Zork facts for kids

Zork is a very old and famous computer game. It was one of the first interactive fiction games ever made. This means you play the game by typing commands and reading text. There are no pictures or videos, just words!

The first version of Zork was created between 1977 and 1979. The word "Zork" was originally MIT hacker slang. It meant a computer program that wasn't finished yet.

The people who made the game first called it Dungeon. But they had to change the name back to Zork. This was because of a problem with the game Dungeons & Dragons. Zork has even been turned into a book series.

In 1979, some of the original Zork programmers started a company called Infocom. They turned the first Zork game into a series. This series became Zork I, Zork II, and Zork III. These games were made for the small computers popular at that time.

The original Zork game was too big for early computers. So, it was split into three parts. More stories and places were added to each part. This made each game feel complete on its own. A hidden version of Zork I was even found in the game Call of Duty: Black Ops. It was just like the original text game.

Exploring the World of Zork

The game Zork takes place in a huge underground area. This area is called "the ruins of an ancient empire". You play as an adventurer who explores this dangerous place. Your goal is to find treasures and exciting adventures.

You want to return from the "Great Underground Empire" safely. If you succeed, you can become the Dungeon Master. The underground world is full of strange creatures and interesting places. You might find grues, special coins called zorkmids, and even a Flood Control Dam #3. Other games made by Infocom often mention these things.

A made-up company called FrobozzCo International is also part of the Zork world. You will find their products everywhere in the games. They often appear in funny ways.

The Zork Game Series

The Zork games are divided into different groups. They tell stories about the same world.

The First Zork Trilogy

These are the three main games that started it all:

• Zork I: The Great Underground Empire (1980, Infocom)
• Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz (1981, Infocom)
• Zork III: The Dungeon Master (1982, Infocom)

Other Zork Adventures

Many other games were made in the Zork universe. Most of these were also text-only games.

• The Enchanter trilogy:
  • Enchanter (1983, Infocom)
  • Sorcerer (1984, Infocom)
  • Spellbreaker (1985, Infocom)
• Another game in the Zork universe:
  • Wishbringer: The Magick Stone of Dreams (1985, Infocom)
• The Zork Quest series (these were like interactive comic books):
  • Zork Quest: Assault on Egreth Castle (1988, Infocom)
  • Zork Quest: The Crystal of Doom (1989, Infocom)
• The Zork Anthology included the first three Zork games plus:
  • Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor (1987, Infocom)
  • Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz (1988, Infocom, this one had some pictures)

After a break of six years, new Zork games were made. These often included graphics:

• Return to Zork (1993, Infocom/Activision, this game had graphics)
• Zork Nemesis: The Forbidden Lands (1996, Activision, also with graphics)
• Zork: The Undiscovered Underground (1997, written by original creators and released by Activision)
• Zork Grand Inquisitor (1997, Activision, this one also had graphics)

Images for kids

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  4.3 BSD from the University of Wisconsin, running Zork and showing the intro for "Dungeon"

• 

  Zork being played on a Kaypro computer

See also

In Spanish: Zork para niños