I'm surprised no one suggested BatMUD. It is a blast, atleast I enjoy the game quite immensely. ^_^ It also has a really awesome interface, in my opinion.

This is just my opinion, but to me, a graphic adventure which uses a text parser is not the same as a text adventure. Yes, that was also very good, as I recall. Wishbringer too.

Try Galatea - http://iplayif.com/?story=http://parchment.toolness.com/if-archive/games/zcode/Galatea.zblorb.js

It is free and plays in your browser.

Legend of the Sword - http://www.mobygames.com/game/legend-of-the-sword
One of the few Adventure games I've really enjoyed.

Not really quirky, the first mud was made in the late 70's - so text base was a the only options. There have been MMO's before we had internet.

Do Interactive Fiction with Graphics count? If so, just about everything by Legend Entertainment and Magnetic Scrolls.

Thanks for the links to Adam Cadre's Interactive Fiction, The Interactive Fiction Archive and Online Adventure Games.

Indeed. When I started playing Valheru MUD, it was running on a local server about 8 km from where I lived, and I dialed into it using a 14k4 modem. At that time, you had to pay for your play time. Once, when I ran out of play time around midnight, I got on my bicycle, rode to where the owner lived, and dropped 100 DKK in an envelope with my player name on it in his mailbox. Then I rode back home and sent the admin a message to go check his mailbox. Then I continued playing.

Wow. Now that's what I call hardcore addiction. =P

I've found this pretty nifty text adventure site. Could this be what you are looking for?

http://www.choiceofgames.com/

This is fate! I was just thinking of coming here to recommend this guy:

Zarf's Interactive Fiction

Free interactive fiction by (you guessed it!) some dude named Zarf. They're rather short, since they're freeware projects by one dude, but still good. I recommend especially Hunter, In Darkness; , which creeped me out; and am now playing [url=http://www.eblong.com/zarf/zweb/dreamhold/]Dreemhold, his tutorial game (on expert mode)

Check him out.

The Zero Escape series is definitely a great pick if you're looking for something a bit different. The writing's broken up with some really great point n' click puzzles, and it forces you to make some particularly tough choices.