Z-code games in uncommon formats

Most post-Infocom Z-code games are created for either version 5 or version 8 of the Z-machine, and as such, the names of their story files conventionally end in .z5 or .z8 respectively.

However, there are other versions of the Z-machine that are also available, although rarely used. This page lists some of those games.

Z1 Games

(Used by Infocom only for very early builds of Zork I.)

• Fade to Black (Jake Wildstrom; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).

Z2 Games

(Used by Infocom only for some early builds of Zork I and II.)

• Little Green Robbing Hood (Jake Wildstrom; 2006; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Zork II (Marc Blank and Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1981; ZIL; Z-code).

Z3 Games

The most common version used for Infocom games.

While uncommon in the first decades post-Infocom, in the late 2010s there was a revival of interest in the Z3 format by the retro-machines community, leading to e.g. bugfixes in Inform 6's Z3 support in 6.34 (2020). Since then, occasional new Z3 releases are not uncommon; this is by no means a complete list.

• Adventure (PunyInform version) (William Crowther and Donald Woods; porter: Fredrik Ramsberg; 2024; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Adventure (RAMS035B) (William Crowther and Donald Woods; porter: Fredrik Ramsberg; 2024; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Adventure: A Modern Classic (MCGR0350) (Anonymous; porter: Tara McGrew; c. 2015; ZILF; Z-code).
• Arthur's Day Out (Jason Oakley as "Waulok"; 2021; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Ballyhoo (Jeff O'Neill; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1985; ZIL; Z-code).
• Border Zone (Marc Blank; publisher: Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• Catseye (Dave Bernazzani; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Cloak of Darkness (PunyInform port) (Roger Firth; porter: Fredrik Ramsberg; 2020; PunyInform; Z-code).
• Craverly Heights (PunyInform) (Ryan Veeder; porter: Johan Berntsson; 2021; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Crimson Witness (kqr; c. 2025; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Cutthroats (Michael Berlyn and Jerry Wolper; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1984; ZIL; Z-code).
• Deadline (Marc Blank; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1982; ZIL; Z-code).
• Endgame (Samuel T. Denton; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Falling to Pieces (Gianluca Girelli; 2023; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Hibernated 1 (Director's Cut) (Stefan Vogt; 2021; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Hollywood Hijinx (Dave Anderson and Liz Cyr-Jones; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1986; ZIL; Z-code).
• Infidel (Michael Berlyn and Patricia Fogleman; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1983; ZIL; Z-code).
• Leather Goddesses of Phobos (Steve Meretzky; publisher: Infocom; 1986; ZIL; Z-code).
• Moonglow (Dave Bernazzani; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Moonmist (Stu Galley and Jim Lawrence; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1986; ZIL; Z-code).
• Plundered Hearts (Amy Briggs; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• Return to the Castle (Anonymous; 2020; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Seastalker (Stu Galley and Jim Lawrence; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1984; ZIL; Z-code).
• Sorcerer (Steve Meretzky; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1984; ZIL; Z-code).
• Spellbreaker (Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1985; ZIL; Z-code).
• Starcross (Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1982; ZIL; Z-code).
• Stationfall (Steve Meretzky; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• Suspect (Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1984; ZIL; Z-code).
• Suspended (Michael Berlyn; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1983; ZIL; Z-code).
• The Fantasy Dimension (Johan Berntsson; 2023; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• The Job (Fredrik Ramsberg; 2021; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• The Witness (Stu Galley; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1983; ZIL; Z-code).
• Turning Point (Robert Street; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Wishbringer (Brian Moriarty; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1985; ZIL; Z-code).
• Zombies! (Chris Cenotti; 2004; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Zork III (Marc Blank and Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1982; ZIL; Z-code).

Z4 Games

Used by Infocom for a few games (A Mind Forever Voyaging, Trinity, Bureaucracy, Nord and Bert).

• A Mind Forever Voyaging (Steve Meretzky; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1985; ZIL; Z-code).
• Adventure (RAMS035B) (William Crowther and Donald Woods; porter: Fredrik Ramsberg; 2024; Inform 6, PunyInform; Z-code).
• Bureaucracy (Douglas Adams; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• Nord and Bert Couldn't Make Head or Tail of It (Jeff O'Neill; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).
• Trinity (Brian Moriarty; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1986; ZIL; Z-code).
• Words Get Twisted Round and Tumble Down (Gunther Schmidl; 2000; Inform 6; Z-code).

Z6 Games

Used by Infocom for its graphical games (Shogun, Zork Zero, Arthur, Journey).

• Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur (Bob Bates; publisher: Infocom; 1989; ZIL; Z-code).
• Journey (Marc Blank; publisher: Infocom; 1989; ZIL; Z-code).
• Moments Out of Time (L. Ross Raszewski; 2001; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Scopa (Aldo Cumani; 2011; Inform 6; Z-code).
• Shogun (Bob Bates; publisher: Infocom; 1989; ZIL; Z-code).
• Sunburst Contamination (Fredrik Ramsberg and Johan Berntsson; 1988; Commodore Basic, Inform 6; Z-code; Commodore 64).
• Zork Zero (Steve Meretzky; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1988; ZIL; Z-code).

Z7 Games

(An almost-never-used post-Infocom extension.)

• Custard (Evin Robertson; 2000; Inform 6; Z-code).