(Amiga Format Gold)
"It's even got a tune you can whistle", sighs John Kennedy.
Does the name "Rob Hubbard" mean anything to you? If not, then you're probably too young to appreciate this Audio CD.
Way back in 1982, Commodore launched the C64, creating one of the most popular computers of the day. Although I was a committed Spectrum/CPC person at the time, I would often visit my mate Nick (I wonder what ever happened to him?) who had a C64 and seemed to play every game going.
Pardon me for that piece of nostalgia but that is exactly what "Back in Time" is all about. The music which accompanied C64 games was basically in a class all of its own. This wasn't merely due to the advanced SID music chip, but also to the great talent of people like Rob Hubbard and Martin Galway.
Rather than take the easy way out and simply record the game soundtracks, Chris Abbott has used modern instruments to totally re-create the songs in high quality, crystal-clear format. With some remixing help from Hubbard himself, this is one professional CD.
OK, so at heart the tracks are still the theme tunes to games such as Monty Mole, Arkanoid, Wizball and Rambo, but that's the entire point. Not only do you get the chance to relive those old days spent sitting around a giant, old, colour TV, frantically waggling joysticks, but you get music which is as well produced as anything you'll hear on the radio.
It's clear that this CD was a personal project of Abbott's, and he's spent a great deal of time getting everything perfect. 15 tracks of memory-jogging classic C64 anthems. Lovely.
Overall verdict: Top quality music form all your favourite C64 games.
90%
Price: รบ12.99 + postage