Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders - Lucasfilm

Solved by Dave Barker

You play the part of Zak McKracken, a reporter for a gutter
tabloid called the National Inquisitor. Your first assignment is
to get the scoop on a two-headed squirrel. Then things get more
serious, yet funnier, as you find that a "universal stupid
epidemic" is gradually reducing the population's I.Q. to zero,
and all the authorities know is that it's caused by a tone
intermittently transmitted over the phone lines.
Aliens from space are behind the scheme, which you hope to foil
by teaming up with three female characters and travelling around
the world in search of ancient artifacts needed to construct an
anti-stupidity machine. You can switch between the characters
and must get them to act in unison to solve certain puzzles. But
you have to solve a few puzzles just to find the other
characters in this game.
Many problems have alternate solutions, though there is only one
way to solve the game itself. Several action-oriented puzzles
require manual dexterity, these are not difficult, you just need
to be quick! Numerous clues are cleverly concealed in satirical
news stories and adverts in a tabloid-size, eight-page copy of
the National Inquisitor that is packaged with the game.
Notes:1. If someone other than Zak is to perform the actions listed
for a location, that person's name appears in brackets following
the location's name.
2. After the first trip to the Airport and on the plane, the
solution just names your next destination, omitting instructions
to take the bus and use the Reservations Terminal.
3. There are several jungle mazes that are randomised and
therefore cannot be mapped. In these, just keep taking turns off
the path (instead of going through the far left or right side
exit) when possible, until you arrive at your destination.
4. Certain characters can only perform some actions, such as
Annie reading the scroll, but most may be performed by anyone.
5. Carefully read the copy of the National Inquisitor, it
contains many clues. Make sure that you watch through the
loading sequence and "dream scene" at least once.
6. Learn to use the "alt" keys to switch between characters,
this will be necessary later when performing multi-character
tasks that have time limits.
WALKTHROUGH.
ZAK'S BEDROOM:OPEN DRESSER DRAWER, PICK UP PHONE BILL, PICK UP SUSHI IN FISH
BOWL, USE LAMP WITH SUSHI IN FISHBOWL - you empty goldfish and
water into the lamp, don't turn on the lamp! PULL TORN WALLPAPER

- on wall by side of door. USE TORN WALLPAPER ON PLASTIC CARD your credit card was out of reach. OPEN DESK DRAWER, PICK UP
KAZOO.
ZAK'S LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN:PICK UP SEAT CUSHION - on sofa. PICK UP REMOTE
CABINET - under sink. PICK UP BOX OF CRAYONS yellow crayon in the packet. USE YELLOW CRAYON
- you draw the map that you saw in your dream.
REFRIGERATOR, PICK UP EGG. OPEN DOOR - exit to

CONTROL, OPEN
there is only a
ON TORN WALLPAPER
OPEN
the street.

BAKERY:PUSH DOORBELL - three times, the baker throws something at you.

PICK UP STALE BREAD. Go right and around the corner.
LOU'S LOANS:OPEN DOOR - and enter shop. BUY WET SUIT, BUY TOOL KIT, BUY GOLF
CLUB, BUY HAT, BUY NOSE GLASSES, BUY GUITAR - by using credit
card. Leave shop.
BOB E. PINS HAIR SALON:OPEN TOOL KIT, USE WIRE CUTTERS ON BOBBY PIN SIGN - you cut down
and take the giant pin. Return to flat.
ZAK'S LIVING ROOM:USE MONKEY WRENCH ON PIPE - under sink. TURN ON SWITCH - above
sink, switches on the waste disposal unit. USE STALE BREAD IN
SINK - the bread is turned into crumbs. PICK UP BREAD CRUMBS.
Exit to street.
PHONE COMPANY:PUT ON HAT, PUT ON NOSE GLASSES. Now, OPEN DOOR - to phone
company. ENTER PHONE COMPANY, OPEN COUNTER DOOR, USE COMPUTER
TERMINAL - you clear your account with the phone company by
falsely entering that it has been paid. Exit phone company.
TAKE OFF HAT, TAKE OFF NOSE GLASSES, walk to bus.
BUS:Driver is asleep. USE KAZOO, USE CASHCARD IN CASHCARD READER.
AIRPORT:GIVE CASHCARD TO DEVOTEE - get book. USE RESERVATIONS TERMINAL,
select Seattle. Walk left onto airplane.
AIRPLANE:Wait until plane has taken off and stewardess is handing out the
meals, you are given some peanuts. Walk to far left and enter
toilet. USE TOILET PAPER IN SINK, TURN ON SINK - when sink has
overflowed and the floor is flooded, PUSH CALL BUTTON. Walk to
empty seat on far right. PICK UP CUSHION, something falls to the
floor. PICK UP LIGHTER. Return to your seat, when the stewardess
returns, use same trick to distract her again and go to far
right. OPEN MICROWAVE OVEN, USE EGG IN MICROWAVE OVEN, CLOSE
MICROWAVE OVEN, TURN ON MICROWAVE OVEN - return to seat. When
the egg explodes, the stewardess will remain in that area. OPEN
BIN. Search all the overhead luggage bins until you find the
oxygen tank. PICK UP OXYGEN TANK. Return to your seat and wait
for the plane to land.
SEATTLE, IN NATIONAL FOREST:-

