Back To Skool (ZX Spectrum)

 

First Published
Box Art

Back to Skool is a classic video game that was released in 1985 for the ZX Spectrum by Microsphere. The game was created by David Reidy, whose wife Helen was a school teacher at the time, and the graphics were done by Keith Warrington. It is the sequel to the popular Skool Daze, and it incorporates most of the same characters, gameplay elements, and graphics as its predecessor.

The game is ranked 19th in the "Your Sinclair official top 100" Spectrum games of all time, and it is considered a cult classic among retro gamers. The game differs from its predecessor by an increase in the size of the play area (including a neighboring girls' school) and a number of gameplay changes.

Tree in the School Yard

The girls' school in Back to Skool introduces new characters, including undistinguished girls with hockey sticks, Hayley (girlfriend of the main character Eric) and Miss Take (the headmistress). Only at break time and lunch times are the girls allowed to mingle with the boys, in the central grassy playground, separated at other times by a high gate. The opening and closing of the gate is controlled by the school caretaker Albert, a new character to the game. It is also possible for Eric to sneak over the gate into the girls' school during lesson times, either using the bicycle (after completing the challenge of finding its lock's combination and then performing a tricky manoeuvre on it), by watering the flower beside the gate and then jumping on it, or by kissing Hayley through the gate. When the girls and boys are allowed to mingle, and when Eric gains access to the girls' school, he can kiss Hayley, who will then agree to do 1000 of his lines for him. This reduction method can be used up to six times before Hayley refuses to help Eric any more.

The Girls School

Elements added in Back to Skool include stink bombs (used to trigger the opening of windows), water pistols, mice that can be released in the girls' school causing widespread panic, and sherry (which can be squirted into cups and used to "intoxicate" teachers by splashing it on them with correct timing). These new elements add an extra level of mischief and mischief-making to the game, making it even more fun and challenging.

One of the most interesting features of Back to Skool is the ability to commit suicide by opening the top-storey window and making Eric jump out. This might seem like a strange feature, but it is actually necessary to sneak into the girls' school, as only the first floor windows can be opened and jumped out of - not the second. When this happens, Eric will lie incapacitated on the ground outside the boys' school until Mr Wacker approaches and tells him "You are not a bird, Eric. You're expelled", and the game ends.

Stink Bombs and Water Pistols
in the Science Lab

There are also a few bugs in the game that can be exploited to gain an advantage. For example, there is a bug that enables you to see what goes on in the girls' school without leaving the boys' school. To do this, go as far left as possible in the Blue Room, then face right and press the key that would have Eric pick up a mouse or frog (C), or K (kiss). The whole screen will scroll if you press any button until it goes all the way to the girls' school. Once the scrolling is complete, Eric can move around as usual, unseen, and will not pick up any lines. You can, through trial and error, get to the girls' school upon which the game will go back to normal. This is best attempted at playtime, (so the gate between the two schools is open,) and really isn't that difficult to do provided you know your way around the boys' school.

Another bug exists whereby it is possible to make a teacher completely disappear from the blue room. Once a lesson in that room has started, position yourself so that the lesson starts properly but the teacher is out of sight to the left. Leave the room just enough to let Einstein start reporting "Please Sir... Eric is not here." If you re-enter the room before Einstein has finished his sentence, still keeping the teacher out of sight, the teacher will - instead of issuing lines - turn around, start cleaning the blackboard, continuing to wipe the wall, then will walk through the wall on the far left-hand side. After a while, the teacher eventually re-emerges through the wall at the right of Miss Take's office in the girls' school, then makes his way back to the boys' school and continues as normal.

Overall, Back to Skool is a fun and challenging game that takes the best elements of its predecessor, Skool Daze, and expands upon them in new and exciting ways. The addition of the girls' school and the new gameplay elements make it a unique and entertaining experience that is sure to keep players engaged for hours on end. The game's bugs and glitches may be frustrating at times, but they also add an extra level of challenge and exploration to the game, making it even more fun. If you're a fan of retro gaming and are looking for a fun and challenging game to play, Back to Skool is definitely worth checking out.

If you want to play the original Skool Daze on modern hardware you can download the remake called Klass on 99 here.