Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

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A screenshot of Zak McKracken, Enhanced EGA PC version.
A screenshot of Zak McKracken, Enhanced EGA PC version.

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders is a graphical adventure game, originally released in 1988, published by LucasArts (known at the time as Lucasfilm Games). It was the second game to use the SCUMM engine, after Maniac Mansion. The project was led by David Fox and was co-designed and co-programmed by Matthew Alan Kane.

Originally released on the Commodore 64, it was later ported to the Amiga, the Atari ST, and DOS with EGA graphics. There was also an enhanced version released for both the Commodore 64 and DOS. The final version of the game was for the Japanese FM Towns computer system. It featured redrawn 256 colour graphics (based on the original version's) and a high quality digital soundtrack.

Contents

[edit] Storyline

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story is set in 1997, which means about 10 years after its production. In the game's 'future', all transactions are made via debit card (named CashCards in the inventory) and TVs, though the size of modern real-life home theaters, are bulky and have large infrared sensors. Digital Audio Tapes are still a medium of music recording.

The plot follows Zak (full name Francis Zachary McKracken), a writer for the National Inquisitor, a tabloid newspaper; Annie Larris, a freelance scientist; and Melissa China and Leslie Bennett, two Yale University coed students, in their attempt to prevent the nefarious, alien Caponians (who have infiltrated society in the guise of a phone company) from slowly reducing the intelligence of everybody on Earth using dial tones.

Luckily, the Skolarians, another ancient alien race, have left a defense mechanism hanging around to repulse the Caponians, which just needs a quick reassembly and start-up. Unfortunately, the parts are spread all over the Earth ... and Mars.

The game was heavily inspired by the many popular theories about aliens, ancient astronauts and mysterious civilizations. The many places visited in the game are common hot-spots of relevant literature, like the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico, Lima, Stonehenge, Atlantis, a space cadillac with Elvis (really an alien) and eventually the Face on Mars. The general New Age feeling is very obvious since players will meet also gurus and a shaman who hold secret knowledge of everything, as well as help convert an airport-housed bum to become a Hare Krishna.

All this is no accident. David Fox, the lead designer and programmer, intended to make a more serious game. While designing the game, he spent some days with David Spangler, noted new age writer, before Ron Gilbert persuaded Fox to increase the comedy angle.[1]

[edit] Trivia

  • In Maniac Mansion a red herring chainsaw can be found, but it has no fuel; in Zak, chainsaw fuel can be found, but not a chainsaw.
  • There is a poster advertising Maniac Mansion in Lou's Loans merchandise store in San Francisco.
  • Razor and the Scummettes, Razor's band from Maniac Mansion, are the band playing the song Inda Glop Oda Krell on the Digital Audio Tape (until it is recorded over).
  • The three girls in the game are named after the programmers' other halves.[2] For example, Annie Larris was David Fox's wife's maiden name and the character's appearance was inspired by her looks. Similarly, Leslie Edwards (Leslie Bennett in game) was Matthew Alan Kane's girlfriend, who also worked as a major playtester during the game's production.
  • Each time Leslie's helmet is taken off, her hair is a different colour. This is likely an in-joke referring to the real Leslie Edwards, although its background remains obscure to the public.
  • Two of the shapes made by the yellow crayon are David Fox's initials.
  • Since Zaire is mentioned as an airline destination, the game must have taken place sometime between January 1 and May 17 1997, the date the state of Zaire was dissolved.
  • The 'words of power' (Gnik Sisi Vle) that mend the crystal in Stonehenge read 'Elvis is king' backwards.
  • Zak's phone bill at the start of the game is $1138, in reference to George Lucas's THX 1138. $1138 is also the balance of Melissa's cashcard (until you spend it on tokens for the Tram)

[edit] Fan sequels

The FM Towns version had 256 colour graphics which were reused for some fan projects.
The FM Towns version had 256 colour graphics which were reused for some fan projects.

In the absence of an official sequel (and a very low likelihood of one ever appearing), numerous Zak McKracken fans have turned to designing their own sequels to the cult game. The first one to reach completion was The New Adventures of Zak McKracken by "LucasFan Games", containing graphics from the Japanese FM Towns 256 color version, country-specific backgrounds from King of Fighters and some original art. The original release was notorious for containing a somewhat perverse ending. However, the ending was soon changed. That sequel is very short and fairly limited, compared to what the two other fan sequels in production promise to be; Zak McKracken Between Time And Space, which was planned to be released at the end of 2005, and Zak McKracken and the Alien Rockstars, which is planned to be released sometime in 2007. At least one other fan sequel is said to be in production, but those are the major ones.

[edit] Zak McKracken Theme

The Zak McKracken Theme originally composed by Matthew Alan Kane is a popular song for remixes and reinterpretations. Among the artists who have made cover versions of it are The Dead Guys, Puffy64, DJ Lizard, Razor and the Scumettes and the German band Glückswald.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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