36 Puzzle games like Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders down to the 36 that fit the “Puzzle” category. Chaos on Deponia, Goodbye Deponia and Deponia Doomsday top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

iRank83/ 100

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GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

The best puzzle games like Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

36 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders. Each one has been evaluated across 7 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Chaos on DeponiaClosest overall match

iRank83

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2D

Steam👍 90%· 3.1KIGDB80· 1OC70· 9

Year 2012Dev Daedalic Entertainment · Daedalic Studio WestOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus.

≠ Missing: visual pixel.

Released 24 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

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GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2D

Steam👍 89%· 2.5KIGDB65· 3

Year 2013Dev Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus.

≠ Missing: visual pixel.

Released 25 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals73

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2D

Steam👍 85%· 4.0KOC73· 20

Year 2016Dev Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus.

≠ Missing: visual pixel.

Released 28 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals74

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Steam GOG Epic

#4Thimbleweed ParkClosest on visuals

iRank88

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrative2DPixel Art

Steam👍 93%· 4.2KIGDB83· 13OC83· 101

Year 2017Dev Terrible ToyboxOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus.

≠ Missing: setting scifi.

Released 29 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DPixel Art

Steam👍 88%· 221IGDB90· 1

Year 1987Dev Lucasfilm GamesOn PC · Mac

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, horror setting and fantasy world

Same studio: Lucasfilm Games.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone68Setting50

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Steam GOG

#6Syberia

iRank82

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DCasual

Steam👍 88%· 6.7KIGDB77· 5OC76· 13

Year 2002Dev Microïds Canada · MicroïdsOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · Android

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: vibe casual, while skipping visual pixel

Released 14 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Tone73Visuals73

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DHistorical

Steam👍 52%· 4.7KIGDB44· 8OC51· 54

Year 2017Dev Anuman Interactive · MicroidsOn PS4 · Android · PC

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: historical setting and visual third person, while skipping visual pixel

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Released 29 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals68Setting53

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Steam Xbox PS

#8A New Beginning - Final Cut

iRank68

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DFantasy

Steam👍 75%· 2.1KRAWG👍 50%· 126MC72IGDB75· 2

Year 2012Dev Daedalic EntertainmentPlaytime ~2hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: fantasy world, historical setting and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping visual pixel

A point-and-click adventure from Daedalic Entertainment, A New Beginning is a story of time travel and ecological cataclysms. Presented in-game future is dark, mostly due to the fact that life is possible only deep underground, in caves and crevices.

Where it drifts furthest from Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Released 24 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals73Setting39

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DMelee

Steam👍 70%· 1.8KIGDB68· 6OC69· 76

Year 2022Dev JumpshipOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, dark, oppressive atmosphere and melee combat, while skipping visual pixel

Where it drifts furthest from Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders: visuals.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Released 34 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Setting83Tone66Visuals44

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Steam Epic PS

#10Tales from the Borderlands

iRank92

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-FiMeleeThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 19KIGDB88· 11

Year 2014Dev Telltale GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Android

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, visual novel storytelling and melee combat, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders: visuals.

Released 26 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals0

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-FiFantasyExploration

Steam👍 96%· 173KIGDB79· 7

Year 2015Dev DON'T NOD · Feral InteractiveOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with fantasy world, exploration and discovery and visual third person, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders: visuals.

Released 27 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting69Visuals0

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Steam GOG Xbox

#12Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall

iRank90

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrative2DCasualExploration

Steam👍 93%· 315RAWG👍 86%· 21

Year 2013Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: vibe casual and exploration and discovery, while skipping setting scifi

Jessalyn Thornton’s fateful sleepover at the abandoned Thornton estate was supposed to be a pre-wedding celebration, but the fun ended when she disappeared. While her family searches for clues, others refuse to speak about the estate’s dark past.

Released 25 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

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Steam

#13Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill REMASTERED

iRank74

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrative2DCasualExploration

Steam👍 78%· 327RAWG👍 68%· 22

Year 2011Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual and exploration and discovery, while skipping setting scifi

Nancy Drew®: Secrets Can Kill REMASTERED is a first-person perspective, point-and-click adventure game. The player is Nancy Drew and has to solve a mystery. Explore rich environments for clues, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles and mini-games.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Released 23 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone80Visuals73

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Steam

#14Dreamfall Chapters

iRank80

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeSci-FiCyberpunkFantasy

Steam👍 82%· 4.5KIGDB76· 11

Year 2014Dev Red Thread Games · Deep SilverOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings setting cyberpunk, fantasy world and exploration and discovery, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders: visuals and setting.

Released 26 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting38Visuals0

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrative2DCasual

Steam👍 96%· 2.0KRAWG👍 76%· 45OC77· 16

Year 2018Dev Artifex MundiPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: vibe casual, while skipping setting scifi

A loving family discovers that their daughter has fallen ill. While her parents set out to get her the treatment she needs, her determined older brother turns to the power of imagination to help them cope.

Released 30 years after Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals71Tone55

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Steam GOG Xbox

Complete list of puzzle games like Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.