Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders - the 1988 graphic adventure
for Commodore 64 from Lucasfilm Games.

Swap between Zak, Annie, and a duo of Stanford students to foil alien
mind-sapping schemes. Use SCUMM verbs to poke at a globe-spanning set
of puzzles with jokes at every turn.

Core loop
- explore scenes, read clues, and combine inventory
- switch characters to progress parallel threads
- solve gate puzzles to open new locations on Earth and Mars

Systems and items
- SCUMM interface - point and click verbs with object highlights
- multi protagonist - pass items and information between heroes
- copy protection - red/blue code wheel prompts during play

Level design and feel
Dozens of compact rooms across airports, apartments, temples, and a
face on Mars. Frequent humor, but room for dead ends and soft locks
compared to later Lucasfilm games.

Why it is notable
- second SCUMM adventure after Maniac Mansion and the last Lucasfilm
adventure released on C64
- led by David Fox with co design by Matthew Alan Kane; C64 music by
Chris Grigg and Matthew Alan Kane

Tips
- use the phone early and often; many puzzles hinge on calls
- keep a separate save before risky sequences
- swap items at shared spaces to set up distant puzzles

At a glance
Year - 1988
Developer - Lucasfilm Games
Design and programming - David Fox - Matthew Alan Kane
Graphics - Martin Cameron - Gary Winnick
Music - Chris Grigg - Matthew Alan Kane
Publisher - Lucasfilm Games
Genre - Graphic adventure
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2 - cursor driven