Goal:


--Highest score on "maximum difficulty" to test your zoo keeping abilities against the toughest set of animals on the planet!


--aka: Maximum Difficulty Challenge / Extreme Settings / 99-99 / ZEKE-99








Romset:


--Any official romset is acceptable (since future MAME updates may alter naming conventions, etc).








Dip Switches:


--Initial Number of Keepers: 3


--High Score Enable: 1


--Novice Animal Speed: 99 (Default is 39)


--Expert Animal Speed: 99 (Default is 30)


--No Hit Mode: 0


--Free Game Rate: 0








Tips to Adjust Settings Menu:


--Service Mode is activated using F1.


--Use F2 to scroll down the settings list.


--Use F5/F6 to adjust animal speed.


--Hit F1 until returned to the active game.








Info for Adjudication:


--Extra lives are earned at the successful completion of the escalator stage.


--"Point pressing" in the coconut stage is considered illegal (maximum 3 landings on top platform per stage attempt).








Historical Background:


Zoo Keeper (ZK) was released in 1982, and applauded for its deceptively cute charm while providing a mind-numbing challenge at the controls. Three decades later the game is still full steam ahead providing that quaint arcade charisma. ZK has traditionally been played on "default settings" which allows the player to perfect strategies and techniques for amassing huge points when jumping groups of animals- up to 30 million points! By ramping up the difficulty to "maximum," the player is forced to re-invent their long-standing strategies. Think you are good at the 30 year old competitive settings? Try stepping into the "Extreme" cage and show us what you've got!

--=**FOR POTENTIALLY FASTER VERIFICATION**=--

Members of the adjudicating user base who assist the community in MAME INP file analysis have requested that submitters consider the below community recommendations -

Submitters should use MAME version 183 or higher, preferably 183 or 220.

Submitters should name their inp and zip file in the following manner:

xxx_yyy_score_zzz

Example:

elf_bosco_588800_w183.inp inp
elf_bosco_588800_w183 zip file
so name the inp the same as the zip

xxx your initials
yyy rom name
zzz version of wolfmame
_separator

More community info on the MAME verification process:
Sample MAME Verification Process

Community Wiki Exploring MAME History for the TG Rules:
Exploring MAME history for TG rules

M.A.M.E. - Zoo Keeper [Set 1] - Zoo Keeper Extreme! (ZEKE-99) - 101,130 - Christopher Teter
M.A.M.E. - Zoo Keeper [Set 1] - Zoo Keeper Extreme! (ZEKE-99) - 2,011,350 - Paul Hornitzky