Editing Zork

{{Short description|1977 video game}}
{{About|the 1977 video game}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
| title     = Zork
| image     = File:Zork I box art.jpg
| caption   = ''Zork I'' cover art
| alt       = Box with "Zork I" drawn with stone blocks
| developer = [[Infocom]]
| publisher = [[VisiCorp|Personal Software]]{{break}}Infocom
| engine    = [[Z-machine|ZIL]]
| platforms = {{plainlist|
* [[PDP-10]]
* [[PDP-11]]
* [[Personal computer]] (various)
}}
| released  = {{plainlist|
* 1977 (''Zork'')
* 1980 (''Zork I'')
* 1981 (''Zork II'')
* 1982 (''Zork III'')
}}
| genre     = [[Adventure game|Adventure]], [[interactive fiction]]
| modes     = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| designer  = {{plainlist|
* [[Tim Anderson (programmer)|Tim Anderson]]
* [[Marc Blank]]
* [[Dave Lebling]]
* [[Bruce Daniels]]
}}
}}

'''''Zork''''' is a [[text adventure game]] first released in 1977 by developers [[Tim Anderson (programmer)|Tim Anderson]], [[Marc Blank]], [[Bruce Daniels]], and [[Dave Lebling]] for the [[PDP-10]] [[mainframe computer]]. The original developers and others, as the company [[Infocom]], expanded and split the game into three titles{{emdash}}''Zork{{spaces}}I: The Great Underground Empire'', ''Zork{{spaces}}II: The Wizard of Frobozz'', and ''Zork{{spaces}}III: The Dungeon Master''{{emdash}}which were released commercially for a range of [[personal computer]]s beginning in 1980. In ''Zork'', the player explores the abandoned Great Underground Empire in search of treasure. The player moves between the game's hundreds of locations and interacts with objects by typing commands in [[natural language processing|natural language]] that the game interprets. The program acts as a narrator, describing the player's location and the results of the player's commands. It has been described as the most famous piece of interactive fiction.

The original game, developed between 1977 and 1979 at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT), was inspired by ''[[Colossal Cave Adventure]]'' (1976), the first well-known example of interactive fiction and the first well-known [[adventure game]]. The developers wanted to make a similar game that was able to understand more complicated sentences than ''Adventure''{{'s}} two-word commands. In 1979, they founded Infocom with several other colleagues at the MIT computer center. Blank and Joel Berez created a way to run a smaller portion of ''Zork'' on several brands of [[microcomputer]], letting them commercialize the game as Infocom's first products. The first episode was published by [[VisiCorp|Personal Software]] in 1980, after which Infocom purchased back the rights and self-published all three episodes beginning in late 1981.

''Zork'' was a massive success for Infocom, with sales increasing for years as the market for personal computers expanded. The first episode sold more than 38,000 copies in 1982, and around 150,000 copies in 1984. Collectively, the three episodes sold more than 680,000 copies through 1986, comprising more than one-third of Infocom's sales in this period. Infocom was purchased by [[Activision]] in 1986, leading to new ''Zork'' games beginning in 1987, as well as a series of books. Reviews of the episodes were very positive, with several reviewers calling ''Zork'' the best adventure game to date. Critics regard it as [[List of video games considered the best|one of the greatest video games]]. Later historians have noted the game as foundational to the adventure game genre, as well as influencing the [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] and [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]] genres. In 2007, ''Zork'' was included in the [[game canon]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as one of the ten most important video games in history.

==Gameplay==
[[File:Zork photo.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|alt=Computer monitor with text on it|''Zork'' being played on a [[Kaypro]] [[CP/M]] computer]]

''Zork'' is a [[interactive fiction|text-based adventure game]] wherein the player explores the ruins of the Great Underground Empire. The player types text commands for their [[player character|character]] to traverse locations, solve puzzles, and collect treasure. The game has hundreds of locations, each with a name and description, and the player's commands interact with the objects, obstacles, and creatures within them. Commands can be one or two words (e.g., "get lamp" or "north") or more complex phrases (e.g., "put the lamp and sword in the case"). The command must fit the location's context (e.g., "get lamp" works only if a lamp is present). The program acts as a narrator, describing to the player their location and the results of certain actions. If the game does not understand the player's commands, it asks for the player to retype their actions.<ref name="Twisty99109"/><ref name="IEEEprogram"/><ref name="Manual1-1220"/> The program's replies are typically in a sarcastic, conversational tone, much as a [[Game Master]] would use in leading players in a [[tabletop role-playing game]].<ref name="USG2015"/>

The original 1977 version of the game was a single release, ''Zork''. When it was converted into a commercial software title, it was divided into three episodes, with new and expanded sections added to the latter two episodes.<ref name="Twisty99109"/> Much of the game world is composed of puzzles that must eventually be solved, such as a set of buttons on a dam or a maze to be traversed. Some puzzles have more than one solution.<ref name="Twisty129134"/> For instance, since the "Loud Room" is too overwhelmingly loud for the player to perform actions, the player can either empty the nearby dam to stop the sound of water falling, or shout "echo" in the room to change its acoustics.<ref name="Manual1-1220"/><ref name="INVISI1"/> In the first episode, or ''Zork{{spaces}}I'', a thief character is wandering the underground as well, taking items that have been left behind or even stealing from the player's possessions.<ref name="BYTE1980"/> The player can fight or evade the thief, and can recover stolen items from the thief's treasure room.<ref name="Twisty99109"/><ref name="INVISI1"/> Some locations contain antagonists that the player must fight or overcome. Beginning in ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' the player can learn magic spells to use in puzzles and combat.<ref name="Twisty129134"/> In dark areas, the player must carry a lantern or other light source to avoid being eaten by a monster called a grue.<ref name="IEEEprogram"/><ref name="History1"/> There is a limit to how much "inventory" one can carry, determined by the combined weight of objects, rather than the quantity.<ref name="Twisty99109"/>

A principal goal of each episode is to collect all the treasures, many of which are hidden behind puzzles.<ref name="Twisty129134"/> As treasures are collected or tasks are accomplished, the player's [[Score (game)|score]] increases, providing a rough measure of how much of the game has been completed. The player may traverse the game world and solve puzzles in almost any order, although some passageways require problem-solving to get through, and some puzzles require the player to possess something gained from solving a different puzzle. In ''Zork{{spaces}}III'', unlike in prior episodes, there is a timed component that directly affects the outcome. An earthquake will occur after about 130 moves, opening one passageway and closing another. In each episode, the treasures are needed to reach the conclusion of the game.<ref name="Manual1-1220"/><ref name="Manual2-1220"/><ref name="Manual3-1220"/>

==Plot==
[[File:Zork-map.jpg|thumb|Map of the 1977 ''Zork'' world drawn by Aaron A. Reed for the ''50 Years of Text Games'' project]]
''Zork'' does not follow a [[nonlinear gameplay|linear storyline]]. Most of the setting is established through the game's written descriptions of items and locations, as well as manuals in later game releases. Long before the time the game is set in, the Quendor empire, having conquered everywhere above ground, built a massive cave complex to expand. Two hundred years later, the ruler Lord Dimwit Flathead renamed the empire to the Great Underground Empire and spent his reign building massive, largely pointless projects such as an underground dam and the royal museum. A century later, the empire's overspending caused it to collapse, and all the residents left. The abandoned empire is the setting of the three episodes of ''Zork''.<ref name="Manual1-310"/>

''Zork I'' begins with the unnamed player standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door; most of the game occurs underground, as do the subsequent episodes. In ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' the player learns of the Flatheads, and meets the Wizard of Frobozz, who was once a respected enchanter but was exiled by Lord Dimwit Flathead when his powers began to fade. The wizard appears randomly throughout the game and casts spells that begin with the letter "F" on the player. These have several effects, such as "Fluoresce", which causes the player to glow, and "Freeze", which keeps the player stuck in place for a few turns. In ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' the player character gathers the garb of the [[Dungeon Master]] to become his successor. Once the player has all the items, they must feed an elderly man, who reveals himself as the Dungeon Master and shows them the doorway leading to the final hallway. After the player solves the final puzzles, the Dungeon Master appears and transforms the player to look like himself, signifying the player's succession to his position.

