starts to crash and burn at least.
Closer Look: Nuclear Madman
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
March 15, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Recover the stolen nukes! Step one: Visit the water park
Closer Look: Legend of Brandonia
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
March 1, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Good? Bad? Ugly? Brandonia is a divisive ZZT world and winner of a Featured Game award.
Closer Look: Growing Up
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Jan. 31, 2021
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Growing Up takes a serious look about life as a teenager dealing with an alcoholic parent. Take a look at this short and emotional story.
Closer Look: Sid's Disaster
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Dec. 31, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Stalagtite platforming in a ZZT game? An engine that's rock solid copes with design that puts a few cracks in this spelunking adventure
Closer Look: Z-Files v2.5.1
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Oct. 31, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
More than 100 boards long and you can't even play it! Nadir's collection of ZZT tool kits focuses on one of ZZT's most distinct features
Closer Look: Escape From Zyla Island
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Oct. 15, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
What starts as an average ZZT action game quickly turns into a below-average ZZT action game. Sigh.
Closer Look: Yiepipipi
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
July 31, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Yiepipipi? Oeu. Oryan? Oeu. Esklello? Oeu!
Closer Look: Invasion ZZT Revision (Part 2)
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
July 15, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
The long drawn out conclusion and a lot of PSAs about drinking and driving
Closer Look: Invasion ZZT Revision (Part 1)
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
June 30, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
An alien abudction of the family dog turns into a fight for mankind's survival. Three kids on a heartwarming quest to save the Earth
Closer Look: Demos Without Finished Games
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
June 15, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Exploring several demos for games that were never finished
Closer Look: Baloo Episode 1, The Thunder Road
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
June 1, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
What should be a generic edgy TaleSpin parody turns out to be a well-written game you can't help but love
Closer Look: Dragon Woods
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
April 30, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Good ideas and bad execution result in a fun yet flawed adventure in this self-described "comedy-rpg"
Closer Look: Secret Agent Chronicles (Mission Alpha)
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
March 31, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
CIA Agent BILL vs. Dr. D in this unintentionally hilarious spy "thriller"
Closer Looks: Six Games With Six Boards
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Feb. 15, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
All cop-outs are bastards as we explore Police Quest plus five other extremely short worlds of dubious quality
Closer Look: Winter
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Jan. 31, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Venture into the idle mind in this very much ahead of its time atmospheric puzzle world
Closer Look: Compound
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Jan. 15, 2020
Category
Closer Look
Summary
♬ Fix us a wire you're the Compound man ♬ Fix us a wire tonight ♬ Well man's destined to die from catastrophe ♬ While aliens watch in the night ♬
Closer Look: November Eve (Files B and C)
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Dec. 31, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Hunting down giant slimes, hidden gems, and programming bugs to save Puerto del Agua
Closer Look: A Dwarvish-Mead Dream
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Dec. 15, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Save the dreamworld from reality in this everything but the kitchen sink RPG bursting with ideas and great art
Closer Look: November Eve (File A)
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Nov. 30, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Xamboxumbadira is the powerhouse of the cell.
Closer Look: Village
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Nov. 15, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Stop and admire the scenery on your quest for vigilante justice
Closer Look: Scarlet Green
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Oct. 31, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
A secret biological weapon has been set loose and only... the jerk who was well aware of it can save the day
Closer Look: ZZT's City + Interview With Stuart Hardwick
Author
Dr. Dos
Date
Oct. 15, 2019
Category
Closer Look
Summary
Contrasting the newly discovered Softdisk published version of ZZT with the Epic MegaGames version we all know
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