Games running the Infocom text-based adventure interpreter (damned if I can remember the name right now)

The virtual machine was known as the Z Machine. The term ZIP is also bandied about as standing for Z-Machine Interpreter Program. Whether that means the interpreter itself or the programs that run on them seems to be up in the air.

For more info (I'd like to be more into this than I have the time to be), check out the (unofficial) Infocom Homepage, Inform (if you want to write your own Z-Machine programs), and the Interactive Fiction Competition (if you want to play the best new games).

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a simple driving game, like Pole Position

Not old enough to remember Night Driver, eh?