NGR Game Collection Reviews 1:- The Back To The Future Collection

Hello everyone, welcome to the 1st in a series of reviews based on a franchise rather than a focusing on a single game, let me know if you like it and it will become a regular feature.

The subject of today’s franchise is Back to the Future, ill be looking at almost all the games released on various system over the years, and let you know through a quick review if they are worth trying with a “Great Scott” or not with a “think Mcfly, think”, so we have a lot to get through, so lets get straight into it with the 1st game,

MSX Box Art

Back to the Futurere on the MSX, released in 1985, this game takes the characters and puts them in a platform setting (This becomes quite regular through the series) your job is to find George and Lorraine and lead them to the dance to move to the next level. You have to avoid police officers, cars and birds, and do it within the time set at the bottom of the screen. The game has 9 levels and on the last stage you have to find Doc and you take off in the DeLorian and return home. Its not a bad game, and given the hardware it was on its quite passable. The graphics are pretty basic and the music is god awful, but its not bad so this one gets a “Great Scott”

The MSX2 had a game “Back to the future : The adventure” released in 1986 But this was basically a walk through of the movie, split up with digitised pictures and choices you have to make to move it on, not really a game, so i`ve not included it here.

Back To The Future The Adventure Game MSX2

The more popular 8 bit systems have a outing as well starting with the original back to the future games, released in 1985 made by Electric Dreams, released on the Amstrad, Spectrum and C64. This is a strange one, it is again a side on platform game, and the aim is to get George and Lorraine as much time together so they fall in love, this will populate the family photo in the bottom right of the screen and if not, it will disappear. The music isn’t bad, it kinda resembles the film, but apart from that, the game was slated when it was released with good reason, don’t bother its rubbish so it gets a “Think mcfly, think”

“Back To The Future” Commodore 64 Box Art

Next up, Back to the Future 2, this time on the Amiga, although it was released on the ST, as well as the 8 bit computers,and the Sega Mastersystem. In 1990 this is split over 5 stages, but if you get chance, take a listen to the theme tune 1st…..the 1st stage sees Marty using his hover board to escape from Griff and his crew while avoiding various obstructions that come from the game, quite a good start so far, level 2 sees you having to guide Jennifer out of her future self house, quite quirky and a fun distraction. Level 3 has you fighting your way through the streets, level 4 is a sliding puzzle game and 5 sees you again flying on your hover board avoiding more 1955 things, this really isn’t a bad game, and yet another one I believe needs a “Great Scott”

Back To The Future Amstrad Box Art

Next up is Back to the Future 3 again released on the Amiga, ST, C64, Spectrum and this version on the Amstrad computers,also this time on Sega Genesis and Mastersystem.  Released in 1991 (Not liking the music on the Amstrad version, but ill over look that….)  This again is split over different styles, The 1st level sees you use your horse to save Docs girlfriend from falling into the ravine,  the graphics are quite good, but this level is stupidly hard, with pin point jumping and ducking needed to survive. This level switches between a side on and a top down view. I`m not sure about the “Ghost riders in the sky” song, but there you go. The second level moves onto the shooting gallery from the film, just a case of blasting as many targets as possible. Level 3 sees you throwing Frisbees at baddies, but to be honest, I got really bored. The levels are too long and boring, this is deffo a “Think McFLy Think”

Back To The Future NES Box Art

In 1989, the 1st NES game based on Back to the future was released…..now…….I mean…..1st of all, what is this music????? And 2nd of all….what the hell is this game based on? I don’t remember killer bees and a running level?  Apparently the music is a sped up version of the power of love…..yea…..course it is. You have to collect clock pieces to make sure your picture at the bottom doesn’t disappear. Bob Gale one of the screenwriters of the film even asked game-players not to buy it….this is very much a “Think McFly….”

The sequal to the NES game was Back to ythe future part 2 and 3, released in 1990 right…lets see if this gets any better…at least the music is better

Ok into the game, im expecting good things after this into…..oh the DeLorian makes an appearance for the 1st time in this run down…oh, and so does this hamburger thing….and what………..the hell..is this….has this game been fused with Mario???? Why are there Koopas running around? Apparently you have to solve puzzles and look in different rooms to find things, but after seeing these few minutes, I cant take it serous anymore as a BTTF game. Deffo another “Think Mc Fly”

So over the course of 6 games we have 2 great scotts and 4 Think Mc Flys……this tells a story. Back to the future was and still is a massively popular franchise, and it’s a crying shame that the games of the time didn’t do the films justice,  games released for more modern consoles, Back to the future the game released in 2010 is a great game, and there is playable characters in Lego Dimentions. But it’s a shame that the games released rund the time of the films release didn’t live upto the expectations. I am very upset by this, I suppose that’s the power of love…..

However, thats not the end of the story. If we look a bit deeper and look at the Japanese market, we will see the next game. Super Back To The Future 2 on the SNES. Now if you get chance to emulate or get this game, go and play it. This is a 2D platformer which sees you control Marty. You have to get to the end of the level and defeat an end of stage boss. The Cartoon like graphics and fantastic sound track does the game, and the movie justice. This is the game that Back to the future fans were crying out for. You need to play it.

Thanks for watching this look back at games based on franchises, let me know what you think, if you want to see the review with the game-play grabs, click on the below link. See you soon.

NGR Review of Back To The Future Games
Author: NGR
I am a 40-something gamer, dragged up on the Amstrad CPC range of computers, then onto the Super Nintendo and Amiga range. Living in the UK so excuse my Cumbrian / Yorkshire accent.... More than happy to play any game recommended, have a particular love of Wrestling and Beat-em-up games.... Check out my YouTube Channel Here :- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEUh17h7VQT4v5iJwDM66AA

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