==Development==
===Inception===
{{multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width=300
| image1 = MBlank2018.jpg
| alt1   = Man standing
| image2 = Bruce Daniels.jpg
| alt2   = Man sitting at desk
| image3 = Dave Lebling.jpg
| alt3   = Man presenting at podium
| footer = Marc Blank in 2018, Bruce Daniels in 2009, and Dave Lebling in 2010
}}

[[Tim Anderson (programmer)|Tim Anderson]], [[Marc Blank]], [[Bruce Daniels]], and [[Dave Lebling]] began developing ''Zork'' in May 1977. The four were members of the Dynamic Modelling Group, a computer science research division at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) Laboratory for Computer Science{{emdash}}Anderson, Blank, and Daniels as students and Lebling as a research staff member.<ref name="GDCTalk"/> Their work was inspired by ''[[Colossal Cave Adventure]]'', a text-based game that is the first well-known example of interactive fiction and the first well-known [[adventure game]]. ''Adventure'' was immensely popular among the small population of computer users of the time and a big hit at MIT in early 1977.<ref name="TCW383385"/> By the end of May, players had managed to completely solve it.<ref name="History1"/>

The four programmers began to design a game that would be a "better" text adventure game, with inputs more complex than ''Adventure''{{'}}s two-word commands and puzzles less obtuse.<ref name="History1"/> They believed that their division's [[MDL (programming language)|MDL programming language]] would be better suited for processing complex text inputs than the [[Fortran]] code used in ''Adventure''.<ref name="History1"/><ref name="Compute1983"/> The group was familiar with creating video games: Blank and Anderson had worked on a multiplayer trivia game called ''Trivia'' (1976), and Lebling was heavily involved with ''[[Maze (1973 video game)|Maze]]'' (1973), a multiplayer [[first-person shooter]] and the first 3D first-person game ever made. Lebling first created a [[natural language processing|natural language input]] system, or parser, that could process typed two-word instructions. Anderson and Blank built a small prototype text game to use it.<ref name="History1"/><ref name="GDCTalk"/> ''Zork''{{'s}} prototype was built for the [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] (DEC) [[PDP-10]] [[mainframe computer]], the only system that supported their programming language.<ref name="History1"/>

While Lebling took a two-week vacation, Anderson, Blank, and Daniels designed an adventure game concept, which Anderson and Blank then developed as an early version of ''Zork''. This prototype contained simple versions of many concepts seen in the final game, including puzzles and locations. According to Anderson, "it took time for people to learn how to write good problems", and Lebling's first, uncomplex parser was only "almost as smart as ''Adventure''{{'}}s". The game was unnamed, but the group had a habit of naming their programs "zork" until they were completed, a term in the MIT community for an in-development program. The group, referring to themselves as the "implementers", continued working on the game after Lebling returned, adding features and iterating on the parser through June 1977.<ref name="History1"/> Grues were added to replace pits that would kill players in the dark; while play-testing, Lebling noticed that his character fell into a pit while in the attic of the house.<ref name="GDCTalk"/>

Lebling contends that ''Adventure'' was one of ''Zork''{{'}}s only influences, as there were few other games to emulate at the time. Although the game's combat is based on ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', Lebling said the other developers had never played it.<ref name="Retro77"/> He also thought of the parser and associated text responses as taking on the role of the Dungeon Master from a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game, trying to lead the player through a story solely by describing it; this had also been the idea behind the parser in ''Adventure''.<ref name="USG2015"/><ref name="Dibbell5657"/>

===Creation===
The developers did not announce their game while it was in development, but a lack of security on the MIT systems meant that anyone who could access the PDP-10 computer over the [[ARPANET]] could see what programs were being run. As a result, a small community of people, many of whom had been involved in playing and contributing to ''Trivia'', would "snoop" on the system for new programs. They found the new "Zork" adventure game and spread word of it under that name.<ref name="GDCTalk"/><ref name="History2"/> This community{{emdash}}dozens or possibly hundreds of players, according to Lebling{{emdash}}interacted with the developers as they created the game, playtesting additions and submitting [[software bug|bug]] reports.<ref name="Retro77"/><ref name="History2"/> The implementers added a command transcript feature to keep track of what commands players tried to use unsuccessfully.<ref name="Retro77"/>

By the end of June, the game was approximately half the size of the final ''Zork'', and had a substantial community of players for the time. The group added locations such as a volcano and coal mine, and soon shifted their efforts to improving the [[game engine|game's engine]] and adding the ability to [[saved game|save the player's progress]] in the game. Following user requests, they also added the ability for the game to run on PDP-10 computers running different operating systems{{emdash}}[[TENEX (operating system)|TENEX]] and [[TOPS-20]]{{emdash}}which were much more popular than the [[Incompatible Timesharing System]] operating system the MIT computer used. These users then set up a mailing list to distribute updates to the game. The developers returned to creating new content in the fall of 1977, adding the "Alice in Wonderland" section and a system for fighting enemies.<ref name="History2"/>

Around this time, community member Ted Hess at DEC decoded the [[copy protection|protections]] the group had made for the [[source code]], and another DEC employee, Bob Supnik, created a [[Porting of video games|port]] of the game to Fortran.<!--Specifically, the team had changed ITS itself to hide the Zork directory from users, and also encrypted the source code; Hess found the ITS patch, undid it, and downloaded the game files (getting caught in the process by Anderson), and then brute-forced the encryption later.--> This port, released in March 1978, opened the game to a wider set of players without access to a PDP-10 mainframe.<ref name="History2"/><ref name="GetLampSupnik"/> At the time, the team had decided to give the game an actual name besides "zork", and chose ''Dungeon''. This name was used for the Fortran version, which was spread through [[DECUS|the DEC users group]] as one of its most popular pieces of software. [[TSR, Inc.|TSR Hobbies]] claimed the title violated their trademark for ''Dungeons & Dragons'', and the developers reverted to their original title.<ref name="History2"/>

Over the course of 1978, the team added the bank and Royal Zork Puzzle Museum sections, along with some puzzles and ideas suggested by players. The last puzzle was added in February 1979, though the team continued to release bug fix updates until the final update in January 1981. Anderson attributes this to the team running out of ideas and time, and having run out of space in the one [[megabyte]] of [[computer memory|memory]] allocated for the game.<ref name="History2"/>

Very little of the game was planned ahead of time, nor were aspects of the game specific to one developer; instead, whenever one of the developers had an idea they liked, that developer would add it to the game, developing the concept and writing the text to go with it. According to Lebling, Blank ended up focusing mostly on the parser, Anderson on the game code, Blank and Daniels on new puzzles, and Lebling on descriptions of locations.<ref name="Retro77"/> Anderson says that Blank wrote "40 or 50" iterations of the parser, and describes Daniels as designing puzzles that were then largely implemented by the others. He credits Blank with vehicles and saving, and Lebling with the robot, grues, and the fighting system.<ref name="History2"/> To immerse the player in the game, the developers decided not to describe the player character, removing any accidental descriptions or [[gender pronoun|gendered pronouns]].<ref name="Retro77"/> The text responses to the player's commands were frequently opinionated and sarcastic, a design choice that mirrored the group's speaking patterns. The team felt it would both make the system feel less like a computer and also train the player to write commands in a way that the parser could understand rather than ways it would misinterpret.<ref name="USG2015"/>

===Infocom===
In 1979, Anderson, Blank, Lebling, and five other members of the Dynamic Modelling Group [[incorporation (business)|incorporated]] Infocom as a [[software company]] for members to join after leaving MIT.<ref name="Globe1984"/> No specific projects were initially agreed upon and Infocom had no paid employees, but discussions were focused on developing software for [[minicomputer|smaller mainframe computers]].<ref name="Globe1984"/><ref name="History3"/> Blank and Joel Berez came up with a plan to make ''Zork'' work on personal [[microcomputer]]s, which were then beginning to become popular and which would greatly expand the audience for the game. Although microcomputers had very limited memory space compared to mainframe computers, they felt the project might be viable using [[floppy disk]]s and a custom programming language if the game was cut into two pieces.<ref name="History3"/>

