Super Back to the Future II is a 2D side-scrolling platform game that was made by a company called Daft, published by Toshiba EMI, and released only in Japan in 1993 for the Super Famicom. It is based on the hit sci-fi, action comedy movie Back to the Future Part II and includes characters and scenes from the film.
This is one of those weird cases where a Japanese company made a game based on a hit US movie, but never actually released the game outside of Japan — even though the movie it is based on came from the US in the first place.
The Story
The game's story follows the same plot as the movie. Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to the year 2015 to stop Marty’s future son from getting into trouble. They manage to fix that, but when they go back to 1985, they find that the timeline has changed! Biff, the main villain from the movie trilogy, is now in control of 1985 America. So, Marty and Doc must travel back to 1955 to try and fix the timeline and set their timeline right.
The Graphics and Sound
The graphics in the game have a cartoonish, almost anime-like style that gives the game a light and humorous tone. Doc Brown looks even more crazy than he does in the movie, and Jennifer (played by Elizabeth Shue in the film) looks extra small and cute in this version. The visual style adds charm to the game, and some of the cutscenes are actually pretty funny.
The game includes that iconic movie theme song along with some other catchy tunes that fit the action well. However, the sound effects are not as impressive. They are mostly just simple bleeps and not add much to the gameplay. Still, the music is enjoyable and helps keep the game fun.
The Gameplay
You play as Marty McFly and follow the plot of the movie, traveling between three different time periods. Hi-tech 2015, an alternate 1985, and 1955.
This is a side-scrolling platform game where you are always riding the toy hover board. Your only way to attack enemies is by jumping on them, and you will face bosses along the way, usually Biff or someone from his gang.
This game isn’t ridiculously hard. It has a password system that lets you continue where you left off, which makes the challenge much more manageable. One cool feature is the ability to collect money and use it in vending machines in the game to get power-ups, like an energy shield.
Replayability is fair. The game has a good number of levels and a fair challenge, but thanks to the password system, it is not frustrating to complete. It is definitely worth picking up again after a long time.
My Verdict
I would not call Super Back to the Future II a great 16-bit game, it is only slightly above average. However, compared to the other retro Back to the Future games, this one is a standout.
Play it on the nostalgic Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a trusty gaming emulator.
