Back to the Future Part II (video game)
A multi-level game based on the 1989 film.
Back to the Future Part II is a 1990 action game based on the 1989 film of the same name. It was developed and published by Image Works for multiple platforms including the Master System. The game was criticized as a poor conversion of the film and was followed by Back to the Future Part III.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Image Works
- Composer
- Alan Silvestri; David Whittaker
- Series
- Back to the Future
- Platforms
- Amiga
- Amstrad CPC
- Atari ST
- Commodore 64
- MS-DOS
- Master System
- ZX Spectrum
- Released
- 1990
- Genre
- Action
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Back to the Future Part II contains five levels drawn from scenes in the film. The story follows Marty McFly, Jennifer Parker, and Emmett "Doc" Brown as they travel from 1985 to 2015 to prevent the couple's future children from turning out badly. An introduction sequence shows the DeLorean time machine traveling to 2015. The first level is a side-scroller where Marty uses a hoverboard through Hill Valley, avoiding vehicles and evading Griff and his gang. The second level is an overhead puzzle game in which Jennifer must escape a house without seeing her future self or future family members. The third level is a side-scrolling beat 'em up where Marty returns to an altered 1985 and fights Biff's guards. The fourth level is a sliding puzzle game where tiles must be arranged to form a picture of Marty playing in a band. In the final level, Marty hoverboards through 1955 Hill Valley to retrieve a sports almanac from Biff's car. The story continues in Back to the Future Part III.
Development and release
The game was developed and published by the U.K.-based company Image Works. The fourth level was originally planned to incorporate sandbags from the film’s band scene, but the developers could not figure out a use for them, so they replaced it with a sliding puzzle. It launched in the U.K. in 1990 for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Konami published an IBM PC compatible version in the U.S. in early 1991, and a Master System version came out in the U.K. later that year.
Reception
Back to the Future Part II was widely panned for failing to capture the film. Mark Patterson of CU Amiga noted that the movie’s tangled plot made a faithful adaptation nearly impossible and questioned whether any developer could have made it more exciting. The opening sequence drew mixed reactions: some praised it, but Robert Swan of Computer and Video Games, reviewing the Atari ST version, called it a good idea ruined by poor execution, describing the DeLorean as moving “like a slug with bunions.” Chris Jenkins of Sinclair User found the sequence “astonishingly badly-drawn” in the ZX Spectrum version. The music and sound were generally well-received; Patterson singled out the film’s theme as one of the game’s two highlights, alongside the intro. Character sprites, especially Marty McFly’s design, were criticized, and many felt the hoverboarding levels dragged on too long. Patterson considered the beat ‘em up level the worst of the five, poorly executed, and questioned why the fourth level was a tile puzzle, seeing little connection to the scene it represented. He also found the second level too easy and brief, and criticized the final level for blatantly reusing the first, calling it a cheap gimmick. Gerard Ryle of The Age praised the game’s blend of quick reflexes and thinking. Amiga Action faulted the music and weak background details. Zzap!64 thought the Amiga version’s levels were slightly better than the Commodore 64’s. Commodore Format criticized the unoriginal levels but praised the sound as the most pleasing aspect, while noting the game’s appeal beyond a few days was “extremely questionable” and that its many nice touches only highlighted its unfulfilled promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Back to the Future Part II (video game) available on?
Back to the Future Part II was released for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Master System and ZX Spectrum.
Who composed the music for Back to the Future Part II (video game)?
The music for Back to the Future Part II was composed by Alan Silvestri and David Whittaker.
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