Back to the Future? Back to the 1K ZX81 more like. Imagine an arcade/adventure with five locations, five objects and, yes, five interactive characters. How do they get it to fit in 48K? What's it stuffed with? However, this game is a little different.
    As the super skateboarding all-American teenager who's suddenly jetted back 30 years in a souped-up De Lorean, you've got to wander round and persuade your parents to fall in love before it's too late - a job made harder 'cos Lorraine-the-sprite looks just like Maria out of JSW. Just like the film, your family photo fades away on-screen as time runs out.
    To help you, there are five objects scattered around the set that will attract, repel or stun the other characters. By using the objects you can get George and Lorraine together (aaarh!) and keep the dotty Prof and bully Biff out of the way. But be warned, characters have minds of their own and it'll take a lot of running around to get to the gooey bits.
    Not a bad conversion of the plot. Nice to see an original game concept. It may even be very clever. But I can't say it's very much fun to play. For the money, I could get a decent poster and go see the film again... twice!
    But if the game fails to capture the spirit of a film that deserved fifty more Oscars than Out Of Africa, at least it's got the essence of the De Lorean sports car just right. Although Back To The Future is very different, it's poorly designed, put together in a rush and not a little overpriced. The game is like the car - a non-starter.

Ratings given by other magazines

4/10      4/10    Crash Review ---

Info supplied by the SPOT*ON database

YS Cross-references
		Back To The Future/Electric Dreams	YS3	NEWS
		Back To The Future (in Now Games IV)	YS19
		Back To The Future (in The Story So Far Volume IV)	YS48	30
Some info from Sinclair Infoseek+SPOT*ON