The pair worked on the project through the summer and fall of 1979 without pay, as the new company had the funds for only the computers. They ported the game to a new Zork Implementation Language (ZIL), which would then be run on a standardized "[[Z-machine]]" software-based computer. For each type of microcomputer they wanted to release ''Zork'' or other ZIL-based games on, they could write an interpreter program that could run the Z-Machine instead of rewriting each game. Lebling divided ''Zork'' in half to create standalone episodes, modifying the game's layout to improve its flow and disconnecting locations now in separate episodes.<ref name="History3"/>

By the end of 1979 Berez had been elected the company's president. The core game was complete, but it had been run only on [[DECSYSTEM-20]] and [[PDP-11]] mainframe computers. Infocom purchased a [[TRS-80]] personal computer early in 1980, which could run the game after Blank and Scott Cutler created an interpreter program. Infocom began preparing to release the first section under the title ''Zork: The Great Underground Empire{{snd}}Part{{spaces}}I''. Mike Dornbrook, who had never played the game, tested it as an audience surrogate. He felt that the game would be wildly successful and develop a cult following, and urged Infocom to produce tie-in products like maps, hints, and shirts. The rest of the company was not convinced enough to start producing any such add-ons, but they did add an object in the game that gave an address for players to mail in for maps and hints in case it proved popular.<ref name="History3"/>

The game now complete, the company began looking for a professional publisher with store and distributor connections. They felt this was preferable to [[self-publishing]]. Berez approached [[Microsoft]], who declined based on the game competing with ''[[Microsoft Adventure]]'' (1979), their version of ''Adventure''. Microsoft CEO [[Bill Gates]] was a fan of ''Zork'', but by the time he heard of the proposal, Infocom was in negotiations with another publisher, [[VisiCorp|Personal Software]], one of the first professional software publishing companies. Personal Software agreed to publish the game in June 1980, sending the company an [[advance payment]]. ''Zork: The Great Underground Empire'', also known as ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' or just ''Zork'', was published for the TRS-80 in December 1980. Since Personal Software declined to publish the 1979 PDP-11 version of the game, Infocom sold some copies earlier in the year after announcing it to PDP-11 user groups. Lebling later recalled that about twenty floppy disk copies were sold directly with Anderson's typewritten manual.<ref name="USG2015"/><ref name="History3"/>

By the end of 1980, an [[Apple II]] version of ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' was completed and sold through Personal Software. Infocom began receiving requests for hints and maps as predicted, and Berez began handling map and poster orders while Dornbrook wrote customized hints for players; in September 1981 he founded the Zork Users Group as a separate company to handle all [[mail order]] sales and hint requests.<ref name="History3"/><ref name="ZUGorderform"/> Infocom eventually produced hint booklets with progressive answers to questions written in [[invisible ink]], branded as [[InvisiClues]].<ref name="History3"/><ref name="PCM1983"/> Meanwhile, Lebling worked on converting the second half of ''Zork'' into ''Zork{{spaces}}II'', but in the process thought up several new puzzles for the game.<ref name="History3"/> Although as late as December 1980 he told ''[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]'' that it would be a two-part game, it soon became clear that the second half would not fit into the allotted space.<ref name="BYTE1980"/> As a result, the game was split again into ''Zork{{spaces}}II: The Wizard of Frobozz'' and ''Zork{{spaces}}III: The Dungeon Master''.<ref name="History3"/> According to Lebling, splitting the game into episodes led to different atmospheres: ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' was focused on exploration and ''Adventure''-style gameplay, ''II'' had more of a focus on plot and added [[magic spell]]s to the base game, and ''III'' was less straightforward, with time-sensitive aspects.<ref name="Retro77"/> Marc Blank constructed ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' and added gameplay changes such as the modified point system to move the game away from straightforward dungeon exploration.<ref name="GDCTalk"/>

''Zork II'' was offered to Personal Software in April 1981 and the contract was signed in June, but Infocom grew wary of continuing this relationship. The Infocom team felt that Personal Software was not advertising ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' very strongly, and did not seem excited about Infocom's plans for ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' and other planned text adventure games such as ''[[Deadline (1982 video game)|Deadline]]'' and ''[[Starcross (video game)|Starcross]]''. Personal Software soon stopped publishing entertainment software altogether and rebranded as VisiCorp in 1982 to align with its [[VisiCalc]] spreadsheet software. Rather than find another publisher, Infocom decided to self-publish its games and began renting office space and contracting with production facilities. It bought out Personal Software's stock of Apple{{spaces}}II ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' copies and began publishing ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' and ''II'' directly by the end of 1981. ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' followed in the fall of 1982. Infocom developed interpreters for the [[Commodore 64]], [[Atari 8-bit computers]], [[CP/M]] systems, and [[IBM PC compatible]]s, and released the episodes of ''Zork'' for them as well in 1982.<ref name="History3"/>

==Reception==
===Sales===
Following its 1980 release, ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' became a bestseller from 1982 through 1985,<ref name="Bestseller"/> with 380,000 copies sold by 1986.<ref name="GSW2008"/> In its first nine months Personal Software sold 7,500 copies for the TRS-80 and Apple{{spaces}}II.{{refn|I.e., 1,500 copies of ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' for the TRS-80, and 6,000 copies for the Apple{{spaces}}II.<ref name="History3"/>}} Sales ballooned as Infocom began self-publishing the trilogy and the personal computer market expanded.<ref name="History3"/><ref name="GSW2008"/> ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' had sold 38,000 copies by the end of 1982, nearly 100,000 in 1983, and around 150,000 copies in 1984.<ref name="GSW2008"/> Its success outpaced Infocom's later games; ''[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]]'' reported in 1983 that ''Zork{{spaces}}I'', only one of Infocom's fifteen released titles, composed twenty percent of their annual sales.<ref name="Inc1983"/> ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' sales declined beginning in 1985. The second and third parts of ''Zork'' also sold well, though not as highly as the first: more than 170,000 ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' and 130,000 ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' copies sold by 1986.<ref name="GSW2008"/>

Overall sales of the first three episodes reached over 760,000 copies by early 1989.<ref name="GSW2008"/> Combined, they sold more than 250,000 copies by 1984,<ref name="Globe1984"/> and more than 680,000 copies through 1986, including the 1986 ''Zork Trilogy'' compilation release. Between 1982 and 1986, the ''Zork'' trilogy composed more than one-third of Infocom's two million total game sales. [[Activision]] purchased Infocom in 1986 and reported that the three ''Zork'' games and trilogy compilation sold another 80,000 copies by early 1989.<ref name="GSW2008"/><!--''GamePro'' claimed in 1993 that by then two million copies of the game in some form had been sold, but that likely includes other Zork games.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Activision: Return to Zork |magazine=[[GamePro]] |date=August 1993 |issue=49 |page=16 |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_049_August_1993/page/n17}}</ref>-->

===Reviews===
The episodes of ''Zork'' were highly praised in contemporaneous reviews. ''Byte'' and ''[[80 Micro]]'' praised their writing, which the ''Byte'' reviewer described as "entertaining, eloquent, witty, and precise".<ref name="BYTE1981"/><ref name="80M1981"/> Reviewers for ''[[Softalk]]'' and ''[[The Space Gamer]]'' enjoyed how the parser let them input more complex sentences than did earlier games, the ''Softalk'' review noting that every other game since ''Adventure'' had limited the player to two-word phrases, though they also thought players would largely stick with clearer two-word commands.<ref name="ST1981"/><ref name="SG1981"/> ''80 Micro'' wondered whether ''Zork'' could ever be completed because of how much the parser let the player do.<ref name="80M1981"/> ''Byte'' concluded that "no single advance in the science of ''Adventure'' has been as bold and exciting" as ''Zork'', a sentiment echoed by ''Softalk''.<ref name="BYTE1981"/><ref name="ST1981"/>

