Super Back to the Future II
{{short description|1993 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Super Back to the Future II
| image = File:Super Back to the Future II.png
| caption = Japanese box art
| image_upright = 0.8
| developer = Daft
| publisher = Toshiba EMI
| programmer = Puppet Ishizuka
| artist = Endorphin Konappy
| composer = Hitoshi Sakimoto
| series = Back to the Future
| platforms = Super Famicom
| released = {{video game release|JP|July 23, 1993}}
| genre = Platformer
| modes = Single-player
}}
{{nihongo|Super Back to the Future II|スーパー・バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャーII|lead=yes}} is a 2D side-scrolling platformer video game developed by Daft and published by Toshiba EMI in Japan exclusively on July 23, 1993 for the Super Famicom. It is based on the film Back to the Future Part II, featuring elements from it, including the plot of protagonist Marty McFly attempting to prevent antagonist Biff Tannen from getting rich using a sports almanac from the future. The gameplay involves Marty using a hoverboard at all times, spin attacking and bouncing off enemies with it.
Super Back to the Future II uses a super deformed art style, designed by Endorphin Konappy, which differs from the film's realistic style. The soundtrack was based on the film's and was composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto. It began as a role-playing video game with a design similar to The Legend of Zelda, but was changed to be a platforming game at some point during development.
The game has received mixed reception. Despite critics considering it among the better Back to the Future games, it was criticized for controls issues, slowdown, and the screen being too zoomed in, which multiple critics stated punished players for moving too quickly in the game. The art style has received more positive reception. It is considered a curio due to multiple factors, including being an adaption of a four-year-old film at the time.
Gameplay
Super Back to the Future II is a 2D side-scrolling platformer starring Marty McFly.{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15675 |title=Super Back to the Future 2 [Japanese] |work=AllGame |accessdate=April 6, 2025 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114162953/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15675 |archivedate=November 14, 2014}} It takes place during multiple time periods, including 1955, 1985, and 2015, and Marty is tasked with using a time-traveling DMC Delorean to travel between these time periods, his goal being to find a sports almanac that antagonist Biff Tannen gets from the future to get rich in 1985.
Whenever the player is in control of Marty, he is riding on a hoverboard, only dismounting at the end of the stage. The player can use the hoverboard to attack enemies, including jumping on their heads and doing a spinning attack. These enemies include police officers, robots, Griff Tannen, and Biff Tannen, the latter two serving as boss fights.{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/back-to-the-future-snes-game/ |title=The Back to the Future SNES Game You've Probably Never Played |work=Den of Geek |last=Birch |first=Aaron |date=December 13, 2024 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}}{{cite magazine |title=Coming Soon |magazine=Famitsu |issue=241 |page=43 |date=July 30, 1993}}{{cite magazine |title=Super Back to the Future II |magazine=Super Control |author1=Allie |author2=Paul |author3=Jools |date=October 1993 |issue=5}} Enemies and obstacles can damage Marty, who can take three hits before losing a life. Each level has coins the player can collect, which can be used to purchase power-ups, health, and extra lives from vending machines. Some walls have spots that allow the player to jump up with the hoverboard. The player can also increase Marty's hoverboard speed using a button. The levels have ramps that the player can jump off of, as well as bonuses they can collect.
