A Command & Conquer clone that was much less successful than it deserved, Z is as notable for being the only real-time strategy game from action game masters at Bitmap Brothers as being a very innovative title-- and very funny to boot.
Z was advertised as "the first game in the combat strategy genre to feature an advanced artificial intelligence system that reacts to the player's moves in real-time, not to a pre-set mission strategy". This means that the computer supposedly actually responds to the player's moves and changes its strategy accordingly. In reality, unfortunately, the game's AI is not that advanced, and often even makes silly mistakes. The game also contains some bugs, although none of which is game-stopping.
What sets Z apart from other C&C clones, though, is the great sense of humor that adds a lot of personality to the game. Featuring an army of crude cyborg soldiers, led by the order-barking Commander Zod, Z puts players on the front lines of a futuristic battle with an army of undisciplined, beer drinking robots with attitudes. You will dodge earth-shattering explosions, complete with shrapnel and flying debris, and forge through 20 levels of gameplay on five deadly planets while capturing the arms, factories and radar installations of your enemies.
Z includes a good number of multiplayer options, including serial or modem link, or with up to four players using the network-play feature. The single-player campaign is excellent, and features a lot of hilarious cutscenes and voices (unfortunately missing from this CD-rip version). Although the robots do not have distinct personalities as the mercenaries in Jagged Alliance do, they nevertheless are well-caricatured and always funny to watch in action.
Overall, if you enjoy Cannon Fodder 2 or want a not-so-serious version of Command & Conquer, Z is a must-have. The game may not be the best real-time strategy game on the market, or the most challenging in terms of AI, but it's got more than enough personality and charm to keep you entertained. Recommended!
Review By HOTUD
English 
Comments and reviews
Be careful everybody, when getting this game. Apparently the new versions / remakes for newer OSs are complete garbage. Best to find the original somewhere and get it running in compatibility mode or emulator if need be.
For me the old version from my ancient CD still worked fine on windows 8, way back when I played it the last time. Dk what the best approach is for newer OSs like windows 10.
Also don't let the possibly low ratings for the games on some sites fool you. They're almost always because of those bad new versions, if you read them. The game itself is great. Fast paced, rare sector capturing system. Smart AI, that doesn't always play the same way, keeping the game fresh alongside other random events like stealing or getting robbed of units that were just about to finish production and now go to the other side, etc.
I'm interested in Z95, especially the extra missions. But I can't find it anywhere. Can somebody help? :)
The full game completion in videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkyv3bF90M-HySaCimBAnAPcEANHBfn8h
Can you get it for your phone
Working and updated version here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/zedonline/
To play this (and many other DOS roms), download retroarch and install the "DOSBOX Pure" core. All you need to do is point the emulator to the directory with the executable file in and it will run anything you throw at it. No need to type any annoying launch sequences or anything, just fire it up and Roberts your fathers brother
I've found out how to get this working. Head on over to WOWroms and download their version. Thats it
i dont understand " MOUNT C: INTO THE GAME FOLDER " ?????????????? wtf
Does any one was able to run on windows 10, Z: Steel Soldiers - I do not mean that new supposedly remastered version, but the actual vanilla version of the game? I got the original one on CD and I am not able to run this one on my PC.
sau gutes spiel aus meiner kindheit
I got the game to work. If you run via DOSBox and mount c: directly to the game folder, you get an error when running z.bat. But if you mount to another folder, it works.
For example, if the game folder is "D:\Games\Z", mounting c: directly to the Z folder won't work, but mount it to Games, then type "cd Z" and then Z and it works fine.
Enjoy :)
I am trying to run this game AGAIN since last run when 90's, so just to refresh those memory of wonderful LIFE. Really hanks for making it online!
Z TO WORK ON MY PC 2020
downloaded .zip file
then modified the z.bat file using 'Notepad'
Ctrl C and Ctrl V:
@Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE C:/CD% %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
Enjoy - USE DOSBOX
Hey guys
Is level 20 the last one? I see there in the folder levels up to 40.
Was this just released for free recently?
I remenber this game went mobiephone have too?
My childhood
Thanks for all the help guys, got it running after making the options.cfg read only after a fresh install. using dosbox 0.74-3. Using Mac Os how do i find the "configuration file" so i can set the screen size, cpu speed etc. I know how to do it on a windows machine, but can't find it in the Mac Os.
How to have sound in a Win10 64 bit PC? Playing with mute sucks
To solve "Critical file missing: d:\z\E_logo,jv" issue, make sure you set the OPTIONS.CFG file to read only RIGHT AFTER extraction.
OPTIONS.CFG included in this archive is already set to skip all cutscenes, ie all *.jv files. Set it to read only to prevent this setting from being changed.
played 2 many many years ago
Edit the z.bat with this line:
@ZED.EXE C: /CD %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
You have to setup the sound if you do not want to play in mute.
