Zork Zero used the newer standard box format (much the same as the standard "book-like" box but with a slipcase containing a cardboard tray which contained all the package elements). It contained the Flathead Calendar (883 GUE, the calendar also came shipped with The Zork Anthology), a folded map (blueprints of Rockville Estates with a yellow Post-It attached to it), and a scrap of wizardly parchment.

With the new graphic interface, you can feel a little of the environments you explore.

Zork Zero, a return to the Quendorian Empire, only this time, you get to experience the grandeur of the time during the reign of Wurb Flathead, last of the Flathead dynasty. (Until Lucy comes to power on the 34th of Frobuary in 1067 GUE, that is.)

In the prologue of the game, you play a waiter at Flathead castle on the unholy day know known as Curse day on the 14th of Mumbar in 789 GUE.  You will be present when Megaboz appears and Curse the Flatheads for the excessiveness of Dimwit.  You will see Dimwit himself die.  You will steal a small scrap of parchment from the Wizard Megaboz's pocket, and your vision will fade as you realize that you were only dreaming, and are back in the present day.

An in-game look at the man whose work you are attempting to undo.

Wurb Flathead has called on all peoples of the kingdom and offered a reward of half the treasure of the kingdom to anyone hard-headed enough to break the Curse placed on the Flatheads by Megaboz the Wizard.  He then ran away and hid in the mountains. (Supposedly, because he's nowhere to be found around the castle.)

You are the descendant of the waiter you just played as, and you still have the scrap of parchment that has been handed down in your family for 94 years.  It is the 15th of Mumbar, 883 GUE., and you are here in Flatheadia to uncover the mysteries of the curse and, with luck, claim the prize.

As you arrive at the castle, you realize that there is nobody left in the castle, save for the lone Court Jester, who will annoy the crap out of you for the entire duration of the game.  (That's right, you'll NEVER be rid of him.)

The (In)Games

Buried within the Adventure there are some mini-games you must learn the mechanics of to accomplish your goal.

Double Fanucci is a play off of many popular card games.

To master the art that is the game of Snarfen, you must research rather deeply.

Point System

The point system of this game is rather embarrassingly simplistic.  You get 12 points for finding each of the 24 Items you need to complete the anti-curse spell, and a magic word to activate it, resulting in a total of 300 points possible.  there's no way to finish this game without receiving all the points because you have to have all the items to perform the spell.

Tips from the Saint

bullet

I hate to say it, but the Jester is there to help you throughout the game.  Some of his taunting can be annoying, but if you pay close attention, most of his phrases have hidden clues in them that you can use to your advantage.

bullet

I know it's tempting, but try to avoid using the in-game hint system.  You never know when the number of times you use it could come back to haunt you... (Hint-worthy thing to remember)

Walkthrough

My walkthrough isn't actually MINE.  It's a transcription and webification I created for this new page.  The original was Copyright (c) 1989-1994 by David Sacha and THE ELECTRONIC GAMER.

Maps

Here are scans of the completed maps that you can view in the game.  Yeah, I know they're not labeled, but I'm a little too lazy to make a labeled one.  Maybe if I ever finish remastering the maps from the Trilogy...