ZZT

Release date:	1991
Made by:	Tim Sweeney
Runs on:	DOS
Exports to:	DOS

ZZT is text-mode based game creation system. It had a sequel known as Super ZZT, which was markedly less successful because the editor was hidden behind a commandline argument. Megazeux would later become game's de facto successor. Over the years there have been other attempts at making ZZT clones, such as ZIG, Bang!, Plastic, and heaven knows what else, but none of them ever caught on.

The name is not an abbreviation or acronym, it came from them wanting to be at the bottom of alphabetical shareware lists.

Running

The best way to use ZZT is via DOSBox! You may also want to grab a DOSBox frontend like DBGL. The only other thing you need is ZZT itself, which you can grab from The Museum of ZZT.

• Zeta

Ports

• ClassicZoo - Windows, PC-98, Amiga, browser.
• TinyZoo - Game Boy Color, Analogue Pocket, more to come.

Example Games

• Atop the Witch's Tower GB - Port of a ZZT game, and the ZZT engine, to the Game Boy Color.

See Also

• ZZTV 11 - Glorious Trainwrecks event.
• Glorious Weekend of ZZT Blitzkrieg-a-thon! - Glorious Trainwrecks event.
• Search for 'zzt' on Glorious Trainwrecks.
• zzt recommended reading list - Article by Anna Anthropy.

Extending

Modding ZZT.

• Weave 2
• Wiki of Weavers - 'place to document the myriad of attempts at extending, modifying or succeeding ZZT made throughout the years'

Press

Talks, interviews, reviews...

• From Past to the Future: Tim Sweeney Talks - Gamasutra interview.
• Hercules Meets Tim Sweeney - Interview.
• DigitalMZX Interview

See Also

• ZZT in the Guides section.
• ZZT on Wikipedia.
• The Reconstruction of ZZT - A reversed-engineered reconstruction of the Pascal source code of ZZT!
• ZZT on Mobygames.
• Museum of ZZT - The modern ZZT archive, with new releases, articles, and the ability to play and inspect games in-browser.
• Z2 - The historical (no longer updated) ZZT archive and community site.