PICK UP TREE BRANCH - you take branch from the tree. GIVE
PEANUTS TO SQUIRREL - it can just be seen poking its head out of
a hole in the bottom right of the screen. USE TREE BRANCH WITH
LOOSE DIRT - you clear the entrance to a cave, enter cave.
CAVE:Dark! Use the "what is" command to find the bird nest and the
fire pit. USE TREE BRANCH ON BIRD NEST, USE TREE BRANCH ON FIRE
PIT, USE BIRD NEST ON FIRE PIT, USE LIGHTER ON NEST AND BRANCH cave is now light enough to see. USE YELLOW CRAYON ON STRANGE
MARKINGS - a door appears, enter the door. In room with strange
machine. USE REMOTE CONTROL - the blue crystal is released.
PICK UP BLUE CRYSTAL, return to the airport and fly to Miami.
MIAMI, AIRPORT:GIVE BOOK TO BUM - the Tramp gives you a bottle of whiskey.
Return to San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, DROP SLOT:Go around corner and to the blue door, first past "Lou's Loans".
USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON DROP SLOT - you put the blue crystal through
the letter box. Wait for Annie to open the door and invite you
in.
ANNIE'S ROOM, (ZAK & ANNIE):You discover that you have both had the same dream. Annie gives
you a yellow crystal shard saying that when it is whole it will
let you join her friends on Mars. She also returns the blue
crystal to you, adding that you will need a space suit too. GIVE
WHISKEY TO ANNIE, GIVE GOLF CLUB TO ANNIE, GIVE WIRE CUTTERS TO
ANNIE. Now switch to Annie. PICK UP BLOTTER - revealing a
cashcard. PICK UP CASHCARD.
BUS AND AIRPORTS (ANNIE):USE WIRE CUTTERS ON BUS - you bash the cutters against the side
of the bus and wake the driver up. USE CASHCARD IN CASHCARD
READER. You must fly to Miami, then to Cairo, and then to
Kinshasa.
KINSHASA, JUNGLE PATH (ANNIE):This path is randomised! See Note 3.
HUT (ANNIE):Go to the Shaman's hut, the one to the far left and enter. GIVE
GOLF CLUB TO SHAMAN - he is very pleased and says he will give
you some information. This is to be a six-figure number. Watch
the three men jumping up and down noting the sequence in which
they jump. ie 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, though it will be randomised!
The sequence will be the same as the code needed for the huge
door at the Face Chamber on Mars. Return to the airport via the
random jungle. Fly to Cairo, and then to London.
LONDON, SENTRY BOX (ANNIE):GIVE WHISKEY TO GUARD - he falls down drunk. PULL SWITCH - turns
off the electric fence. USE WIRE CUTTERS ON FENCE. Switch to
Melissa.
MARS, OUTSIDE SHUTTLE BUG (MELISSA):Leslie is here also. OPEN DOOR.

