Zork III is played entirely through text. The game describes the current location and events, then accepts typed commands such as movement, observation, conversation, and object manipulation. The player must infer useful actions from the prose rather than follow a fixed quest marker.

Progress comes from solving a sequence of unusual trials and discovering how locations, objects, and timed events interact. Exploration is non-linear in places, while certain scenes require careful waiting or decisive intervention. The game has no conventional combat system, although poor decisions can lead to failure and restarting from a saved position is often useful.

Read every description carefully and examine anything that seems unusual. Try synonyms when the parser rejects a reasonable command, and keep notes about recurring objects, locations, and messages.

Save before experimenting with unfamiliar objects or entering a new trial. Some events depend on timing, so waiting, observing, or repeating an action can be as important as moving. When a situation appears impossible, look for a way to manipulate the environment rather than relying on brute force.