Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space is a free, fan-made sequel to LucasArts’ 1988 adventure Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders. You’re back as Zak, a tabloid reporter whose absurd headlines keep turning out to be true. A strange dream about a flight to Zurich sets things off, the aliens are plotting again, and the trail runs from San Francisco through Paris, the Scottish Highlands and the ruins of Mexico. Eventually it heads somewhere stranger still: the future.
A German fan team called the Artificial Hair Brothers built it in the Visionaire adventure engine, and it took more than seven years. LucasArts had no involvement and granted no license. The original German release landed on Windows on April 20, 2008, and German critics were warm about it.
The Director’s Cut followed on May 12, 2015, and it’s the version to play now. It adds 16:9 widescreen graphics, a simpler interface, bug fixes, new cutscenes and story improvements, plus English voice acting and French subtitles. It also brought the game to Mac and Linux. The team released it the same day it opened a Kickstarter campaign for its next game, Oak Island.
Curious how a fan-made LucasArts sequel holds up next to the Sierra and Revolution classics? Check where it lands in our best free point-and-click adventure games.
Is Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space Free?
Yes. Between Time and Space is freeware, with no price, no microtransactions and no paid upgrade. It’s an unofficial fan project, so it has never been sold. Both the 2008 original and the Director’s Cut are free.
Gameplay & Features
This is classic point-and-click adventure territory. You explore, talk to oddballs, collect strange items and untangle puzzles that run on the same sideways logic as the 1988 original. The story carries Zak across several continents, and the humor leans hard on in-jokes for anyone who played the first game.
- Hand-drawn 2D backgrounds in the developers’ own style, now in widescreen 16:9.
- Full voice acting, sound effects and 3D cutscenes. English voices arrived with the Director’s Cut.
- A globe-trotting trail through San Francisco, Paris, Scotland and Mexico, finishing with a trip to the future.
- Plenty of references and easter eggs aimed squarely at fans of the first game.
- A simpler, mouse-driven interface and a long list of bug fixes over the 2008 release.
- The original 2008 cut is still playable if you want it, extra scripted scenes and all.
- English, German and French, though French is subtitles only.
Hungry for more? Heroine’s Quest brings Norse myth and Quest for Glory-style puzzles, King’s Quest II: Romancing the Stones is a lavish Sierra retelling, and AGD Interactive’s Quest for Glory II remake mixes RPG skills into the formula. For something darker and more cyberpunk, try Beneath a Steel Sky.
PC System Requirements
The developers don’t publish official specs, so these figures come from a third-party download listing. They’re modest by modern standards.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 or newer, or 64-bit Linux | Windows 10 or 11 |
| Processor | Not specified | Any modern CPU |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM | Any modern PC |
| Graphics | 512 MB VRAM | Any modern GPU |
| Storage | 3 GB free space | 3 GB free space |
Mac and Linux builds exist, both released with the Director’s Cut. The Linux version targets 64-bit (AMD64) systems. No Mac specs are published, and macOS may ask you to approve the app manually before it opens.
How to Download & Play Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space for Free
The official mckracken.net site is the place to get it, and no account is needed. It isn’t sold on Steam, GOG or Epic. The download buttons there pass you to the team’s own file hosting, with a direct zip for Windows and Google Drive links for Mac and Linux. Not sure which sites to trust elsewhere? Our guide to safe free PC game download sites explains what to look for.
- Go to the official page and download Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space free from the official site. The English version is the default, and there’s a German toggle.
- In the download area, pick your platform: PC/Windows, Mac OS or Linux.
- Expect a big file. The Director’s Cut is about 3 GB, so check your free space first. The Windows build is a zip you extract and run, with no installer.
- Launch the game and set your language to English, German or French.
Want to see where Zak started? The 1988 original, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, is a paid, DRM-free download on GOG.
FAQ
Is Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space official?
No. It’s an unofficial fan project made without involvement or a license from LucasArts. The team has given it away free since 2008, but it isn’t a licensed release.
Do I need to play the original Zak McKracken first?
No. The story stands on its own, though the jokes and references land harder if you know the 1988 game.
Is it available in English?
Yes, as of the Director’s Cut. It adds English voices and subtitles, plus French subtitles. The 2008 original was German only.
Does it run on Mac and Linux?
Yes. Both platforms got native builds with the 2015 Director’s Cut, and you can download them from the official site.
