Z
PlayStation · 1996
About this game
Starting out with just a single unit and knowledge of a small local area, your challenge is to guide your civilization into becoming the dominant force, either by conquering every other civilization or by sending a spaceship to Alpha Centauri.
As you'd imagine, a lot of challenges come into such a task.
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You must locate cities so as to make use of food, construction and trade resources, which can be later improved by constructing irrigation, roads, mines, railroads, and farmland.
Each city can construct one item at a time - civilian and military units, buildings or Wonders of the World (there are 28 of these across the different eras of the game, and each can be possessed by only one city).
The buildings and wonders have different effects - most buildings and some wonders improve defenses, scientific research, trade or food output, but most wonders offer unique advantages that can be used to great strategic effect.
There are over 100 scientific advancements in the game, and most require prerequisites before they can be researched.
How quickly this happens depends on your scientific output, which must be traded off against financial and military concerns.
Combat can occur in cities or in the open terrain - things like forests and mountains give the defense an advantage.
Unlike in the original Civilization, fights aren't always won outright - most times the winning unit will be damaged, reducing its movement speed and attacking prowess until it's repaired, but the losing unit always disappears from game.
If multiple units are in a square that comes under attack, the strongest unit fights - unless it is a city or Fortress, all units will be lost if the fight is lost.
Once a city has no defensive units left, it can be captured.
Certain units have the ability to cover all squares as fast as if they were roads, only a few can see submarines, and air units require re-fueling in a friendly city.
There are up to 6 other Civilizations in the game, and keeping good diplomatic r
About PlayStation
The original PlayStation (1994) brought CD-based gaming and 3D graphics to the mainstream, ending Nintendo's console dominance of the previous two generations. It's now firmly in "retro collecting" territory: original jewel cases with intact manuals command a real premium over disc-only copies, and several RPGs from its later years (when Sony deliberately courted the genre) are among the most expensive commonly-collected games from the era.
Gamevaro tracks Z for PlayStation with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding Z to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This PS1 release dates back to 1996.
Market values by condition
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-06 | Loose / Item only | NTSC-J | €16.59 |
| 2026-07-06 | Boxed (CIB) | NTSC-J | €13.53 |
| 2026-07-06 | Sealed / New | NTSC-J | €30.73 |
| 2026-07-05 | Loose / Item only | NTSC-U | €29.92 |
| 2026-07-05 | Sealed / New | NTSC-U | €30.73 |
| 2026-07-05 | Sealed / New | PAL | €36.98 |
| 2026-07-05 | Boxed (CIB) | PAL | €16.13 |
| 2026-07-05 | Loose / Item only | PAL | €25.36 |
| 2026-07-05 | Boxed (CIB) | NTSC-U | €13.53 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for Z, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common PlayStation titles.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Z worth?
Z for PlayStation is currently worth €25.36 loose, €16.13 complete in box, and €36.98 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Z rare?
Z has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common PlayStation titles.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Z?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Z, loose is €25.36 and CIB is €16.13 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Is Z worth more in PAL or NTSC?
The PAL version of Z is currently worth €25.36 loose, versus €29.92 for NTSC-U. Regional price differences usually come down to print run size and regional collector demand.
Ratings & Reviews
Also on other platforms
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