Back to Skool
Encyclopedia
Back to Skool is a computer game, sequel to the popular Skool Daze
, created by David Reidy (whose wife Helen was a school teacher at the time) for the ZX Spectrum
and released by Microsphere in 1985
. The gameplay is very similar to - if more advanced than - Skool Daze, even incorporating most of the same characters, gameplay elements and graphics.
The game is ranked 19th in the Your Sinclair official top 100 Spectrum games of all time.
The game differs from its predecessor by an increase in the size of the play area (including a neighbouring girls' school) and a number of gameplay changes.
The girls' school incorporates its own 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 fence. The opening and closing of the fence is controlled by the school caretaker Albert, a new character to the game. It is also possible for Eric to sneak over the fence 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) or by watering the flower beside the fence and then jumping on it. 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 6 times before Hayley refuses to help Eric any more.
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).
by opening the top storey window and making Eric jump out. (Jumping out of a window is necessary to sneak into the girls' school, but only from the first floor - not the second.) When this happens, Eric would 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. This effectively replaced the mumps
instant Game Over
from Skool Daze
.
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 girl's school, then makes their way back to the boy's school and continues as normal.
Skool Daze
Skool Daze is a computer game created by David Reidy for the ZX Spectrum and released by Microsphere in 1985. A Commodore 64 port was subsequently made...
, created by David Reidy (whose wife Helen was a school teacher at the time) for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and released by Microsphere in 1985
1985 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* Brøderbund releases Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the first game of the prolific Carmen Sandiego series* Nintendo releases Super Mario Bros. on September 13, 1985, which eventually sells 40 million copies making it the best-selling video game of all time until 2008.*...
. The gameplay is very similar to - if more advanced than - Skool Daze, even incorporating most of the same characters, gameplay elements and graphics.
The game is ranked 19th in the Your Sinclair official top 100 Spectrum games of all time.
Gameplay
The girls' school incorporates its own 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 fence. The opening and closing of the fence is controlled by the school caretaker Albert, a new character to the game. It is also possible for Eric to sneak over the fence 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) or by watering the flower beside the fence and then jumping on it. 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 6 times before Hayley refuses to help Eric any more.
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).
Suicide
It is possible to commit suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by opening the top storey window and making Eric jump out. (Jumping out of a window is necessary to sneak into the girls' school, but only from the first floor - not the second.) When this happens, Eric would 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. This effectively replaced the mumps
Mumps
Mumps is a viral disease of the human species, caused by the mumps virus. Before the development of vaccination and the introduction of a vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide...
instant Game Over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
from Skool Daze
Skool Daze
Skool Daze is a computer game created by David Reidy for the ZX Spectrum and released by Microsphere in 1985. A Commodore 64 port was subsequently made...
.
Bugs
There is a bug in the game 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, 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 girl's school, then makes their way back to the boy's school and continues as normal.