INSIDE SHUTTLE BUG (MELISSA):PICK UP BOOM BOX, PICK UP DAT - cassette tape. OPEN GLOVE
COMPARTMENT, PICK UP FUSE, PICK UP CASHCARDS. Exit shuttle bug.
OUTSIDE SHUTTLE BUG (MELISSA):GIVE CASHCARD TO LESLIE - you will find out if it is the correct
one of the two when you come to use them. Walk left past Hostel
to the monolith.
MONOLITH (MELISSA):USE CASHCARD ON MONOLITH - you pick up a token, repeat action to
get second token. These tokens are used as tickets for the tram.
Go to hostel and enter airlock.
ENTRANCE TO FRIENDLY HOSTEL (MELISSA/LESLIE):USE TOKEN ON METAL PLATE - plate opens to reveal a fuse box.
PICK UP BURNT FUSE - it disintegrates. USE FUSE IN FUSE BOX.
Switch to Leslie, and join Melissa in the airlock. PUSH LEFT
BUTTON - closes outer door. PUSH RIGHT BUTTON - opens inner
door, enter door.
INSIDE FRIENDLY HOSTEL (LESLIE):PICK UP VINYL TAPE - from side of right locker. PICK UP LADDER,
PICK UP COVERS - from bottom bunk. PICK UP BROOM ALIEN, OPEN
LOCKER - the one on the right side. PICK UP FLASHLIGHT. Enter
the airlock.
ENTRANCE TO FRIENDLY HOSTEL (LESLIE):PUSH RIGHT BUTTON, closes inner door. PUSH LEFT BUTTON - opens
outer door.
OUTSIDE FRIENDLY HOSTEL (LESLIE):USE BROOM ALIEN ON SAND PILE - reveals the solar panels that
power the tram. Walk to far right to Huge Face and door.
HUGE FACE AND DOOR (LESLIE):The door has three large buttons on it. USE LADDER ON DOOR. Push
the buttons as per the dance sequence you watched in Kinshasa.
That is six times in all. PICK UP LADDER - enter door.
GREAT CHAMBER (LESLIE):Go to first north door.
OUTSIDE MASSIVE DOOR ONE, (LESLIE/MELISSA):You see a crystal sphere mounted on a pedestal. Switch to
Melissa, bring her here to join Leslie. Switch to Leslie. GIVE
VINYL TAPE TO MELISSA, USE LADDER ON PEDESTAL, climb up ladder
to top. Switch to Melissa. USE VINYL TAPE ON DAT - you can now
record on it. USE DAT WITH BOOM BOX. TURN ON BOOM BOX - select
record option. Switch to Leslie. PICK UP CRYSTAL SPHERE - as you
touch the sphere a sound is emitted which is recorded by the
boom box. The door opens. Climb down ladder. PICK UP LADDER,
TURN ON FLASHLIGHT, ENTER DOOR - you head North into the dark.
BEYOND DOOR ONE, (LESLIE):Proceed through maze until you locate the atmosphere machine
room. TURN ON SWITCH - right. TURN ON SWITCH - left. Wait until
both gauges show green. TAKE OFF HELMET. Proceed through maze
again to the map room. READ STRANGE MARKINGS - copy symbol to
use in Sphinx in Egypt. Proceed through maze to outside door