Development and release
Super Back to the Future II is a Super Famicom adaptation of the film Back to the Future Part II developed by Daft, released four years after the film's release.{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/weirdest-snes-games-ever/ |title=15 Weirdest SNES Games Ever |work=Den of Geek |last=Byrd |first=Matthew |date=April 15, 2022 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |archive-date=April 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405223746/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/weirdest-snes-games-ever/ |url-status=live }} It was originally intended to be a role-playing video game with a design similar to The Legend of Zelda series, given the tentative title of Back to the Future 2.{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/01/the_snes_almost_got_a_zelda-style_back_to_the_future_ii_rpg |title=The SNES Almost Got A Zelda-Style Back To The Future II RPG |work=NintendoLife |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=January 15, 2021 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410194842/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/01/the_snes_almost_got_a_zelda-style_back_to_the_future_ii_rpg |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |magazine=Weekly Famitsu |title=バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー2(仮題) |page=177 |issue=177–178 |date=May 8, 1992}} It was programmed by Puppet Ishizuka, and its graphics were designed by Endorphin Konappy.{{cite magazine |title=The Dark Side of Retrogaming |magazine=Hardcore Gamer Magazine |author=Sardius |date=November 2007 |page=69 |issue=5}} The game uses an anime art style with chibi character designs.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BCMZEAAAQBAJ |title=Region Locked |publisher=Unbound |last1=Barnes |first1=Matt |last2=Brown |first2=Dazz |last3=S-C |first3=Greg |date=July 8, 2021 |isbn=9781783529278 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |page=174}} The soundtrack was composed by Hitoshi Sakamoto, who used an orchestral style for the first time in it and two other titles. His work on this and Dragon Quest VI would lead to him incorporating a leitmotif to define the whole score in future titles.{{cite web |url=http://www.vgmonline.net/hitoshisakimoto/ |title=Hitoshi Sakimoto Profile |work=Video Game Music Online |last=Greening |first=Chris |date=January 20, 2013 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |archive-date=August 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826161928/http://www.vgmonline.net/hitoshisakimoto/ |url-status=live }} The soundtrack is based on the film's soundtrack.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.de/zurueck-in-die-zukunft-2-als-retro-rpg-auf-snes-fast-haette-es-geklappt |title=Zurück in die Zukunft 2 als Retro-RPG auf dem SNES - fast hätte es geklappt |work=Eurogamer.de |last=Carl |first=Judith |date=January 15, 2021 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}}
Super Back to the Future II was published exclusively in Japan on July 23, 1993, by Toshida EMI.{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/it-came-from-japan-super-back-to-the-future-ii/ |title= It Came from Japan! Super Back to the Future II |work=Destructoid |last=Pinsof |first=Allistair |date=September 22, 2011 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}} There were rumors of an English release in the third quarter of 1993, but they did not materialize.{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/53622027-34db-4f1a-afef-79bb148e2339 |title=Super Back to the Future 2 |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Sendai Publishing |date=March 1993 |issue=44 |page=70 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}} An English fan translation was created by a user called mteam. It was the last Back to the Future video game released until Back to the Future: The Game in 2010.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ykK8EAAAQBAJ |title=A Guide to Movie Based Video Games, 1982–2000 |last=Carton |first=Christopher |date=August 31, 2023 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books |isbn=9781399085960 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/12/15/back-to-the-future-gets-a-release-date |title=Back to the Future Gets a Release Date |work=IGN |last=Onyett |first=Charles |date=December 15, 2010 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |archive-date=December 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225101213/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/12/15/back-to-the-future-gets-a-release-date |url-status=live }}
Reception