In the years after its release, ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' received more reviews praising the game in relation to ''Adventure'' and the genre. [[Jerry Pournelle]] described the mainframe and Personal Software versions as "more difficult and more interesting" than ''Adventure'' in 1980, and recommended the Infocom version in 1983, saying that "if you liked ''Adventure'' and wanted more{{spaces}}... I guarantee you'll love ''Zork''".<ref name="pournelle198012"/><ref name="BYTE1983"/> ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' in 1982, ''[[PCMag|PC Magazine]]'' in 1982, and ''[[SoftSide]]'' in 1983 all recommended it as a "must-have" for anyone interested in fantasy or adventure games.<ref name="CGWJan1982"/><ref name="PCM1982-1"/><ref name="SSM1983"/> ''[[Family Computing]]'', in late 1983, proclaimed it a classic of the genre and the game that made the adventure genre more than a novelty.<ref name="FC1983"/>

Reviewers similarly praised ''Zork''{{'s}} second and third episodes. ''[[Softalk|Softline]]'' recommended ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' for its "well-balanced mix of humor, wit, and wry puns" for both new and experienced players.<ref name="SL1982"/> ''PC Magazine'' said it would appeal to all players and that the game was challenging, enjoyable, and funny.<ref name="PCM1982"/> A reviewer for ''Softalk'' said it broke away from both the first episode and ''Adventure'' to be "fresh and interesting".<ref name="ST1982-1"/> Some of the puzzles in ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' were later considered "infamously difficult", and in a hint book, Infocom apologized for one puzzle's difficulty and reliance on baseball knowledge.<ref name="GS2007"/><ref name="INVISI2"/> Reviews in ''Softalk'' and ''[[Creative Computing (magazine)|Creative Computing]]'' named ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' as the best in the trilogy.<ref name="ST1982-2"/><ref name="CC1983"/> ''[[PC World]]'' said it was "just as exciting and puzzling as ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' and ''II''", though its puzzles could be frustrating.<ref name="PCW1983"/> ''K-Power'' concluded that ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' was "the most intelligent text game for a microcomputer that we've ever seen".<ref name="KP1984"/>

''Commodore Magazine'', in June 1983, described the combined trilogy as the most popular adventure game, as well as the best.<ref name="CM1983"/> ''The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software 1984'' gave all three parts of ''Zork'' an overall A+ rating. It called ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' "the definitive adventure game", adding that ''Zork{{spaces}}II'' "has the same outstanding command flexibility, wry humor, and word recognition of ''Zork''", and concluded that ''Zork{{spaces}}III'' was "perhaps the most entertaining of the three" and "a highwater mark for subtlety and logic".<ref name="AW1984"/> ''[[InfoWorld]]'s Essential Guide to Atari Computers'' recommended the trilogy as among the best adventure games for the Atari 8-bit computer.<ref name="mace1984"/>

==Legacy==
[[File:Video Game Museum in Berlin (45946263521).jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|alt=Zork text on a screen with a museum placard below|''Zork I'' at the [[Computerspielemuseum Berlin]]]]

''Zork'' has been described as "by far the most famous piece of [interactive fiction]" and "the father figure of the genre".<ref name="Twisty9899"/> Game historian Matt Barton contended that "to say that ''Zork'' is an influential adventure game is like saying the [[Iliad]] is an influential poem".<ref name="GS2007"/> Rather than simply influencing games, Barton said it instead showed that the computer could simulate a rich virtual world, and helped lay the foundations of video game concepts around exploring, collecting objects, and overcoming problems.<ref name="GS2007"/><ref name="VG35"/> [[Nick Montfort]], in his book on interactive fiction ''Twisty Little Passages: An Approach to Interactive Fiction'' (2003), suggested that ''Zork''{{'}}s legacy and influence lay not in its parser or writing, but in the way it modeled the game world as a complex, dynamic space that the player moved through.<ref name="Twisty99109"/> [[Janet Murray]], in ''[[Hamlet on the Holodeck]]'' (1997), considered this a result of the way the game was programmed compared to other games of the time, with each area, item, and actor modeled as their own object that could act and be acted upon.<ref name="Hamlet7679"/> Historians have argued that ''Zork'', along with ''Colossal Cave Adventure'', influenced the creation of the [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] genre, and through it the more recent [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]] genre.<ref name="GS2007"/><ref name="GS2016"/><ref name="Hamlet86"/>

The game's natural language parser has been noted as having a strong personality, and it was one of the first games to have one.<ref name="USG2015"/> It has been cited as starting a strong trend in writing for adventure games having "metafictional humor, and tendency towards self-parody".<ref name="GStudies2015"/> Decades later ''Zork'' is still cited as an inspiration for text interfaces such as [[chatbot]]s.<ref name="MIT2017"/> It has also been used, along with other text adventure games, as a framework for testing natural language processing systems.<ref name="NAACL2021"/><ref name="IJCAI2019"/><ref name="PREPUB2021"/>

''Zork'' was listed on several lists of the best video games more than a decade after release. In 1992 ''Computer Gaming World'' added ''Zork'' to its Hall of Fame.<ref name="CGW1992-hall"/> It was placed on "best games of all time" lists for ''Computer Gaming World'' and ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' in 1996, and ''Next Generation'' listed the entire series as a whole in 1999.<ref name="CGW1996"/><ref name="NG1996"/><ref name="NG1999"/> In 2016 ''[[PC Gamer]]'' ranked ''Zork'' as one of the fifty most important video games ever made for establishing Infocom as a studio and defining an entire generation of adventure games.<ref name="PCG2016"/> In 2007 ''Zork'' was listed among the ten "[[game canon]]" video games selected for preservation by the [[Library of Congress]].<ref name="NYTcanon"/><ref name="Joystiqcanon"/><ref name="LOCcanon"/>

The grue has been used as a homage to classic, early computer gaming, referenced in games such as ''[[NetHack]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', and ''[[Alan Wake]]''.<ref name="Characters70"/><ref name="DissertationInsane"/> A reference to grues is also made in title and refrain of [[Nerdcore]] rapper [[MC Frontalot]]'s song "[[Secrets from the Future|It Is Pitch Dark]]".<ref name="ZorkSongs"/> Writer Bernard Perron, while discussing horror in video games, stated that being hunted by a grue was a "terrifying situation no player had ever experienced before".<ref name="HorrorVideoGames15"/> ''[[IGN]]'' regarded the grue as one of the best video game villains, stating that the dialogue "It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue" was effective, and how despite some physical characteristics being made clear later, players have their own "utterly personal mental image of what a grue looks like". They noted that while it started as a solution to a game problem, it had evolved to become "one of the chief boogiemen in the early history of video games".<ref name="IGNvillain"/>

===Later games and media===
''Zork'' was the centerpiece of Infocom's game catalog, and Infocom quickly followed it with several more text adventure games using variants of the ''Zork'' codebase and the Z-machine, each of which sold tens of thousands of copies.<ref name="USG2015"/><ref name="GSW2008"/> By 1984, three years after Infocom began self-publishing ''Zork I'', Infocom had fifty full-time employees, US$6{{spaces}}million in annual sales, and twelve other games released.<ref name="Globe1984"/> Infocom internally nicknamed its early games in relation to ''Zork'', such as "Zork: the Mystery" (''Deadline'', 1982), "Zorks in Space" (''Starcross'', 1982), and ''Zork IV'' (''[[Enchanter (video game)|Enchanter]]'', 1983). By 1986 this had increased to 26 total titles. Although ''[[Wishbringer|Wishbringer: The Magick Stone of Dreams]]'' (1985) was ostensibly set in the same world as ''Zork'', the company had not made any more official ''Zork'' games, releasing only a ''Zork Trilogy'' compilation of all three episodes.<ref name="GDCTalk"/><ref name="History3"/><ref name="GSW2008"/>

