Zak Mckracken And The Alien Mindbenders
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Zak McKracken – Aliens Were Making Everyone Stupid Through the Phone Lines on the C64
️ Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988) – Commodore 64 Sci-Fi Graphic Adventure Classic Released in 1988 by Lucasfilm Games for the Commodore 64, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders is a landmark graphic adventure and the second title to use the SCUMM engine after Maniac Mansion. It expanded the scope of adventure games with a globe-trotting narrative, deeper puzzle design, and a strong sense of humour. You take control of Zak McKracken, a tabloid journalist who stumbles upon a bizarre alien conspiracy aimed at dulling human intelligence using mind-control devices. The story spans multiple real-world and off-world locations, including San Francisco, Egypt, Peru, and Mars, with you switching between characters to solve puzzles using shared logic but separate inventories. On the Commodore 64, the game uses a colourful pixel-art style within a 16-colour palette, paired with minimal sound effects that keep focus on exploration and problem-solving.
Game Overview
About the Game
️ Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988) – Commodore 64 Sci-Fi Graphic Adventure Classic Released in 1988 by Lucasfilm Games for the Commodore 64, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders is a landmark graphic adventure and the second title to use the SCUMM engine after Maniac Mansion. It expanded the scope of adventure games with a globe-trotting narrative, deeper puzzle design, and a strong sense of humour. You take control of Zak McKracken, a tabloid journalist who stumbles upon a bizarre alien conspiracy aimed at dulling human intelligence using mind-control devices. The story spans multiple real-world and off-world locations, including San Francisco, Egypt, Peru, and Mars, with you switching between characters to solve puzzles using shared logic but separate inventories. On the Commodore 64, the game uses a colourful pixel-art style within a 16-colour palette, paired with minimal sound effects that keep focus on exploration and problem-solving.
Game Manual
Magazine Reviews
Magazine Reviews
Magazine Reviews
Magazine Reviews · 8
Contemporary average 80% · range 60–93%
ACE
Reviewed by US Gold / Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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C&VG
Reviewed by Tony Dillon. US Gold full-price release
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Commodore Computing Int.
Reviewed by Tony Horgan. Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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Commodore User
Reviewed by Ken McMahon. Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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Datormagazin
Reviewed by Lennart Nilsson. Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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Games Machine
Reviewed by US Gold / Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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Info
Reviewed by Judith Kilbury-Cobb
Scan Not Available
Zzap!64
Reviewed by Gordon Houghton, Kati Hamza & Matthew Evans. US Gold / Lucasfilm Games full-price release
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Game Music
Game Music
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Verified C64 cassette releases linked to the Ultimate Tape Archive. CCG does not host or duplicate the tape files.
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