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The best of the Zork series (which began with Zork, ended with Zork III and was then supplemented by a beginner's Zork 0) is set in the underground ruins of the ancient Empire in a region once controlled by the Wizard of Frobozz. Old Wiz has been sent into exile by Lord Dimwit Flathead the Excessive. He's also left a lot of tricks (and traps) lying arounds for you to discover and survive. Fortunately, many of the puzzles stand alone, allowing you to sizzle your synapses over several brain strainers at once.

The environment is completely surreal: from a sleeping troll pointlessly guarding an ancient toll bridge (and a corresponding shortage of coins with which to pay the pain in the neck) to the ice room to whcih you have to lead a dragon whose over-riding urge is to make fried fast food out of foolish adventurers. Other characters include a pesky thief who wasn't making much of a living until you arrived and now he's giving it everything he's got (off the back of a lorry) and the Grue. (Grue are not really characters, actually. They're more like personified Game Over messages.)

Grue live in the dark. Do not venture into the dark or Grue will eat you. You have been warned.

With a score that takes into account the number of moves you make - not to mention particularly stupid acts like getting yourself killed - it's guaranteed to have you wiping spittle off your chin within days. It's a beauty.