In 1985 Infocom diversified into professional software by creating a [[relational database]] product called [[Cornerstone (software)|Cornerstone]]. Poor sales led to financial difficulties and the company was sold to Activision in 1986.<ref name="GS2007"/> Infocom then created two more ''Zork'' games: ''[[Beyond Zork|Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor]]'' (1987), which added a graphical map and more role-playing and combat elements, and ''[[Zork Zero|Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz]]'' (1988), a prequel game that added graphical elements and menus as well as graphical [[minigame]]s.<ref name="BEYOND-AG"/><ref name="ZERO-AG"/> Infocom's tenure under Activision was rocky, and rising costs and falling profits, exacerbated by a lack of new products in 1988, led Activision to close Infocom in 1989.<ref name="GS2007"/><ref name="CGW1988"/><ref name="CGW1989"/>

Activision returned to the series with several [[adventure game#Graphic adventure|graphic adventure]] games: ''[[Return to Zork]]'' (1993), ''[[Zork Nemesis|Zork Nemesis: The Forbidden Lands]]'' (1996), and ''[[Zork: Grand Inquisitor]]'' (1997).<ref name="Return-AG"/><ref name="NEMISIS-AG"/><ref name="GRAND-AG"/> It also released ''[[Zork: The Undiscovered Underground]]'' (1997), a free text adventure game partially written by original Infocom implementers Michael Berlyn and Marc Blank to promote ''Zork: Grand Inquisitor''.<ref name="UNDISCOVERED-AG"/><!--and started but never finished ''The Philosopher's Stone'', a text adventure prequel to ''Zork Nemesis''--> In 2009 [[Jolt Online Gaming]] released ''[[Legends of Zork]]'', a [[freemium]] browser-based online adventure game.<ref name="LOZ"/>

The original ''Zork'' games have been re-released in several compilations since ''Zork Trilogy''. They are included in ''[[The Lost Treasures of Infocom]]'' (1991), ''[[Zork Anthology]]'' (1994), ''[[Classic Text Adventure Masterpieces of Infocom]]'' (1996), and ''Zork Legacy Collection'' (1996).<ref name="LOST-CCH"/><ref name="ANTH-NG"/><ref name="CLASSIC-NG"/><ref name="LEGACY-PCZ"/> A graphical port of ''Zork{{spaces}}I'' for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] and [[Sega Saturn]] consoles was produced by [[Shōeisha]] in Japan in 1996, nineteen years after its original release.<ref name="ZorkGraphical"/><!-- Some sites, including this source, have the port as done by Arc System Works and published by Shōeisha, but the game's manual makes no mention of Arc or any Arc employees at all--> Unofficial versions of ''Zork'' have been created for over forty years for a wide range of systems, such as browsers or [[smart speaker]]s.<ref name="MIT2017"/>

Four [[gamebook]]s, written by Infocom developer [[Steve Meretzky]] and set in the ''Zork'' world, were published in 1983–1984: ''The Forces of Krill'' (1983), ''The Malifestro Quest'' (1983), ''The Cavern of Doom'' (1983), and ''Conquest at Quendor'' (1984). These books, known collectively as the "[[Zork books|''Zork'' books]]", are presented as interactive fiction in the style of the ''[[Choose Your Own Adventure]]'' series, wherein the player makes periodic choices and turns to a page that corresponds to that choice.<ref name="gamebooks"/> Two novels were published based on the original game: ''The Zork Chronicles'' by [[George Alec Effinger]] (1990) and ''The Lost City of Zork'' by [[Robin Wayne Bailey]] (1991).<ref name="NovelTZC"/><ref name="NovelTLCZ"/> In 1996 [[Threshold Entertainment]] acquired the rights to ''Zork'' and announced plans to create a ''Zork'' movie and live action TV series, though it was never produced.<ref name="EGM1996"/><ref name="GP1996"/>

==References==
{{reflist |refs=

<ref name="Manual1-1220">[[#CITEREFManual1|Blank; Lebling (''Zork I'')]], pp. 12–20</ref>
<ref name="Manual2-1220">[[#CITEREFManual2|Blank; Lebling (''Zork II'')]], pp. 12–20</ref>
<ref name="Manual3-1220">[[#CITEREFManual3|Blank; Lebling (''Zork III'')]], pp. 12–20</ref>
<ref name="Manual1-310">[[#CITEREFManual1|Blank; Lebling (''Zork I'')]], pp. 3–10</ref>
<ref name="Twisty99109">[[#CITEREFMontfortTwisty|Montfort]], pp. 99–109</ref>
<ref name="Twisty129134">[[#CITEREFMontfortTwisty|Montfort]], pp. 129–134</ref>

<ref name="IEEEprogram">{{cite journal |title=Zork: A Computerized Fantasy Simulation Game |last1=Lebling |first1=Dave |author-link1=Dave Lebling |last2=Blank |first2=Marc |author-link2=Marc Blank |last3=Anderson |first3=Tim |author-link3=Tim Anderson (programmer) |date=April 1979 |journal=[[Computer (magazine)|Computer]] |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=51–59 |doi=10.1109/mc.1979.1658697|s2cid=7845131 }}</ref>
<ref name="TCW383385">[[#CITEREFSmithTCW|Smith]], pp. 383–385</ref>
<ref name="History1">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._IV_No._1_1985-03_Infocom_US/page/n5/mode/2up |title=The History of Zork—First in a series |last=Anderson |first=Tim |author-link=Tim Anderson (programmer) |magazine=The New Zork Times |date=Winter 1985 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=6–7, 11}}</ref>
<ref name="GDCTalk">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020612/Classic-Game-Postmortem |title=Classic Game Postmortem: Zork |first=Dave |last=Lebling |author-link=Dave Lebling |date=March 2014 |via=[[Game Developers Conference]] |type=conference presentation |access-date=August 17, 2022 }}</ref><!--Do not add archives without verifying that the video is present and working-->
<ref name="Compute1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/1983-10-computegazette |title=Marc Blank—The Programmer Behind Zork |magazine=[[Compute!'s Gazette]] |date=October 1983 |volume=1 |issue=4 |last=Yokal |first=Kathy |pages=64–66 |issn=0737-3716}}</ref>
<ref name="History2">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._4_No._2_1985-06_Infocom_US/page/n1/mode/2up |title=The History of Zork—Second in a series |last=Anderson |first=Tim |author-link=Tim Anderson (programmer) |magazine=The New Zork Times |date=Spring 1985 |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=3–5}}</ref>
<ref name="GetLampSupnik">{{cite AV media |people=Supnik, Bob |title=Bob Supnik Interview from Get Lamp |medium=Video |publisher=[[Jason Scott]] |date=October 25, 2006 |url=https://archive.org/details/GETLAMP-Supnik |access-date=August 29, 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Retro77">{{cite magazine |title=The Making of Zork |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |issue=77 |pages=36–39 |date=May 2010 |issn=1742-3155}}</ref>
<ref name="USG2015">{{cite web |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/dave-lebling-interview |website=[[Gamer Network|USGamer]] |title=Dave Lebling on the Genesis of the Adventure Game—and the Creation of Zork |date=December 25, 2015 |last1=Rignall |first1=Jaz |author-link1=Julian Rignall |last2=Parish |first2=Jeremy |access-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-date=July 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730040255/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/dave-lebling-interview |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="Dibbell5657">[[#CITEREFDibbelTinyLife|Dibbel]], pp. 56–57</ref>
<ref name="History3">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._IV_No._3_1985-09_Infocom_US/page/n3/mode/2up |title=The History of Zork—Third in a series |last=Galley |first=Stu |magazine=The New Zork Times |date=Summer 1985 |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=4–5}}</ref>
<ref name="PCM1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1983-11/page/n75/mode/2up |title=A Zork Fan Turns Pro |magazine=[[PCMag|PC Magazine]] |date=November 1983 |last=Langdell |first=James |volume=2 |issue=6 |page=75 |issn=0888-8507}}</ref>
<ref name="Globe1984">{{cite news |url=http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Articles/globe84.html |title=Masters of the Game |last=Dyer |first=Richard |date=May 6, 1984 |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607204921/http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Articles/globe84.html |archive-date=June 7, 1997}}</ref>
<ref name="BYTE1980">{{cite magazine |title=Zork and the Future of Computerized Fantasy Simulations |first=Dave |last=Lebling |author-link=Dave Lebling |magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]] |volume=5 |issue=12 |pages=172–182 |date=December 1980 |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1980-12/1980_12_BYTE_05-12_Adventure#page/n173/mode/2up |issn=0360-5280}}</ref>
<ref name="INVISI1">{{cite book |title=InvisiClues: The Hint Booklet for Zork I |publisher=[[Infocom]] |date=1982 |url=https://www.ifarchive.org/if-archive/infocom/hints/invisiclues/ZorkI.inv}}</ref>
<ref name="ZUGorderform">{{cite book |url=http://www.atarimania.com/8bit/files/Zork%20Users%20Group.pdf |title=A user's guide to getting into the worlds of Infocom |last=Dornbrook |first=Mike |publisher=Zork Users Group |date=1982 |access-date=August 21, 2022 |archive-date=August 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821035023/http://www.atarimania.com/8bit/files/Zork%20Users%20Group.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Bestseller">
Described as a current bestseller in:
* October 1982: {{cite magazine |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=September–October 1982 |volume=2 |issue=5 |page=2 |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1982&pub=2&id=6 |title=List of Top Sellers |issn=0744-6667}}
* October 1983: {{cite magazine |last=Solomon |first=Abby |date=October 1983 |title=Games Businesspeople Play |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |issn=0162-8968 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407063306/https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |url-status=live }}
*April 1984: {{cite magazine |title=Games with windows |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=April 2, 1984 |last=Mace |first=Scott |page=56 |issn=0199-6649}}
*February 1985: {{cite magazine |last1=Ditlea |first1=Steve |last2=Onosco |first2=Tim |last3=Kunkel |first3=Bill |author-link3=Bill Kunkel (gaming) |date=February 1985 |title=Random Access: Best Sellers/Recreation |magazine=[[Video (magazine)|Video]] |volume=8 |issue=11 |page=35 |issn=0147-8907}}
*March 1985: {{cite magazine |last1=Onosco |first1=Tim |last2=Kohl |first2=Louise |last3=Kunkel |first3=Bill |author-link3= Bill Kunkel (gaming) |last4=Garr |first4=Doug |date=March 1985 |title=Random Access: Best Sellers/Recreation |magazine=[[Video (magazine)|Video]] |volume=8 |issue=12 |page=43 |issn=0147-8907}}
*October 1985: {{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/II_Computing_Vol_1_No_1_Oct_Nov_85_Premiere#page/n51/mode/2up |title=Top Software / A List of Favorites |magazine=II Computing |date=October 1985 |volume=1 |issue=1 |last=Ciraolo |first=Michael |pages=51 |issn=0889-9134}}
</ref>
<ref name="Inc1983">{{cite magazine |last=Solomon |first=Abby |date=October 1983 |title=Games Businesspeople Play |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |issn=0162-8968 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407063306/https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="GSW2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php |title=Great Scott: Infocom's All-Time Sales Numbers Revealed |date=September 20, 2008 |work=[[Game Developer (website)#GameSetWatch|GameSetWatch]] |access-date=September 23, 2008 |first=Simon |last=Carless |author-link=Simon Carless |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924074642/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php |url-status=live |archive-date=September 24, 2008}}</ref>

