We're ... we're just so proud of all the would-be e-readers. Following known non-book Scrabble's ascent to the top of the Kindle sales charts, we learn from Ars Technica that a handful of gaming entrepreneurs have brought Zork I, II, III and Mini-Zork to the Kindle and other e-readers.
While an e-reader's typically nubby keyboard might not be the best form of input for an interactive novel like this, we're strong supporters of any innovation that allows us to use our books to play video games. One hang-up, though -- can't we get a game on the Kindle that doesn't require so much reading?
Reader Comments (21)
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 4:55AM Pure Black World Tendency said
I have vivid memories of playing this with my dad on the Spectrum 48K. I found the Grue so scary at the time.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 5:22AM Rather Dashing said
If you haven't played an Infocom adventure, you don't deserve to be called a "gamer" and you don't know the meaning of narratives in games.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 5:41AM Benjamin said
You can play a lot more than just Zork on your Kindle. There's a Javascript app called "Parchment" that lets you play interactive fiction in a web browser, and it works with the Kindle's.
http://parchment.toolness.com/
http://parchment.toolness.com/
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 6:13AM Esposch said
Someone should port Crab Nicholson's Extreme Sleepover.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 7:46AM Marzz said
What are you implying?
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 7:56AM ElTiante said
Floyd here now!
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 9:51AM JonahStein said
I was expecting there would be a text adventure game for the iPhone when I went searching last year. As far as I know nothing has been placed on the App Store yet. Maybe if these Kindle games are successful, who knows?
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 10:19AM littletmart said
I would play the shit out of some Zork... for about ten minutes and get bored and move on to something else. You can never go home again.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 10:27AM MowDownJoe said
The Kindle port of NetHack is an inevitability. Now, people everywhere will experience the humiliation of dying because they slipped trying to mount their horse!
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 10:34AM Luckyduke24 said
This makes ne happy. I've has winfrotz for a very long time.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 10:56AM VioletArrows said
Aww. My first thought went to Choose Your Own Adventure books and got all excited. :(
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 12:20PM Jovrick said
The Kindle seems like the best place for text adventures yet. Do you just download these games individually or is there a program like Frotz where they're all organized?
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 12:53PM Courtney said
Sadly, this actually makes a Kindle more attractive to me. Also, looking at my ever growing book collection, having one might actually keep my house from being overrun by real books.
Posted: Oct 9th 2010 1:13PM Lune said
>Get ye flask
Posted: Oct 10th 2010 11:31AM Hatchet said
Well they do have an app for fighting fantasy books on the iphone if youre interested
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