Super Back to the Future II received generally mixed reception. Super Back to the Future II is regarded as a standout entry in the Back to the Future video game series, with Destructoid writer Allistair Pinsof believing that the only other highlight was Back to the Future: The Game by Telltale Games. He described it as miraculous that Super Back to the Future II was so much better than previous entries. Den of Geek Aaron Birch agreed that it was a series highlight, finding its implementation of Back to the Future elements "cohesive and enjoyable." He believed that the comparative quality of the game was due to the developer avoiding being too strict in adapting Back to the Future while "clearly set[ting] out to make a real game." Fellow Den of Geek writer Matthew Byrd considered it among the strangest Super Nintendo games due to it being released so much later than the film and being "objectively better" than other Back to the Future games before it. Super Play writer Jonathan Davies questioned why it was an adaptation of the second film instead of the first or third, also finding the anime art style strange. The magazine later considered it an example of a poor licensed video game.{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/97e57919-1cd6-4577-8f65-80f2392dbbe5 |title=Some Terrible Film Licenses |magazine=Super Play |publisher=Future plc |date=March 1995 |page=23 |issue=29 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}} Nerdist writer Robert Workman felt that it was reflective of the low quality of Back to the Future games in general, speculating that its middling reception contributed to it not leaving Japan.{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/article/up-to-88-mph-the-bumpy-history-of-back-to-the-future-video-games/ |title=The Bumpy History of Back To the Future Video Games |work=Nerdist |last=Workman |first=Robert |date=October 21, 2015 |accessdate=April 5, 2025 |archive-date=November 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107015356/https://geekandsundry.com/up-to-88-mph-the-bumpy-history-of-back-to-the-future-video-games/ |url-status=live }} Diehard GameFan writer Magilla felt that the game lacked redeeming qualities, suggesting that the developer did not care how good the game was, only about using the license to sell copies.{{cite magazine |title=Back to the Future Part II |magazine=Diehard GameFan |author=Magilla |issue=10 |date=September 1993 |page=100}}
File:Super Back to the Future II gameplay.png art style was the subject of praise from critics]]
Its visuals have been considered a highlight of the game, to the point that critics like Katya Tonechkina of Страна игр believed that it was worth playing for on its own.{{cite magazine |title=НАЗАД В БУДУЩЕЕ |magazine=Страна игр |last=Tonechkina |first=Katya |date=April 2007 |page=175 |issue=233 |publisher=Gameland Publishing}} Author Christopher Carton believed that the story of Back to the Future Part II was better represented than the other films in previous Back to the Future games. He praised the character designs and color palettes, finding the cutscenes enjoyable and wishing it came out in English. Aaron Birch praised the developer for capturing Back to the Future visually, including the protagonist and settings from Back to the Future Part II. Despite identifying it as more cartoony than the film, NF Magazine writer David Oxford felt that it was better off for it.{{cite magazine |title=Nintendo at the Movies |magazine=NF Magazine |last=Oxford |first=David |date=May 2013 |page=43 |issue=3}}
Despite being considered better than past entries, it received criticism for its gameplay and controls. Allistair Pinsof felt that it was of average quality, though that its short length and nostalgia factor was appealing enough to try. He enjoyed the hoverboard mechanic, but believed that it was not designed for it, stating that the zoomed in camera combined with Marty's movement speed made him stop to wait for the screen to move. He felt that this felt like a limitation one might find in a Game Boy game. Jonathan Davies felt that the gameplay was limited and levels too empty, further criticizing the controls for being unreliable.{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/a962ca00-2b35-41f5-b3d9-5ec32e7c2806 |title=Super Back to the Future Part II |magazine=Super Play |publisher=Future plc |last=Davies |first=Jonathan |date=October 1993 |page=67 |issue=12 |accessdate=April 5, 2025}} Despite enjoying the art style and sountrack, Robert Workman found the gameplay "too loose" and graphics laggy and glitchy. Magilla also criticized its performance, stating that it was below 8-bit console standards due to how easily it begins to slow down even with few objects on screen. Hardcore Gamer Magazine writer Sardius felt that, despite feeling more like a real video game than other Back to the Future games, he considered it a poor game, also criticizing the game's performance. Superjuegos staff felt that it failed to reach "quality limits" alongside other games they published, resulting in its publisher not establishing itself as a major game publisher.{{cite magazine |title=X Kaliber 209 |magazine=Superjuegos |page=20 |issue=23}}
Some critics were more positive, with David Oxford feeling that, while it was not "spectacular," it was at least "remarkably decent." The staff of Super Control had mixed feelings on the game; Allie found it enjoyable despite collision issues, a lack of incentive to explore, and scrolling that makes the game slow down, while Paul found it sluggish and dated compared to Super Nintendo games like Super Mario All-Stars. Jools agreed with Allie about scrolling issues, comparing it to the series Bubsy, which he believed similarly encouraged players to move quickly but punished them with obstacles that are difficult to avoid.
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Back to the Future}}
Category:Back to the Future (franchise) video games
Category:Japan-exclusive video games
Category:Side-scrolling platformers
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System-only games
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Video games set in 1955
Category:Video games set in 1985