<ref name="BYTE1981">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1981-02/1981_02_BYTE_06-02_The_Computer_and_Voice_Synthesis#page/n263/mode/2up |title=Zork, The Great Underground Empire |magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]] |date=February 1981 |last=Liddil |first=Bob |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=262–264 |issn=0360-5280}}</ref>
<ref name="pournelle198012">{{cite magazine |last=Pournelle |first=Jerry |author-link=Jerry Pournelle |date=December 1980 |title=BASIC, Computer Languages, and Computer Adventures |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1980-12/1980_12_BYTE_05-12_Adventure#page/n223/mode/2up |magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]] |publisher=[[McGraw Hill Education|McGraw Hill]] |page=222}}</ref>
<ref name="BYTE1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1983-06/1983_06_BYTE_08-06_16-Bit_Designs#page/n411/mode/2up |title=Zenith Z-100, Epson QX-10, Software Licensing, and the Software Piracy Problem |magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]] |date=June 1983 |last=Pournelle |first=Jerry |author-link=Jerry Pournelle |volume=8 |issue=6 |pages=411 |issn=0360-5280}}</ref>
<ref name="SG1981">{{cite magazine |last=Mishcon |first=Jon |date=June 1981 |title=Capsule Reviews |magazine=[[The Space Gamer]] |issue=40 |pages=36 |issn=0194-9977 |url=https://archive.org/details/space-gamer_201601/Space_Gamer_40/page/n39/mode/2up}}</ref>
<ref name="80M1981">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/80-microcomputing-magazine-1981-08/80Microcomputing_0881#page/n31/mode/2up |title=Zork |magazine=[[80 Micro]] |issue=20 |date=August 1981 |access-date=February 17, 2015 |last=Marshall |first=Debra |page=32 |issn=0744-7868}}</ref>
<ref name="CGWJan1982">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1982&pub=2&id=2 |format=PDF |last=Maloy |first=Deirdre L. |title=Micro—Reviews |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=January–February 1982 |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=32 |issn=0744-6667 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111214826/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1982 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="ST1981">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/softalkv1n10jun1981/page/52/mode/2up |title=Marketalk Reviews—Zork |magazine=[[Softalk]] |date=June 1981 |volume=1 |issue=10 |page=53 |issn=0274-9629}}</ref>
<ref name="PCM1982-1">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1982-12/page/n99/mode/2up |title=From Fantasy To Video Game Reality—Zork I |magazine=[[PCMag|PC Magazine]] |date=December 1982 |last=Cook |first=Richard |volume=1 |issue=8 |page=99 |issn=0888-8507}}</ref>
<ref name="SSM1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/softside-magazine-59/page/n65/mode/2up |title=Zork I |magazine=[[SoftSide]] |date=September 1983 |last=Renne |first=Mark |volume=6 |issue=11 |pages=50–51 |issn=0274-8630}}</ref>
<ref name="FC1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/family-computing-01/page/n97/mode/2up |title=Zork I (Adventure) |magazine=[[Family Computing]] |date=September 1983 |last=Grevstad |first=Eric |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=98 |issn=0899-7373}}</ref>

<ref name="SL1982">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1982&pub=6&id=5 |title=Zork II |magazine=[[Softalk|Softline]] |date=May 1982 |last=Repstad |first=Tom |volume=1 |issue=5 |page=17 |issn=0745-4988 |archive-date=January 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103005435/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1982&pub=6&id=5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="PCM1982">{{cite magazine |title=Space Wars and Earth Games: Zork II |magazine=[[PCMag|PC Magazine]] |date=December 1982 |last=Leibson |first=Steve |pages=167, 169, 171 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vy3cBZkjbZgC&pg=RA2-PA165 |issn=0888-8507 |access-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810194923/https://books.google.com/books?id=vy3cBZkjbZgC&pg=RA2-PA165 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="CC1983">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n11/141_Zork_III_a_classic_adven.php |title=Zork III: a classic adventure. |magazine=[[Creative Computing (magazine)|Creative Computing]] |volume=9 |issue=11 |date=November 1983 |last=Townsend |first=Carl |pages=141 |issn=0097-8140 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805153226/https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n11/141_Zork_III_a_classic_adven.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="ST1982-1">{{cite magazine |title=Marketalk Reviews—Zork II |magazine=[[Softalk]] |date=March 1982 |volume=2 |issue=7 |page=53 |issn=0274-9629}}</ref>
<ref name="ST1982-2">{{cite magazine |title=Marketalk Reviews—Zork III |magazine=[[Softalk]] |date=September 1982 |volume=3 |issue=1 |page=53 |issn=0274-9629}}</ref>
<ref name="INVISI2">{{cite book |title=InvisiClues: The Hint Booklet for Zork II |publisher=[[Infocom]] |date=1982 |url=https://www.ifarchive.org/if-archive/infocom/hints/invisiclues/ZorkII.inv}}</ref>
<ref name="PCW1983">{{cite magazine |title=For Game Gourmets—Zork III |magazine=[[PC World]] |date=October 1983 |pages=180–181 |issn=0737-8939}}</ref>
<ref name="KP1984">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/k-power-magazine-01/K-Power_Issue_01_1984_Feb#page/n59/mode/2up/ |title=Zork III |magazine=K-Power |date=February 1984 |last1=Saberhagen |first1=Eric |last2=Saberhagen |first2=Tom |page=58|issn=0741-5192}}</ref>
<ref name="CM1983">{{cite magazine |title=Zork |magazine=Commodore Magazine |date=November 1983 |volume=3 |issue=6 |pages=8–11 |issn=0814-5741}}</ref>
<ref name="AW1984">[[#CITEREFAW|Stanton; Wells; Rochowansky; Mellid]], pp. [https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Software_1984#page/n29/mode/2up 30–31]</ref>
<ref name="mace1984">[[#CITEREF_GuideAtari|Mace]], pp. [https://archive.org/details/InfoWorlds_Essential_Guide_to_Atari/page/n89/mode/2up 79–80]</ref>

