In Zak McKracken you can find many hints and in-jokes in reference to other Lucas games or movies. Here you will find an overview of eastereggs we know of, if we missed any you know of, please let us know.
References to Lucas movies, etc
Zak’s street number in 13th Avenue is 5858 – the same number is on the gate of Skywalker Ranch.
Zak’s phone bill is to the amount of 1138 \$. George Lucas’s first move was THX-1138. The number 1138 is used in many Lucasfilm / Lucas Arts games.
Some of the markings in the maze in the Sphinx look like TIE Fighters from Star Wars.
References to Maniac Mansion
One of the most wanted items in Maniac Mansion was fuel for the chainsaw. In the youth hostel on Mars there is a gas can in one of the lockers. When you try to pick it up you are told that it’s for another game, and if you look at it, it says it’s for chainsaws.
In jail of Katmandu there is a wanted poster displaying the purple meteor, looking at it will get you "WANTED: One murderous purple slimy meteor."
If you call the TPC phone shop (you have to pay your phone bill first) you get another Maniac Mansion reference.
Miscellaneous
Power outlet
Use the power outlet in Zak’s bedroom with the butter knife… don’t worry you don’t have to save your game.
Mt. Rainer
If you try to "walk to Mt. Rainer" Zak will tell you it’s too steep, try to pick up Mt. Rainer next…
Two-headed-squirrel
You can use the following items with the squirrel: Peanuts (and the squirrel will survive), golf club, butter knife, branch of tree – but be aware that this will kill the squirrel. If you kill it you will have bad karma for a while, and you can’t have a session with the guru in Peru right away…
The fire pit and stuff to burn
In the cave in Seattle you can use several items to start the fire. The birds nest is the standard item to use with the branch, but you can also use: The phone bill, the torn wallpaper / wallpaper map, toilet paper (see next paragraph), squirrels nest (if you killed it).
On the airplane
The ordinary way to clog the sink is to use the toilet paper, but you can also use the phone bill. Once the microwave is messed up head back to the toilet and pick up a roll of toilet paper – this roll can be used to start the fire (see above) or you can use it with the slot in Annies door.
The blue crystal
Once the guru in Nepal has taught Zak how to take control of animals using the blue crystal, you can mind-link with the dolphin, the bird AND the yak (keep in mind that yaks are ruminant animals). Once you have fused the two yellow crystal shards at Stonehenge and learned how to teleport from the medicine man in Zaire head to the cave in Seattle. After teleporting there use the blue crystal with the two-headed-squirrel… but beware, every time you use the blue crystal a Caponian (the evil aliens) is out to get you to put you in their stupidity cell!
1138 and Lucasfilm Games
The number 1138 is a combination which is found in several Lucasfilm / Lucas Arts adventure games, just like Chuck the plant. The first movie George Lucas ever made was "THX 1138", a science fiction movie released in 1971. The number is also used in Maniac Mansion, either as Ednas phone number or the combination of the save in her room.
The butter knife and how to make easy money
Once you bought the tool box, open it to get all the tools that are inside. Once you opened the tool box you can sell it to get back \$30. But the most money can be made, aside from winning the lottery, when selling the butter knife. All you have to do is use the butter knife to dig open the cave in Seattle, the bent knife is worth quite a bit…
The "King" and his passion
There are several ways to move around freely in the Caponians spaceship. You can either show the king your King-Fan-Club-Card, which you receive when mailing in the filled out the application you get at the TCP phone shop. Or you buy an electrical guitar which you can give to the King as a present. As a new found friend the Caponian guards will show you a color code, which sends you back directly to your apartment. This is especially useful when you spent all your last money to get there to find out the winning numbers for the lottery and you need a cheap way back home.
Back to Earth
If you turn on the engine of the van on Mars Leslie and Melissa head back home, this is a dead end, we assume. If you ever wait out the 3 months it takes to get back, please let us know. We are dying to find out if you can actually get back… but you better save your game before trying this
References to Lucas movies, etc
Zak’s street number in 13th Avenue is 5858 – the same number is on the gate of Skywalker Ranch.
Zak’s phone bill is to the amount of 1138 \$. George Lucas’s first move was THX-1138. The number 1138 is used in many Lucasfilm / Lucas Arts games.
Some of the markings in the maze in the Sphinx look like TIE Fighters from Star Wars.
References to Maniac Mansion
One of the most wanted items in Maniac Mansion was fuel for the chainsaw. In the youth hostel on Mars there is a gas can in one of the lockers. When you try to pick it up you are told that it’s for another game, and if you look at it, it says it’s for chainsaws.
In jail of Katmandu there is a wanted poster displaying the purple meteor, looking at it will get you "WANTED: One murderous purple slimy meteor."
If you call the TPC phone shop (you have to pay your phone bill first) you get another Maniac Mansion reference.
Miscellaneous
Power outlet
Use the power outlet in Zak’s bedroom with the butter knife… don’t worry you don’t have to save your game.
Mt. Rainer
If you try to "walk to Mt. Rainer" Zak will tell you it’s too steep, try to pick up Mt. Rainer next…
Two-headed-squirrel
You can use the following items with the squirrel: Peanuts (and the squirrel will survive), golf club, butter knife, branch of tree – but be aware that this will kill the squirrel. If you kill it you will have bad karma for a while, and you can’t have a session with the guru in Peru right away…
The fire pit and stuff to burn
In the cave in Seattle you can use several items to start the fire. The birds nest is the standard item to use with the branch, but you can also use: The phone bill, the torn wallpaper / wallpaper map, toilet paper (see next paragraph), squirrels nest (if you killed it).
On the airplane
The ordinary way to clog the sink is to use the toilet paper, but you can also use the phone bill. Once the microwave is messed up head back to the toilet and pick up a roll of toilet paper – this roll can be used to start the fire (see above) or you can use it with the slot in Annies door.
The blue crystal
Once the guru in Nepal has taught Zak how to take control of animals using the blue crystal, you can mind-link with the dolphin, the bird AND the yak (keep in mind that yaks are ruminant animals). Once you have fused the two yellow crystal shards at Stonehenge and learned how to teleport from the medicine man in Zaire head to the cave in Seattle. After teleporting there use the blue crystal with the two-headed-squirrel… but beware, every time you use the blue crystal a Caponian (the evil aliens) is out to get you to put you in their stupidity cell!
1138 and Lucasfilm Games
The number 1138 is a combination which is found in several Lucasfilm / Lucas Arts adventure games, just like Chuck the plant. The first movie George Lucas ever made was "THX 1138", a science fiction movie released in 1971. The number is also used in Maniac Mansion, either as Ednas phone number or the combination of the save in her room.
The butter knife and how to make easy money
Once you bought the tool box, open it to get all the tools that are inside. Once you opened the tool box you can sell it to get back \$30. But the most money can be made, aside from winning the lottery, when selling the butter knife. All you have to do is use the butter knife to dig open the cave in Seattle, the bent knife is worth quite a bit…
The "King" and his passion
There are several ways to move around freely in the Caponians spaceship. You can either show the king your King-Fan-Club-Card, which you receive when mailing in the filled out the application you get at the TCP phone shop. Or you buy an electrical guitar which you can give to the King as a present. As a new found friend the Caponian guards will show you a color code, which sends you back directly to your apartment. This is especially useful when you spent all your last money to get there to find out the winning numbers for the lottery and you need a cheap way back home.
Back to Earth
If you turn on the engine of the van on Mars Leslie and Melissa head back home, this is a dead end, we assume. If you ever wait out the 3 months it takes to get back, please let us know. We are dying to find out if you can actually get back… but you better save your game before trying this