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Mindbent (the old Zak fan site)
Fan fiction:
Zak McKracken: 50 Berkeley Square (interactive fiction zipped download)
Zak McKracken and the Stolen Statue Affair (short story)
Zak McKracken and the Dark Temple (short story)
(pic grabbed from the web, I wish I had a better version!)
jan_krutisch of Flickr made this, possibly for use in his band, or possibly because he's a closet Caponian! Note how the handle really works.
And here's the original, for reference :)
This is from Chad White. He writes, "I made this picture for my little brother to remind him of the fun we had playing that game growing up. I think you’ll like it too." Thanks, Chad!
(you can buy prints from the site)
Click over to http://www.ascii-art.de/ascii/jkl/lucas_arts.txt to see Zak McKracken (and Maniac Mansion and others) in glorious ASCII! In case it ever disappears, I've made a backup here.
Click for the last working link. The links don't always work for long, but good luck!
by Captain Atoms
..and that's as far as it ever got! As far as I know...
Forst, some history. I began the Zak McKracken archive in 2004, after looking for Mindbent, the web's best Zak McKracken site. And Mindbent had disappeared! I realised that everything disappears eventually, so I decided to make a permanent archive of all things Zak McKracken. So it makes sense to have an archive of Mindbent!
Mindbent began circa 1998 as 'The National Inquisitor' " by Ben Whatsisname, the creator of the Full Throttle fansite, Kickstand, on MixnMojo. Ben himself says it was very modest and "fell kind of flat" so he decided to do it properly, and so Mindbent was born.
Mindbent was born in 2002 and died the following year, 2003. In 2003 Mixnmojo had a temporary meltdown and lost many of its pages. The site soon came back online, and the various creators set about recovering their lost pages. Ben Whatsisname began by recovering Kickstand, his Full Throttle fansite, and I think he intended to recover Mindbent next. But when LucasArts cancelled their promised Full Throttle sequel, he lost his enthusiasm for the fan sites. So Kickstand was mothballed, and Mindbent stayed dead. Ben said he's send me the Mindbent files, but must have changed his mind (after I said that I wanted to copy them wholesale onto my site!) or maybe they got lost in cyberspace. So I've grabbed what I can from The Wayback Machine to show what it looked like. I don't have all the pages, or any of the graphics, but there's enough to give a flavor of what, for one year only, was the best Zak MacKracken site on the Internet. Enjoy!
"The Guy That Writes" has created a Zak text adventure:
Download it here, unzip the files and play!
If you do a Google search, you'll find several sites with a Zak story based on the game. But if you look a little harder, you might find something different: fan fiction based on Zak McKracken and Stargate - combined! Visit www.stargate-atlantis-pandora.de for details (in German only).
by 'The Guy that Writes'
It was a sunny day in 2007, Zak was sleeping on his bed at his new mansion, ten years ago he made rich in an adventure that involved aliens, ancient artifact looking and LOT of thinking, but now, all the things that he did every day was sleeping, eat, see TV shows, buy his Marvel Comic, eating, and sleeping. But this day, Zak was dreaming of adventure again, he was bored, he wanted to see Melissa and Leslie again, he heared the sound of his phone, Zak jumped out of bed and picked the phone.
''Hi, I`m Zak McKracken'' Zak said.
''Zak! It has been a long time, eh?'' said the voice in the phone, Zak recognized it, it was Annie Larris! The woman that he married, but after some problems, they had divorced.
''Annie? Is that you?'' Zak answered.
''Yes, meet me at the library, I' ve got something to tell you'' answered Annie. Zak left the phone and the he dressed like those months at 1997, and he was in the first fly to San Francisco, he entered at the library, and he meet the woman that he once loved...
''You finally come'' said Annie, his face had the sarchastic look that Zak always saw on her.
''Why did you call me?'' asked Zak, in a bad tone, but he was very happy for seeing Annie again.
''You know the museum that my father owns?'' said Annie, Zak rembered that Annie told very little things about his father, he just knowed that his father was a rich person.
''Uh... Kinda'' answered Zak.
''Well, an old statue was stolen on the museum, the police doesn't find anything, but I know that you can recover it'' Explained Annie, Zak was surprised, and some minutes later, Zak answered,
''Why do you think that I will help you?''
