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At first glance, Pre-ZU is simply unsettling: a stylized black sprite similar to an ox moves along a scenario seen from the side and composed solely of coloured squares, while a strange music is heard in the background. The only indications are given by some icons that inform you about the keys you must press to move the character. By proceeding further into the game world, at some point we notice a "linear" version of the sprite. You move the character until it coincides with the other one... and then you go to another level.

After a few levels, where you also find disappearing platforms and pools of water to avoid - if you fall into them, you must start the level from the beginning - you meet another being, a sort of a small dog. He too must reach a "linear" version of himself. Other characters, namely an elephant and a llama, join the game later.

What you are playing is a peculiar puzzle, characterized by some very stylized graphics and an extreme simplicity of action, which however hide some refined design choices. The key to success is teamwork: the dog, for example, can sneak into tunnels where the others are unable to pass, thus operating a button that will make new platforms appear once pressed. Smaller creatures will often need to use larger ones as a ladder to reach places otherwise inaccessible to them.

Pre-ZU is an original brainteaser disguised as a minimalistic and curious platform game, which only real flaw is its shortness. If you negotiate all the levels without making mistakes - not too hard to do with a certain amount of exercise and memory! - you can complete it in just over five minutes!