Back to the Future Part III

n/a

Mega Drive Master System
Back to the Future Part III
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System
Publisher: Arena Entertainment (US) Image Works (EU)
Developer: Probe Software
Supporting companies: Krisalis Software (audio)
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT) Hent Gruppen (SE rental) Zegetron (GR) Tec Toy (BR) Consumer Electronics (ZA)
Licensor: Universal City Studios, Amblin Entertainment
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1991 T-69046 EU 1992-10-07 T-69046-50 PT 1992 MDJ69046 UK 1992-10-07 £37.9937.99 T-69046-50 SE (Rental) 199x GR 199x BR 1992 043040 ZA 199x EU 1992-03 MK 27020-50 PT 199x UK 1992-06-24 £32.9932.99 MK 27020-50 AU 1992
Non-Sega versions Amiga Amstrad CPC Atari ST Commodore 64 IBM PC ZX Spectrum

Back to the Future Part III is a Sega Mega Drive action game developed by Probe Software. Based on the titular 1990 film Back to the Future Part III, it was first published in the United States by Arena Entertainment in late 1991, and was later brought to Europe by Image Works the following October.

The game was received poorly due to its short length and brutal difficulty level, particularly that of its first stage. The game is most known today for both its exceptionally poor gameplay design and its visibly darkened palette - a result of a programming error which infamously shipped in the final product.

A Sega Master System version was developed alongside the original courtesy of Krisalis Software, and released in March 1992.

Story

The game follows the plot of the film on which it is based. Marty McFly learns that his friend Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, trapped in 1885, was killed by Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen. Marty travels back in time to 1885 to rescue Doc and return once again to 1985, but matters are complicated when Doc falls in love with Clara Clayton.

Gameplay

The game consists of four levels, each employing a different style of gameplay. The player can attempt each as many times as desired if not initially successful. There is no password or save system.

Levels

	The Buckboard Chase
	A notoriously hard level in which players, controlling Doc Brown riding a horse, need to catch up with love interest Clara Clayton before she falls into a ravine. Doc fires his gun with or , which can be aimed with or . He can duck or pick up fallen objects for extra points with . The horse jumps with or . If Doc is hit and subsequently falls off the horse three times, he begins again from the start. The speed of play, combined with artistic choices and the constant barrage of threats makes this stage far more challenging than later levels. Obstacles (which are not always easy to distinguish from the background) quickly emerge from the right (save for bandits which chase Doc from the left and fire at him) and require quick reflexes to avoid (to the point where it becomes more of a memory test). Much of the game's negative press comes from this level alone.
	The Shooting Gallery
	Players control Marty as he shoots targets in a target range. Hit ducks and bandits and avoid old ladies. Marty aims with and and shoots with , , or . There are three vertical positions for shooting higher targets: moves the gun up and moves the gun down. The challenge is timed and ends when the clock goes from 12 o'clock to 12 o'clock again. Different targets are worth different amounts of points. The player must get a sufficiently high score in order to progress, otherwise the challenge repeats. A bonus round can be obtained by shooting the multi-colored ducks. This segment is missing from the Master System version of the game.
	Pie Throwing
	Players control Marty as he uses pie dishes to fight off Buford's men and eventually Buford himself. Buford's men pop out from a number of fixed locations, fire, and then hide again. Marty has a limited amount of dishes in hand but can "reload" by walking to the table. On the Mega Drive version, either , , or can be used to throw a dish; on the Master System version, only throws a dish. The challenge uses an isometric perspective, and Marty can only move along one axis with and . He can change the direction he is facing (and therefore aim) with (directly in front of Marty), (45 degrees left from the front), and (45 degrees right from the front). Marty dies if he gets shot too many times.
	The Train
	A platforming segment in which players control Marty as he makes away across the train, collecting speed logs necessary to get the train up to 88 miles per hour (142 km/h) while fending off enemies and avoiding obstacles such as hooks or puffs of smoke. This segment must be completed within a time limit. Marty walks with or and crawls with or . On the Mega Drive version, Marty throws a dish (or punches enemies in close range) with or and jumps with ; on the Master System version, Marty throws a dish with and jumps with . Marty must find the colored switches (in the order shown in the top of the screen) and press them with . He dies if he takes too much damage from enemies, hits a railway sign, falls between cars, or touches the steam from the engine. He respawns at certain checkpoints. If he runs out of time, the challenge can be retried from the very beginning.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

• Produced by: Probe Software Ltd.
• Programming by: Jim Baguley
• Graphics by: Hugh Riley and Mark (Northampton) Jones
• Music by: John Phillips

Source:

In-game credits (title screen)

Master System version

• Produced by: Probe Software Ltd
• Programming by: Keith Burkhill
• Graphics by: Hugh Riley and Mark (Northampton) Jones
• Music by: Marvellous Matt Furniss (for Krisalis Software Ltd.)
• Design by: Probe Software Ltd.
• Production by: Jo Bonar and Neil Young

Copyright UCS and Amblin 1991

All rights reserved

Source:

In-game credits (intro demo)

Magazine articles

Main article: Back to the Future Part III/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Flyer (RU)

Mega Drive print advert in Sega Visions (US) #6: "Fall 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Sega Visions (US) #7: "Winter 1991/1992" (1991-xx-xx)

Master System print advert in Mega Force (ES) #6: "Octubre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Hobby Consolas (ES) #13: "Octubre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Master System print advert in Mega Force (ES) #7: "Noviembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Hobby Consolas (ES) #14: "Noviembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Master System print advert in Mega Force (ES) #11: "Marzo 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Hobby Consolas (ES) #18: "Marzo 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Cool Gamer (RU) 20 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 33 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 30 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) PAL 77 Génération 4 (FR) 81 Game Players Sega Guide! (US) NTSC-U 40 Joystick (FR) NTSC 56 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 25 Mega Action (UK) 62 Mega Force (FR) 65 Mega Force (FR) NTSC-U 55 Mean Machines (UK) 77 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 77 Megazone (AU) 86 Power Play (DE) 21 Sega Power (UK) 35 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U 28 Sega Force (SE) 54 Supergame (BR) 79 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 20 Video Games (DE) 39

	50
Based on 22 reviews

Back to the Future Part III

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual Manual (back) PCB PCB (alt)

Mega Drive, EU (Alt Barcode)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, PT
Cover

Mega Drive, GR
Cover

Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; black)
Cover

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Consoles + (FR) PAL 50 Console XS (UK) PAL 79 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) PAL 67 Game Zone (UK) PAL 55 Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL 79 Joypad (FR) PAL 49 Joystick (FR) PAL 63 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 70 Mean Machines (UK) PAL 68 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 68 Player One (FR) PAL 28 Sega Power (UK) PAL 35 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 73 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 79 Sega Force (UK) PAL 33 Supersonic (FR) 79 User (GR) PAL 88

	63
Based on 17 reviews

Back to the Future Part III

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart

Master System, PT
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

Main article: Back to the Future Part III/Technical information.

References

Back to the Future games for Sega systems
	Back to the Future Part II (1991) | Back to the Future Part III (1991)
	Back to the Future (1990)