one. TURN OFF FLASHLIGHT. Both exit to great chamber and go to

door two.
OUTSIDE MASSIVE DOOR TWO, (LESLIE/MELISSA):A pedestal is here but the crystal sphere is smashed. GIVE
FLASHLIGHT TO MELISSA. Switch to Melissa. TAKE OFF HELMET, TURN
ON BOOM BOX - select play option. The recording from door one
triggers the opening mechanism. TURN ON FLASHLIGHT. Enter door,
going northwards.
BEYOND DOOR TWO, (MELISSA):Go to end of dark room, enter door in north wall. PICK UP ANKH return to outside door two and Leslie. GIVE ANKH TO LESLIE, GIVE
FLASHLIGHT TO LESLIE. Switch to Leslie. Both exit to great
chamber and on to third door.
OUTSIDE MASSIVE DOOR THREE, (LESLIE/MELISSA):Another sphere on top of a pedestal. With Leslie, USE LADDER ON
PEDESTAL, climb up ladder to top. PICK UP CRYSTAL SPHERE - as
you touch the sphere a sound is emitted. The door opens. Climb
down ladder. PICK UP LADDER, TURN ON FLASHLIGHT, ENTER DOOR you head north into the dark.
BEYOND DOOR THREE, (LESLIE):Go to end of dark room and enter door in north wall. USE ANKH ON
PANEL - this switches off the forcefield. The machine in this
chamber contains useful information. PUSH BUTTON - an image is
projected, take a note of its message. PICK UP GOLDEN KEY return to outside door three and Melissa. GIVE GOLDEN KEY TO
MELISSA. Both exit to great hall.
GREAT CHAMBER (LESLIE/MELISSA):Read strange markings on huge statue between doors two and
three. Note symbol to use in Mexican Temple. Move both
characters near to exit of great chamber. Switch to Zak.
SAN FRANCISCO, ANNIE'S ROOM (ZAK):Send Zak from Annie's Room to catch the bus to the Airport and
then fly to Mexico...........
MEXICO CITY, JUNGLE PATH:Another randomised map, this one leads to a pyramid and a
temple. Keep trying until you emerge on the right side of the
temple, with the pyramid on the left side. Enter the Temple
Entrance on the right side of the screen.
IN MEXICAN TEMPLE, MAZE TWO:Dark! Use the "what is" command to find torches, then USE
LIGHTER ON TORCH. Proceed through maze to the room with the
statue that is holding the other yellow crystal shard. Use the
"what is" command to find the strange markings on the statue.
USE YELLOW CRAYON ON STRANGE MARKINGS - you must draw the symbol
from the huge statue in the Great Chamber on Mars, switch to
Leslie or Melissa and re-read the markings on the statue if
necessary. PICK UP YELLOW CRYSTAL SHARD. Exit the temple maze,
keep taking turns through the jungle until you reach the Airport
and fly to London.
LONDON, STONEHENGE:USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON ALTAR. After you awake, move the cursor all

the way to the right, then quickly hit button twice to leave
before the alien arrives. After he leaves, return to the altar.
USE YELLOW CRYSTAL SHARD ON ALTAR - both parts. Return to the
airport and fly to Katmandu.
KATMANDU:Walk to far right. USE LIGHTER ON HAY - now walk to far left.
Policeman leaves his jail to attend the fire. PICK UP FLAGPOLE.
Walk to right, GIVE BOOK TO GUARD - the guard allows you to
visit the Guru and learn how to use blue crystal. Wait until the
policeman returns to his jail. USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON YAK. Choose
"TO ZAK" option. Wait for alien to capture you and toss you in
stupidity machine. This takes you back to San Francisco thus
saving the cost of the airfare.
SAN FRANCISCO, PHONE COMPANY:Wait until the alien has removed your artifacts and has left the
cell. Now, quickly before alien leaves, PUT ON HAT, PUT ON NOSE
GLASSES. This must be done quickly before the effects of the
stupidity machine take over. This will save you lots of time
otherwise spent waiting for the effects of the machine to wear
off and for the alien to free you.
Note:If you are unable to do these two actions in time, do them after
being released from machine and escorted outside. Then enter
Phone Company, get the artifacts and exit. Use either method
when you're caught in the stupidity machine.
Walk to far left. OPEN CABINET - you pick up the artifacts
seized by alien. Open the door, and exit to the shop. OPEN
COUNTER - exit phone company. REMOVE HAT, REMOVE NOSE GLASSES.
Fly to Miami and then to Bermuda.
BI-PLANE AND MOTHERSHIP CARGO BAY:You will have been given a parachute. Wait, until caught by
alien ship. Watch your pilot use the coloured squares on the
wall, note the colour sequence. The pilot and plane will
disappear. PUSH BUTTON - on right wall by door. You are escorted
to the King. READ LOTT-O-DICTOR - on far right, write down this
random number. GIVE GUITAR TO THE KING. These actions must be
carried out quickly. If successful, the alien will take you back
to the transporter room and enter the code for your flat, now
walk to left. Otherwise you get tossed into the stupidity
machine.
SAN FRANCISCO, LOU'S LOANS:BUY LOTTO TICKET - use number from Lott-O-Dictor. Go to airport,
fly to Miami and then to Bermuda.
BI-PLANE AND MOTHERSHIP CARGO BAY:Wait, until caught by alien ship. Watch your pilot use the
coloured squares on the wall, note the colour sequence, it
should be the same as before. The pilot and plane will
disappear. Now press the colour buttons in the sequence you just
noted and walk to left. You will materialize outside the
mothership, and will fall towards the ocean. USE PARACHUTE.
IN WATER (ZAK/DOLPHIN):-