''Because, I always knowed... You still love me'' was the answer.
That night, Zak and Annie went to the museum, that time, there was an exposition about the chachapoyan warriors, so Annie's father, Mr. Wright Larris, was there. Zak examined the pedestal where the stolen statue used to be, but he didn't found nothing, but in the floor he picked up a small piece of paper, there was an inscription on it: it read:
''Dr. Samnabla Rodier, conservative of Larris Museum''
Zak was intrigued, he started to have a theory, but suddenly, he heared a scream, Zak turned and saw a man in black jacket with a big black hat running outta the museum, he holded a gun, then, Zak looked and the floor, he saw blood, more blood than ever in his life, Zak walked a bit, and saw Annie criying for the dead man, the dead was Wright Larris. Zak runned outta the museum and saw the killer, the killer mounted in a car, and Zak mounted in his car, the killer noticed that Zak was following him and he shooted the wheels of Zak's car, Zak's car left the highway and collisioned in a wall, Zak didn't injuried because he jumped out of the car before colission, Zak was angry: The man who killed the father of his ex-wife escaped, and Zak walked to the museum, thinking on how was he going to console Annie.
Zak and Annie reached the house of Larris family, they returned from Wright Larris funeral, Zak never saw Annie so sad since the day when they divorciated, Zak swored that the killer would pay his crime and Zak wondered if the killer could be the one that stoled the statue, Zak wanted to ask Annie about the paper he founded, and they went to Annie's bedroom.
''Do you know someone called Samnabla Rodier?'' said Zak.
''Yes, it's the conservative of the Museum of... dad'' after saying that she cried again.
''Annie...'' Zak said.
They both kissed again, with more passion that ever, they wanted to marry again.
That night, Zak and Annie went to Rodier's house, it was on 22th avenue, the number 1961. The door was open, but no one was here.
''Let's examine the house'' said Annie, they searched, and found the stolen statue in a drawer.
''So, Samnabla is the burglar!!!'' said Zak, suddenly, they sensed a presence in the room, and they turned around, they saw the killer of Wright Larris, but now they could see clarely his face.
It was Samnabla Rodier.
Zak talked to Samnabla.
''¿W-Who are you?'' said Zak, fearing.
''I'm Samnabla Rodier, I left my door opened so you could fall in this trap, I always noticed that I lost my card, the card you found, I wanted to steal the statue to selling it and earn money, Mr. Wright payed me poorly!'' said Rodier.
''You bas--!'' yelled Annie, she didn't finish her sentence because Rodier shooted Annie, Annie falled to the floor because the bullet hit in her stomach.
''NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'' cryed Zak, the revenge feel in him growed, he runned to Rodier, Rodier fired, but Zak avoided all the shots using his rage, he punched and knocked Rodier, instantly, he used Rodier's phone to call an ambulance and the police, the ambulance picked Annie and the police picked Rodier.
Luckily, Annie soon recovered, and she could talk to Zak in Zak's Mansion.
''It was one thing that maintained me with life'' said Annie.
''And what was that?'' asked Zak.
''Love, the love for you, Zak'' said Annie.
When Annie was fully recovered, she married again with Zak, and the lived in Zak's mansion, she's sure that is father in the afterlife would be happy.
THE END.
by 'The Guy that Writes'
Annie finally went to home after she ended her work in the library, Zak already made the lunch, but she didn't eat.
''Aren't you going to eat anything?'' said Zak, it really was hard for him cooking even with his book ´´Cooking for fools´´.
''Zak, we need to go to Argentina'' said Annie, Zak believed that it was a joke, but he realized Annie's serious tone.
''What? Why?'' asked Zak.
''I need to find a manuscript in Argentina'' said Annie.
''Why?'' asked Zak.
''My boss believes that the manuscript his the legendary lost dialogue of Plato'' said Annie.
''That's ridiculous'' Zak said.
''But you're coming with me, right?'' said Annie. Zak noticed that she still got somewhat of a sarchastic look in her face.
After an enjoyable flight, Zak and Annie were in Argentina, Zak was paranoic, he knowed that this was going to be another crazy and bizarre adventure.
''Where are we going?'' asked Zak.
