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Is there any need to mention that this is a film spin off? I thought not. An interesting idea, get your mum and dad together before you cease to exist... Well, it worked for Spielberg so why not for Electric Dreams?

The game display is in three sections, a centre portion which shows your actions and position in the city, those who are around you and objects available. Characters are animated and the main screen scrolls as you move. Behind you are a few doors to the Doc's house, the School, the Hal and the Snack Bar. In each of these locations are poems, tea, an alien suit and a guitar - you have to discover which is where, which takes about three minutes playing time if you are not bright enough to work it out beforehand.

Only one of these objects can be carried at a time and each object may or may not have an effect on one of the four other characters wandering about. These other bods are Doc, George, Lorraine, Biff and you, the hero, Marty.

At the top of the screen is a picture of each of the four items and they change colour depending on whether they are carried or not. On the far right is a picture of a Skateboard which Marty can use to move around faster, once he has 'built' it from the two piles of crates on the main screen. Below the main display on the extreme left or right are two pictures, on the left is Marty and on the right is a family photo. These represent 'lives' and 'death' and either fade or build up depending on how well you are doing.

Between these two large pictures are the four other characters' pictures and these change colour depending on what effect Marty has produced on them with the various objects. The main object of the game is to get Lorraine and George to spend time with each other by the use of the objects and their effects on them. Biff will thump you and cause a delay, though you can thump him back and put him ot of action. Others will just hamper you.

All this sounds very complicated but in fact is very simple. This is the biggest fault of the game; the action is fairly repetitive and I found it boring, even with the five levels which give you less time and make the characters more unpredictable. The graphics are reasonable but slow, and the scrolling main screen is jerky, characters having a disconcerting habit of disappearing, actually they are entering or leaving buildings, and the playing area is small.

Still, I've seen worse, but at £9.95 it is overpriced and overhyped. Frankie Goes To Hollywood from Ocean is similar but much, much better.