USE KAZOO - to attract dolphin. USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON DOLPHIN you are now in the dolphin's mind. SWIM UNDERWATER.
UNDERWATER (DOLPHIN):Swim to far right, you see some seaweed obscuring a dark hole.
PICK UP SEAWEED, PICK UP GLOWING OBJECT, SWIM TO SURFACE.
IN WATER (ZAK/DOLPHIN):GIVE GLOWING OBJECT TO ZAK. Now switch to Zak, and wait to get
caught by alien, and thrown into the stupidity machine. Use same
method to escape as before, and remember to retrieve the
artifacts from the cupboard.
SAN FRANCISCO, LOU'S LOANS:As you enter Lou informs you that you have won the Lotto, 10,000
dollars. Go to airport and fly to Lima.
LIMA, JUNGLE PATH:This is one of the random mazes described in the introductory
notes.
CLEARING, BIRD FEEDER:USE BREAD CRUMBS IN BIRD FEEDER - a bird is attracted to the
bread crumbs. USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON BIRD.
SKY (BIRD):Fly right to huge carvings and then into the left eye. In cave,
PICK UP SCROLL, FLY TO VALLEY. As you, the bird, return to the
bird feeder Zak is caught by an alien and taken to the stupidity
machine. Use the previously explained method of escaping,
retrieve your artifacts and return to this location. USE BLUE
CRYSTAL ON BIRD, GIVE SCROLL TO ZAK - you'll be thrown into the
stupidity machine again! After you get out, grab your stuff and
fly to London.
LONDON, STONEHENGE (ZAK/ANNIE):USE FLAGPOLE WITH ALTAR - the flagpole stands vertical against
the altar. GIVE SCROLL TO ANNIE - switch to Annie. READ SCROLL as Annie read the words of power a bolt of lightning strikes the
flagpole and is transmitted into the two yellow crystal shards
which become fused as one. Switch to Zak, PICK UP YELLOW CRYSTAL
- return to airport, fly to Cairo and then to Kinshasa.
KINSHASA, JUNGLE PATH:Find your way through the random forest and return to the
shaman's hut.
SHAMAN'S HUT:GIVE YELLOW CRYSTAL TO SHAMAN - he says he will teach you how to
use your teleportation crystal. You may only travel to a
teleport pad. Use your map to fix on your destination. USE
YELLOW CRYSTAL - you are presented with your map, point to Lima.
LIMA, HUGE CARVING, RIGHT EYE:PICK UP CRYSTALABRA, USE YELLOW CRYSTAL - point to Cairo.
CAIRO, IN EGYPTIAN PYRAMID, DEVICE ROOM:USE GLOWING OBJECT ON BASE, USE CRYSTALABRA WITH GLOWING OBJECT.
You begin to construct the device with which to defeat the
aliens. Go to wall on far left. PULL LEVER - reveals stairway in