Works for me.
How to unlock level 21 to 40?
use "fakecd" in real dos so you can copy it to any folder you like.
If you try the game with DOSBox and it say's to use the Z.bat just type Z and the game will start without using the Z.bat ;-)
Uhm... Guys... I have a problem here. I've done as all of you said, but, I have a problem with "E_logo.jv" file.
"Critical file missing: d:\z\E_logo,jv
Please Ensure CD is in drive, and door is closed"
What do I need to do?
If you encounter the "level01map file missing" error, it means that you installed Z in the wrong directory.
It has to be in C:\Z
If it is in any other directory or mounted as drive D or E it won't work.
If you want to mount it do drive D (that is, in the D:\Z directory) you have to change the z.bat file to read:
@ZED.EXE/CD:D %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
As you can see, the "CD:C" part in the original file tells zed.exe to check drive c for the files. It will always look in the \Z\ directory of that drive letter
Hope that helps.
if you get the error that it can't load the mission file. just copy the contents of the mission folder into the main folder. that way the bat file can access them.
how do you play after downloading and extracting the game because non of the applications work
Only some minor editing of the batch file and tweaking of the audio settings was needed to get it working properly. Runs great, but it's interesting to note the difference between this and the "ZOD Engine" remake. By comparison, this is a heck of a lot more sluggish (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).
By the way, Im using a mac with dosbox
@MR POPADOPPOLLIS. I will physically destroy you.
With the game, everything seems to be working fine, I get to the main menu. But then when I go to start the level I get: "critical file missing level01.map" any hard out tech guys know how to solve this.
Thanks
If it does not work, please check your Z.BAT file in the main folder and make sure it looks like this:
@Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE/CD:C %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
Then in DosBox
Mount d C:\
D:\
cd z
cd z
z.bat
It should work, it worked for me.
Romian's 2012-09-30 answer is work. Just rewrite the z.bat with notepad. I prove to play long ago, but now sucess. I had an 18 years old CD with this game, but damaged.
Ovo je. Jako dobra igra
Help please.
I just installed Zed using dos but when I click on NEW GAME it says "please ensure CD is in the drive and that the door is closed" and says something about a missing level01map file
ok fixed it now, running fine with d-fend and sound settings fixed too, but doesn't run as soon as i turn scenes on. Does someone can help?
i installed d-fend and made everything right but the game won't run. Pls help me i want to play it badly!!!
My uncle had this and some other games, like some rednecks type of game. Used to play it when we visited back when I was like 9 (3 years or so since it released), almost never found anything on it. Now I can download it on my phone and play it again?!
One of the best in its time. Anyone saying it sucked, then you suck. from start to finish i loved this game. kept me on my toes. Very Unique gameplay and loads of laughs from the cut scenes. they should bring out a new one, ill be the first to buy it ;)
Great game!! I love it!
khan
anyone know how to get the scenes to work and full screen?
run instructions
all installed on c. extract the file into c.
DosBox
Mount c c:/
c:\
cd z
zed
z.bat
then z should run. make sure to run setsound aswell.
This stupid game will work. But not if you turn on 'scenes' in the menu. Then it will want those scenes from the cd i guess.
Also you have to run setsound.exe.
Looked for it for a long time
GOT Z TO WORK ON MY PC... BOOM
Just downloaded .zip file, then modified the z.bat file using 'Notepad':
@Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE C: /CD %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
Works no probs.. USE DOSBOX
One of the first computer game I played. It was not the full program. Yet I really enjoyed it. It was challenging, exciting and fun to play.
Beaucoup d'humour dans ce jeu ! Ne le manquez pas !
A very humoristic game ! Do not miss it !
amazing! thanks
quando era pequeno, via propaganda sobre esse jogo, mas nunca encontrei onde baixar pelo fato do nome ser tão simples "Z". Agora sim vou jogar e ver do que se trata. valeu
It's awesome game, network play any1 ?
For those whom can't get the game works, go to the "How to play" section there is guide in it.
awesome game!
starcraft, warcraft2 is way better than this
how do I get this game to run at all? over dosbox?
the fix @Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE C: /CD %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 does not work anyone know another way to fix it?
i have dosbox and downloaded Z but it says run z.bat
Can someone please help???
Critiical File Missing: C:\z\E_logo.jv
Please ensure CD is in drive, and door closed
halp
go to file Z.bat then copy and Past this..
@Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE C: /CD %1 %2 %3 %4 %5
my report is, what I'm getting That.
is The level 1 Map file, Is missing But Oo!
looking in The Folder.. There Is The Level 01
so what Is this for a joke.?
z owns
It asks for a .BAT file that isn't there, and then complains that there is no CD in the drive. Anyone know what could be going wrong?
Awesome game!
excelent game!!! thanks
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.