Kavcom revamps popular '90s RTS Z, releases it on Android as Z Origins

Back when gamers only had a couple of options to satisfy their passion, and none that involved gaming on the go, The Bitmap Brothers became famous with a little RTS (real-time strategy) computer game called simply Z (pronounced “Zed”).

Times changed, gaming evolved, mobile gaming appeared and gained attention, The Bitmap Brothers disappeared, but Z returned, courtesy of Kavcom, a name that doesn’t say much in the developing world these days. Kavcom revamped Z and came with a special iOS version of the game in July 2011, leaving Android fans pining for some good ol’ fashioned RTS fun.

Fortunately, the new game’s iOS success forced Kavcom to turn their attention to us Android geeks as well, and we now can finally welcome Z to our world. Z Origins is the title of the Android version, available over in Google Play for just $2.99.

While that might seem a lot for those of you who only care about a game’s “stunning” visuals, if you take a look at Z Origins’ huge feature list, you’ll get why this isn’t just another freemium title. Also, you should think of the game’s retro-looking graphics as part of its charm, especially for those of you who caught the ‘90s and are nostalgic about MS-DOS or Windows 95 gaming.

Z Origins doesn’t have a very complex storyline, and the basic idea is you have a robot army and you have to defeat another robot army. However, strategy is key to your success or failure in battle, and the totally open environment will most likely surprise you while you’re progressing towards the final goal.

The six types of robot soldiers have “individual personalities” and can perform up to 40 different actions, while the 20 levels set on five planets will keep you busy for a while. It’s definitely not hard to get the hang of the game, but it’s pretty difficult to predict what comes next, what you’ll be asked to do, and how will your army behave in battle.

Humor is another great part of Z Origins, making this still one of the most original video games around. Don’t be surprised therefore if your soldiers will talk back to you when asked to attack, or if they’ll start running like crazy in the most crucial moments. The dialogues are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, while the music system will reflect in real time “the mood of the battle”.

It would have certainly been nice for Kavcom to release a free demo version of Z Origins in addition to the paid full one, but, trust me, you won’t regret paying three bucks for this game!