floor. Leave pyramid via the maze. Walk to the right, go to

sphinx leg with strange markings, this will be random.
SPHINX, OUTSIDE (ZAK/ANNIE):USE YELLOW CRAYON ON STRANGE MARKINGS - draw symbol from Map
Room beyond the maze on Mars, secret door opens. Switch to Annie
in London and bring her to Zak outside the sphinx, and enter the
secret door.
SPHINX (ANNIE):Proceed through maze to Map Room. READ HIEROGLYPHICS - they tell
in which order the three buttons should be pressed. Switch to
Zak and guide him to the map room to join Annie.
SPHINX MAP ROOM:PUSH BUTTON, PUSH BUTTON, PUSH BUTTON - according to sequence
Annie just read. Panels slide aside to reveal a large map. You
see a map of the Martian Face, and a map of the Martian Pyramid.
USE YELLOW CRAYON ON WALLPAPER MAP - you copy the face and
pyramid symbols onto your map. READ STRANGE MARKINGS - note the
symbol for use inside the Huge Face chamber. USE YELLOW CRYSTAL
- point to Face, you are transported to the teleport room in
Huge Face on Mars.
MARS, TELEPORT ROOM:USE YELLOW CRAYON ON STRANGE MARKINGS - draw symbol from Sphinx
Map Room, all three doors open. Go to middle door, go all the
way to the right, go left and exit via the maze. Go and meet up
with Melissa and Leslie in the Great Chamber.
GREAT CHAMBER (ZAK/MELISSA/LESLIE):Switch to Leslie. PUT ON HELMET - leave the Great Chamber and go
to the bug. Enter the bug and USE THE OXYGEN VALVE, in order to
top-up your air supply. Now exit the shuttle bug and go to the
monolith. USE CASHCARD ON SLOT - twice, to get two tokens.
Switch to Melissa, copy actions as above. Switch to Zak. PUT ON
WET SUIT, USE DUCT TAPE ON FISH BOWL, PUT ON TAPED FISH BOWL,
PUT ON OXYGEN TANK. Leave the Great Chamber repeating the
actions as above but you need only one token.
MONOLITH (ZAK/MELISSA/LESLIE):Line all three characters up outside the tram. The following
action must be carried out quickly. USE TOKEN IN TRAM - all
three characters in turn, use the "alt" keys to swap characters
quickly. Send all three to the pyramid entrance.
MARS PYRAMID, OUTSIDE (ZAK/MELISSA/LESLIE):With Leslie, WALK TO PYRAMID, USE BROOM ALIEN ON SAND PILE reveals key hole. Switch to Zak. USE BOBBY PIN SIGN WITH KEY
HOLE. Send all three inside.
MARS PYRAMID, INSIDE (ZAK/LESLIE/MELISSA):With Leslie, SWITCH ON TORCH - find your way to the sarcophagus,
PUSH SARCOPHAGUS FEET - reveals stairway. Move Zak and Melissa
in turn to the sarcophagus and up the stairs into the room with
the white crystal. Switch to Leslie and move her away from the
sarcophagus feet, stairway is sealed. Switch to Zak and move him
in front of the containment device. Switch to Melissa and move
her to the far right. USE GOLDEN KEY IN BOX - a button is
revealed. The following action must be done quickly. PUSH BUTTON

- the clamps release the crystal. Switch to Zak. PICK UP WHITE

CRYSTAL - before the clamps grab the crystal again. USE YELLOW
CRYSTAL - point to Egypt, you are transported to the device room
within the pyramid. TAKE OFF TAPED FISH BOWL. Switch to Leslie.
MARS PYRAMID, BLAST OFF FOR EARTH (LESLIE/MELISSA):With Leslie, PUSH SARCOPHAGUS FEET - reveals stairway. Move
Melissa down the stairs and out of the pyramid to the tram. Now
move Leslie out of the pyramid to join Melissa by the tram. USE
TOKEN IN TRAM - both Melissa and Leslie in turn. Use same method
as before when entering the tram. With Melissa, check inventory,
she should still have a token. If not, use the cashcard on the
monolith to get another. Enter the hostel airlock, use the token
on the metal plate, and pick up the fuse. Put both Melissa and
Leslie in the shuttle bug.
INSIDE SHUTTLE BUG, (LESLIE/MELISSA):With Melissa, CLOSE DOOR, USE FUSE IN GLOVE COMPARTMENT, CLOSE
GLOVE COMPARTMENT. If low on air, use the oxygen valve as
before. Actually, it doesn't matter if the girls die or get
stuck on Mars, for the ending doesn't vary, even the epilogue
does not tell what happens to them! USE CONTROLS - you take off
and start the long journey home. Switch to Annie.
CAIRO, INSIDE SPHINX (ANNIE) :Send Annie to join Zak in the pyramid.
CAIRO, INSIDE PYRAMID, DEVICE ROOM (ZAK/ANNIE):With Annie, PULL LEVER - on far left wall. This closes the
entrance to the chamber. Switch to Zak. USE BLUE CRYSTAL ON
CRYSTALABRA, USE WHITE CRYSTAL ON CRYSTALABRA, USE YELLOW
CRYSTAL ON CRYSTALABRA - the device is now complete. Move to
switch on right of device. TURN ON SWITCH. Switch to Annie and
move her to the switch on the left of the device. TURN ON
SWITCH. If all has gone well, device will be activated and the
Earth has been saved.