What is a .Z2 file?
The .Z2 file extension is associated with a Z-machine Z-code Version 2 File. This type of file is used by a game engine called the Z-machine, which was popular for running text-based adventure games during the late 1970s and 1980s. The .Z2 file contains the source code needed to play games that were specifically developed for older computers like the Apple II and the TRS-80 Model I.
To play a game stored in a .Z2 file, you need a special program known as a Z-machine interpreter. These interpreters read the source code in the .Z2 file and execute it, allowing you to play the game. Although the Z-machine technology is no longer actively developed, there are still several interpreters available that have been maintained by enthusiasts. Some of these interpreters include Zoom, Windows Frotz, Spatterlight, and Twisty. These programs are available for different platforms such as Windows, macOS, web browsers, and Android devices.
The Z-code files, like the .Z2 file, are written in a programming language called the Zork Implementation Language, named after Infocom's first game, Zork. The file extensions (.Z1, .Z3, .Z4, etc.) indicate the version of the Z-machine for which the game was developed. The versions range from 1 to 8, with .Z8 being the most common since it was the last version developed. However, .Z2 files, along with .Z1 files, are quite rare because very few games were released using the first and second versions of the Z-machine.
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