''We must explore a temple called... The temple of Darkness'' answered Annie.
''I don't think that it's the name of an amusement park...'' said Zak.
''The temple is called of that way because the inhabitants of the zone are very superstitious'' answered Annie.
''I still have a bad feeling about this'' said Zak.
Zak and Annie called a taxi, when Annie telled the taxi driver that they were going to the temple of darkness, the taxi driver ran out of the car.
''You see, Annie? We shouldn't go to that temple!'' said Zak.
''I think that the taxi driver was too superstitious'' said Annie.
Finally, they reached the temple of Darkness, and they regretted to enter in the temple...
Zak and Annie suddenly heared a strange sound when they entered, they saw an inscription on the wall, it said ''Perdedores seguid'' wich translated to English is ''Losers ahead''.
''Annie, GET DOWN!'' yelled Zak, and they crouched, Zak was right, because when they crouched, a lance was shooted, and would have cutted their heads if they standed.
''Thanks'' said Annie.
Far far away in space, there was a long spaceship, some aliens called the caponians were here, the caponians were extremely ugly, and all weared black costume, except his king, that dressed in an Elvis Presley type of costume.
''How long is it to the Earth'' said the King.
''Just one hour, oh supreme god'' said a caponian with a name too complicated to say, so I'll call him Zlrhpeckharl wich his easier to pronounce.
''I want revenge for those two that turned on the Skolarian Device, who where his names?'' asked the King.
''The one that his masculine is called Zak, the female one is denominated Annie'' responded Zlrhpeckharl.
''I want to kill them with an extremely bloody mode, any suggestions?'' asked the King.
''Yes, we could take them to a place called the temple of Darkness, no one as ever survived to it'' responded Zlrhpeckharl.
''It sounds well, we go there'' answered the King.
''Yes sir'' ended Zlrhpeckharl.
17th December of 2007.
Today, Annie and me entered in the temple of Darkness (That name gives me creeps) searching for the lost dialogue of Plato, there I saved Annie and me of a death and we continued, and we got to cross A MAZE!!! (Oh my god I hate mazes)then, after an hour wandering around the maze completely lost, we got a surprise: The King of the Caponians WAS HERE!! He was accompanied by one caponian.
''Is this Zak McKracken?'' said the King.
''Yes sir, and the female one is Annie Larris'' answered the caponian.
''Well, what we do now? They are alredy in the temple of Darkness!'' said the King.
''Well, then we could just put them on the New Ultra Super Duper Extra V2 Special Edition Mega Mindbender Version 12.a'' answered the caponian.
''We're doomed, Zak!'' said Annie.
And the caponians putted to us in some kind of new Mindbender machine, and I feel that same strange sensation of stupidity of ten years ago... After some time, we fall unconscious to the floor.
Now we are on a caponian cell, the caponians leaved us here with no food, Annie is still unconscious, but instantly, I started to think on a plan to get us out of the cell...
Zak closed his blog, now he should be thinking on how to escape of the cell. Zak waked Annie up.
''Uh... We're in the afterlife?'' said Annie rubbing his eyes.
''What? Are you still affected by the mindbender?'' Zak asked.
Zak noticed an small monitor in the door, it was the door's lock, to open it they should figure out the password.
''What will the password be?'' asked Annie.
''Humm... The caponians don't have a big brain, it has to be something that they didn't forget'' Zak wondered. He tried to guess the password, he rembered the Bermuda Triangle, and the code that the caponians showed to him, it was a combination of colours, like the buttons of the door's lock.
''Well, I will give it a try'' tought, and he put the exact same password as the one of Bermuda Triangle, there was a voice in the monitor.
''Confirmed password, you have access clear, and now the publicity, Roger Wilco is back on another graphic adventure that...'' the monitor continue talking of something called Space Quest 189230, but Zak and Annie ignored it, they were free, but something was wrong.
''Oh... no'' said Zak.
They were at the maze in the temple of Darkness!
Zak and Annie were lost at the maze... again... Eventually the met a guy, a strange man, he was dressed in a 17th century blue coat, he got a ponytail and a little beard.
''Who are you?'' said Annie.
''I'm Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate!'' said the strange man proudly.