<ref name="Twisty9899">[[#CITEREFMontfortTwisty|Montfort]], pp. 98–99</ref>
<ref name="GS2007">{{cite web |title=The History Of Zork |first=Matt |last=Barton |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/the-history-of-zork |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |date=June 28, 2007 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809014122/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/the-history-of-zork |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Hamlet7679">[[#CITEREFMurrayHamlet|Murray]], pp. 76–79</ref>
<ref name="VG35">[[#CITEREFVintageBarton|Barton]], p. 35</ref>
<ref name="PCG2016">{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/most-important-pc-games/ |title=The most important PC games of all time |work=[[PC Gamer]] |date=January 17, 2016 |access-date=January 19, 2016 |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430071630/https://www.pcgamer.com/most-important-pc-games/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="GS2016">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/hunt-the-syntax-part-one |title=Hunt The Syntax, Part One |first=Michael |last=Heron |date=August 3, 2016 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |access-date=January 8, 2022 |archive-date=January 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108020637/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/hunt-the-syntax-part-one |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Hamlet86">[[#CITEREFMurrayHamlet|Murray]], p. 86</ref>
<ref name="GStudies2015">{{cite journal |title=Self-Reflexivity and Humor in Adventure Games |url=http://gamestudies.org/1501/articles/bonello_k |last1=Bonello |first1=Krista |last2=Giappone |first2=Rutter |journal=Game Studies |volume=15 |issue=1 |date=July 2015 |issn=1604-7982 |access-date=November 24, 2022 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205020937/http://gamestudies.org/1501/articles/bonello_k |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="MIT2017">{{cite web |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2017/08/22/149560/the-enduring-legacy-of-zork/ |title=The Enduring Legacy of Zork |last=Woyke |first=Elizabeth |date=August 22, 2017 |website=[[MIT Technology Review]] |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823105733/https://www.technologyreview.com/2017/08/22/149560/the-enduring-legacy-of-zork/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="NAACL2021">{{cite conference |title=Reading and Acting while Blindfolded: The Need for Semantics in Text Game Agents |last1=Yao |first1=S. |last2=Narasimhan |first2=K. |last3=Hausknecht |first3=M. |conference=[[North American Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics]] |year=2021 |eprint=2103.13552}}</ref>
<ref name="IJCAI2019">{{cite conference |title=A Survey of Reinforcement Learning Informed by Natural Language |last1=Luketina |first1=J. |last2=Nardelli |first2=N. |last3=Farquhar |first3=G. |last4=Foerster |first4=J. |last5=Andreas |first5=J. |last6=Grefenstette |first6=E. |last7=Whiteson |first7=S. |last8=Rocktäschel |first8=T. |conference=[[International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence]] |year=2019 |eprint=1906.03926}}</ref>
<ref name="PREPUB2021">{{cite arXiv |title=A Systematic Survey of Text Worlds as Embodied Natural Language Environments |last=Jansen |first=P. A. |year=2021 |eprint=2107.04132 |class=cs.CL}}</ref>
<ref name="CGW1992-hall">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=100 |title=Computer Gaming World's Hall of Fame |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=November 1992 |page=193 |issue=100 |issn=0744-6667 |access-date=July 5, 2014 |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702235552/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=100 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="CGW1996">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 |title=150 Best Games of All Time |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=November 1996 |pages=64–80 |issue=148 |issn=0744-6667 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408023915/http://cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="NG1996">{{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=21 |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_21/page/n59/mode/1up |date=September 1996 |page=56 |issn=1078-9693}}</ref>
<ref name="NG1999">{{cite magazine|title=Top 50 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=50 |date=February 1999 |page=73 |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_50/page/n74/mode/1up |issn=1078-9693}}</ref>
<ref name="NYTcanon">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/design/12vide.html?ex=1331352000&en=380fc9bb18694da5&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |title=Is That Just Some Game? No, It's a Cultural Artifact |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Heather |last=Chaplin |date=March 12, 2007 |page=E7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204212137/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/design/12vide.html?ex=1331352000&en=380fc9bb18694da5&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |archive-date=December 4, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Joystiqcanon">{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007/03/12/10-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-as-judged-by-2-design/ |title=10 most important video games of all time, as judged by 2 designers, 2 academics, and 1 lowly blogger |last=Ransom-Wiley |first=James |work=[[Joystiq]] |date=March 12, 2007 |access-date=March 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314183628/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/12/10-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-as-judged-by-2-design/ |archive-date=March 14, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="LOCcanon">{{cite web |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2012/09/yes-the-library-of-congress-has-video-games-an-interview-with-david-gibson/ |title=Yes, The Library of Congress Has Video Games: An Interview with David Gibson |date=September 26, 2012 |work=The Signal |first=Trevor |last=Owens |access-date=March 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308134428/http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2012/09/yes-the-library-of-congress-has-video-games-an-interview-with-david-gibson/ |archive-date=March 8, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Characters70">[[#CITEREFCharactersHemmann|Hemmann]], p. 70</ref>
<ref name="DissertationInsane">{{cite thesis |url=https://diglib.uibk.ac.at/ulbtirolhs/content/titleinfo/2563636/full.pdf |title="Impossible to Understand and Madness to Investigate": Videogame Narratives and the Theme of Insanity in American Popular Culture |degree=PhD |date=2018 |last=Hinterleitner |first=Georgia |page=14 |publisher=[[University of Innsbruck]]}}</ref>
<ref name="ZorkSongs">{{cite web |first=Jef |last=Rouner |url=https://www.houstonpress.com/music/songs-about-zork-11423970 |title=5 Songs for the 40th Anniversary of Zork |website=[[Houston Press]] |date=January 17, 2020 |access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="HorrorVideoGames15">[[#CITEREFHorrorPerron|Perron]], p. 15</ref>
<ref name="IGNvillain">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/46.html |title=Top 100 Videogame Villains: Grue is number 46 |date=May 8, 2010 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819015823/http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/46.html |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |archive-date=August 19, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="BEYOND-AG">{{cite web |title=Beyond Zork |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=36107 |last=Knight |first=Kyle |website=[[AllGame]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114134316/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=36107 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="ZERO-AG">{{cite web |title=Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=36208 |last=Knight |first=Kyle |website=[[AllGame]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114133408/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=36208 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="CGW1988">{{cite magazine |title=Rumored Activision/Infocom Rift Unfounded |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |issue=46 |date=April 1988 |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1988&pub=2&id=46 |page=9 |issn=0744-6667 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203072150/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1988 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="CGW1989">{{cite magazine |date=September 1989 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |title=Infocom's West Coast Move Stirs Controversy |page=10 |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1989&pub=2&id=63 |issue=63 |issn=0744-6667 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116150935/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1989&pub=2&id=63 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="Return-AG">{{cite web |title=Return to Zork |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13542 |website=[[AllGame]]|access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114100712/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13542 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="NEMISIS-AG">{{cite web |title=Zork Nemesis |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13345 |website=[[AllGame]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114100602/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13345 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="GRAND-AG">{{cite web |title=Zork: Grand Inquisitor |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6807 |last=Deci |first=T. J. |website=[[AllGame]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114095955/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6807 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="UNDISCOVERED-AG">{{cite web |title=Zork: The Undiscovered Underground |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14526 |last=Knight |first=Kyle |website=[[AllGame]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114101053/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14526 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="LOZ">{{cite web |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/195885/legendsofzork-2.html |title=Legends of Zork launches as Web-based casual game |last=Cohen |first=Peter |date=April 1, 2009 |website=[[MacWorld]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817160706/https://www.macworld.com/article/195885/legendsofzork-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="LOST-CCH">{{cite web |url=https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/37879/The-Lost-Treasures-Of-Infocom/ |title=The Lost Treasures Of Infocom |website=[[The Centre for Computing History]] |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512060220/https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/37879/The-Lost-Treasures-Of-Infocom/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="ANTH-NG">{{cite magazine |title=Finals |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=2 |date=February 1995 |page=96 |issn=1078-9693}}</ref>
<ref name="CLASSIC-NG">{{cite magazine |title=Infocom Masterpieces |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=24 |date=December 1996 |page=272 |issn=1078-9693}}</ref>
<ref name="LEGACY-PCZ">{{cite magazine |title=Datapad |magazine=[[PC Zone]] |issue=52 |date=July 1997 |page=16 |issn=0967-8220}}</ref>
<ref name="ZorkGraphical">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamer.ne.jp/game/1000009738/ |script-title=ja:ゾーク・ワン |trans-title=Zork I |language=ja |website=Gamer |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-date=October 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024012432/https://www.gamer.ne.jp/game/1000009738/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="gamebooks">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Meretzky, Steve |encyclopedia=[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]] |edition=3rd |author-last1=Langford |author-first1=Dave |author-link1=David Langford |author-last2=Clute |author-first2=John |author-link2=John Clute |url=https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/meretzky_steve |year=2021 |access-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818015333/https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/meretzky_steve |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="NovelTZC">{{cite book |title=The Zork Chronicles |last=Effinger |first=George Alec |author-link=George Alec Effinger |publisher=[[Avon (publisher)|Avon]] |date=1990 |isbn=978-0-380-75388-8}}</ref>
<ref name="NovelTLCZ">{{cite book |title=The Lost City of Zork |last=Bailey |first=Robin Wayne |author-link=Robin Wayne Bailey |publisher=[[Avon (publisher)|Avon]] |date=1991 |isbn=978-0-380-75389-5}}</ref>
<ref name="EGM1996">{{cite magazine |title=Tidbits ... |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=82 |date=May 1996 |page=18 |issn=1058-918X}}</ref>
<ref name="GP1996">{{cite magazine |date=May 1996 |title=Celebrity Sightings |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_082_May_1996/page/n22/ |url-access=registration |magazine=[[GamePro]] |page=21 |issn=1042-8658 |oclc=19231826 |access-date=January 13, 2023}}</ref>
}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Barton |first1=Matt |title=Vintage Games 2.0: An Insider Look at the Most Influential Games of All Time |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |date=2019 |isbn=978-1-00-000092-4 |ref=CITEREFVintageBarton}}
* {{cite book |last1=Blank |first1=Marc |author-link1=Marc Blank |last2=Lebling |first2=Dave |author-link2=Dave Lebling |title=''Zork I—The Great Underground Empire'' Instruction Manual (''Zork Trilogy'') |publisher=[[Infocom]] |date=1984 |url=http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork1.pdf |ref=CITEREFManual1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030811082318/http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork1.pdf |archive-date=August 11, 2003 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last1=Blank |first1=Marc |author-link1=Marc Blank |last2=Lebling |first2=Dave |author-link2=Dave Lebling |title=''Zork II—The Wizard of Frobozz'' Instruction Manual (''Zork Trilogy'') |publisher=[[Infocom]] |date=1984 |url=http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork2.pdf |ref=CITEREFManual2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030501191343/http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork2.pdf |archive-date=May 1, 2003 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last1=Blank |first1=Marc |author-link1=Marc Blank |last2=Lebling |first2=Dave |author-link2=Dave Lebling |title=''Zork III—The Dungeon Master'' Instruction Manual (''Zork Trilogy'') |publisher=[[Infocom]] |date=1984 |url=http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork3.pdf |ref=CITEREFManual3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030811085315/http://infodoc.plover.net/manuals/zork3.pdf |archive-date=August 11, 2003 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last=Dibbell |first=Julian |title=My Tiny Life: Crime and Passion in a Virtual World  |date=1998 |isbn=978-0-8050-3626-8 |lccn=98-13636 |publisher=[[Henry Holt and Company|Holt Paperbacks]] |url=https://archive.org/details/mytinylifecrimep0000dibb_c6m4 |url-access=registration |ref=CITEREFDibbelTinyLife}}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Banks |editor-first1=Jaime |editor-last2=Mejia |editor-first2=Robert |editor-last3=Adams |editor-first3=Aubrie |last=Hemmann |first=Kathryn |title=100 Greatest Video Game Characters |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |date=2017 |isbn=978-1-4422-7813-4 |ref=CITEREFCharactersHemmann}}
* {{cite book |last=Mace |first=Scott |url=https://archive.org/details/InfoWorlds_Essential_Guide_to_Atari |title=InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers |date=1984 |publisher=[[Harper & Row]] |isbn=978-0-06-669006-3 |ref=CITEREF_GuideAtari}}
* {{cite book |last=Montfort |first=Nick |author-link=Nick Montfort |date=2003 |title=Twisty Little Passages: An Approach To Interactive Fiction |publisher=[[MIT Press]] |isbn=978-0-262-13436-1 |ref=CITEREFMontfortTwisty}}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Murray |title=[[Hamlet on the Holodeck|Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace]] |publisher=[[MIT Press]] |edition=2nd |date=2017 |orig-date=1997 |isbn=978-0-262-53348-5 |ref=CITEREFMurrayHamlet}}
* {{cite book |title=Horror Video Games: Essays on the Fusion of Fear and Play |last=Perron |first=Bernard |date=2014 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-0-7864-5479-2 |ref=CITEREFHorrorPerron}}
* {{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 |date=2019 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=978-0-429-75261-2 |ref=CITEREFSmithTCW}}
* {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Software_1984 |title=The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software |publisher=[[Addison-Wesley]] |year=1984 |isbn=0-201-16454-X |editor-last1=Stanton |editor-first1=Jeffrey |editor-last2=Wells |editor-first2=Robert P. |editor-last3=Rochowansky |editor-first3=Sandra |editor-last4=Mellid |editor-first4=Michael |ref=CITEREFAW}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Zork-article.ogg |date=January 4, 2023}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}

*''[https://ifdb.org/viewgame?id=4gxk83ja4twckm6j Zork]'', ''[https://ifdb.org/viewgame?id=0dbnusxunq7fw5ro Zork I]'', ''[https://ifdb.org/viewgame?id=yzzm4puxyjakk8c4 Zork II]'', and ''[https://ifdb.org/viewgame?id=vrsot1zgy1wfcdru Zork III]'' at the [http://ifdb.org Interactive Fiction Database] with downloadable versions for many platforms
*''[https://www.ifwiki.org/Zork_(game) Zork]'', ''[https://www.ifwiki.org/Zork_I Zork I]'', ''[https://www.ifwiki.org/Zork_II Zork II]'', and ''[https://www.ifwiki.org/Zork_III Zork III]'' at the [http://ifwiki.org Interactive Fiction Wiki] with downloadable versions for many platforms
*[https://github.com/MITDDC/zork Source code] for a 1977 PDP-10 version of ''Zork''

{{Infocom games}}

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