Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders is a tabloid reporter who discovers that space aliens are using the telephone system to dumbify the public. With the help of his friends Annie, Melissa, and Leslie, Zak must stop this plan and save the Earth.
The gameplay in Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders is similar to other puzzle-solving adventures like Maniac Mansion. The player chooses verb commands to interact with the game world. Players can switch between up to four controllable protagonists, exchange inventory items if they are in the same location, and explore exotic countries.
The game features optional puzzles that can be solved in different ways, making it a globe-trotting adventure where Zak and his friends must travel the world to complete their mission.