Zak and Annie couldn't avoid laughing at the man.
''Hey! I am serious! Look how I say yeargh!'' shouted Guybrush.
Zak and Annie were still laughing loudly.
''Yeargh yeargh yeargh YEARGH!!!'' was yelling Guybrush.
''Well, that's enough'' said Annie, they stop laughing.
''Why are you dressed so strange?'' asked Zak.
''YOU guys are the one with strange dresses!'' answered Guybrush.
Annie got a strange idea.
''In what year do you think we are, Goopberd?'' asked Annie.
''The name is Guybrush, and we are in 1655 of course!'' answered Guybrush.
''What? We are in year 2007'' said Zak.
Before Guybrush could answer, a man entered the same room than them, the man got a GOOD leather jacket, and a hat, he also was carrying a whip.
''And who are you now?'' asked Annie.
''Well, call me Indiana Jones'' said the man.
''Hey! I know you from movies!'' said Zak to Indy.
''Movies? You are from a parallel universe?'' asked Indy.
''What do you mean?'' asked Annie.
''Oh, you don't know that the temple of darkness is a portal between all the universes?'' said Indy.
''A portal?'' said Zak.
''Yes! That would explain why we have met! We live in parallel universes!'' deduced Annie.
''I am searching the eye of the phoenix for a museum, legends says that it's hidden within the temple'' said Indy.
''We are searching the lost dialogue of Plato'' said Annie.
''The lost dialogue? I could tell you an adventure that I lived in the 1939 of my universe, you see, an strange mr. Smith entered in my office and--'' said Indy, but he was interrupted by Annie.
''Sorry, you can tell it later'' and they continued as a team by the maze, Indy wanted the eye of the phoenix, Zak and Annie wanted the lost dialogue of Plato, and Guybrush just wanted a tale to tell, suddenly they met...
They met the King.
''Ha! Finally you came!'' said the King.
''Oh no...'' mumbled Zak.
''No no no, don't worry, take your lost dialogue of Plato!'' said the King, the gave an old scroll to Annie.
''This is IT!'' exclaimed Annie.
''And now you are going back to your house! but first...'' The King walked to Indy.
''Here yo have, the eye of the phoenix!'' the King gave an statue of a deformed eye.
''THIS is what I was looking for!'' said Indy, then the King shooted Indy with a laser gun.
''NO!'' cried Annie.
''Don't worry, he's going to the Barnett College, at his universe.
Zak noticed that Guybrush Threepwood wasn't here.
''Ah, that fool will be lost forever at the temple of darkness!'' said the King.
The King shot Zak and Annie with the same laser gun he used on Indy.
On Indy's parallel universe, in the Barnett College of the year 1941, Indy was in his office, unconscious, Marcus Brody, Indy's best friend, entered the office, he waked Indy up.
''What happened, Indy?'' asked Marcus.
''Uh... I don't remember...'' said Indy.
Marcus noticed the eye of the phoenix that Indy was carrying.
''Hey! Isn't that the legendary eye of the phoenix?'' said Marcus.
In other parallel universe, Zak was sleeping in his bed, he wake up and remebered that this day was is turn to cook. Annie finally went to home after she ended her work in the library, Zak already made the lunch, but she didn't eat.
''Aren't you going to eat anything?'' said Zak, it really was hard for him cooking even with his book ´´Cooking for fools´´.
''Zak, do you rember anything of yesterday?'' asked Annie.
''Uh... No, why do you ask?'' said Zak.
''This morning, I found the lost dialogue of Plato in my bed'' said Annie.
Yes, the caponian brainwashed Indy, Zak and Annie so they couldn't remember anything, the only one that remembers the adventure is Guybrush Threepwood, because he could escape from caponians and managed to return to Melee Island. But no one believed his story. The caponians were stablished a base inside the dark temple.
''Sir, why let you escape Zak, Annie and that guy, Indy?'' said Zlrhpeckharl.
''Remember the fountain of eternal life we found after the maze in this temple? I they had continued they would found it, drink from it and then we couldn't kill them!'' answered the King.
''Oh... Yes, and why we are stablished here?'' said Zlrhpeckharl.
''I want you all to drink from that fountain, I already drank from it''
THE END.
