A few days ago there was both good and bad news for fans of Zachtronics games, because in the same breath with which the indie studio around Zach Barth announced an upcoming release after a long break, it was also said that it would be the last. With Last Call BBS, a chapter comes to an end that is unparalleled in the field of puzzle games.

This is because Zachtronics does not stand for ordinary puzzles in which you look for the solutions given by the developer. Rather, you are given a task and, depending on the game, very different tools, and then have free rein to create the most effective solution possible. A highlight of this was Shenzhen I|O, for which you had to learn a fictitious programming language in order to program microcontrollers so that the electronic devices equipped with them would perform desired functions.

Once more solving tricky problems in the smartest way possible: Zachtronics makes its exit with Last Call BBS.

And this problem solving will also be in Last Call BBS, whereby interestingly several concepts are united in it, which were already used in other releases of the studio. More precisely, once again you’ll use a fictitious old-fashioned computer, in which you’ll find six other programs in addition to two solitaire variants. Among other things, you use them to design the most profitable production facilities for making food, solve shifting puzzles and create circuits from transistors, capacitors and wires. So it’s a very colorful mix.

But how did this mixture come about? Is it meant to be a best-of of the studio on its farewell? We sent this and a few other questions to Zach Barth, and in his answer he explains, among other things, that Last Call BBS was also originally meant to revolve around just one principle, namely the aforementioned making of food production equipment.

Eight mini-games are located in the Z5 Powerlance, a fictional old-fashioned computer.

But “a mixture of a) the fact that the game mechanics lacked depth, and b) the odd work via home office thanks to Corona” had led to the fact that the one big idea became several small ones. This also allowed various things to become part of the game that had been floating around the room in the years before, but also never materialized as independent concepts. These include a remake of Zach’s early Flash title KOHCTPYKTOP, which translates to “Constructor” in English.

Some of these games will be the size of mini-games, others will resemble full-blown Zachtronics titles. And for those who don’t know Zachtronics: the solitaire variants alone, always included as a bonus in previous years, can keep you busy for dozens of hours!

You can also build robots together. The freely invented anime series Steed Force serves as a template.

So the question remains why the studio is now closing its doors, which Zach explains with the fear of stagnation: “It may sound strange, but while we’ve gotten very good at making ‘Zachtronics games’ over the past twelve years, it’s been hard for us to do anything else. We occupy a special niche and I’m thankful that we’ve been able to survive in it, but it’s been hard for us. […] none of us wanted to stay there forever.”

What will become of the team is still up in the air. Zach himself has already been working as a computer science teacher since the current school year, but will probably not continue this. What the future will bring, he leaves open for himself at the moment, just as his employees are still in the process of reorienting themselves.

Interestingly, one of the things he wanted to find out with his career change was which games and programs were needed at schools. After all, Zachtronics had provided games for teaching institutions in the past. Now, however, he says: “Right in the first few weeks after I started the job, I realized that new computer software was the absolute last thing I could use teachers. The problems we face in schools […] can’t be solved simply by introducing new technology.” When asked, he briefly touches on the fact that he includes, for example, the lack of a student voice here. All in all, though, he said, this is an “incredibly big issue”, arguably for a different place and time.

Good thing there is thanks division: The programs on the Z5 are all already cracked. I wonder if they also include a cool soundtrack?

And don’t worry: Zachtronics will continue to support its existing games where needed. There will be no new content, of course, but Zach Barth says himself: “running the games permanently is an active process and something I want to do for as long as possible.”

So once again he releases a brand new game and we can be curious to see what’s in the final head nuts. July 5 will be the day. Then Last Call BBS will be available on Steam.

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