♦ Livestream of the following 4 ZZT worlds ♦
• (0:00) "Space Escape" by Scrubba150 (2000) [https://museumofzzt.com/file/view/spaceesc/]
• (35:11) "Rebel Part 1: The Escape" by Unknown [https://museumofzzt.com/file/view/rebelp1/]
• (52:35) "Escape From Jail" by AHMorrow (1997) [https://museumofzzt.com/file/view/escapejl/]
• (1:07:53) Ad-break ends
• (1:11:28) "Escape" by ZAKK909 (1997) [https://museumofzzt.com/file/view/escape97/]
(Originally streamed August 28th, 2022)
A surprising number of games that almost get it right. Quirky dialog in "Space Escape" combined with some decent enough action makes for a pretty decent game that gets ruined by bosses throwing way too many stars and an incomplete board at the end rendering the game unwinnable without cheating.
"Rebel", is similar, but fantasy themed, with a prison escape leading to becoming public enemy number one as you gather keys to reach an outpost of rebels working to end the monarchy. This one is a bit too maze-y, and has a few instant game overs for touching certain objects like royal guards when touching other guards will destroy them instead making it a gamble before you do anything at all.
"Escape From Jail" is unique thanks to its intricate menu system which includes a secret cinematic sequence that isn't confirmed, but reasonably assumed to be the backstory as to how you got put in jail in the first place. From there it's a straightforward prison escape with a lot of prison guards shooting each other by mistake. An on-screen inventory mentions ammo, but I never found any! Instead I had to beat the entire game by just avoiding enemies, which thanks to the big empty rooms isn't too difficult. (Apparently you're supposed to put a stick down a drain and pull out a gun and 9999 ammo which would have helped.)
Lastly, "Escape" is the most fun of the batch thanks to its bizarre interactions. Learn about cyan wine and it's ability to instantly kill you. Beat up nobles and fight immortal dragons. Then kill another king! A messy layout makes it a bit too easy to skip things. The alternate bad ending where you turn yourself in is pretty great though.
Overall though this is a pretty decent set! While they all have their flaws, all of them felt like the sort of ZZT games you'd download as a kid and put up with regardless, with bits and pieces of story sticking in your head for the next 20 years.
