Ha! I’ve just seen the old 1980’s advert for this game. The advert features the man from the Police Academy movies who can do all the voices - Michael Winslow.
It’s fitting that he’s advertising the Max BackTalk, because you could make any noise you liked and the “Max Backtalk” could repeat it back to you. It was the first thing I ever had that could record your voice, and at that time it seemed very futuristic! It looked a bit like that other futuristic toy SIMON, but for my money was better!
But the Max Talkback wasn’t just a recording device – no it was a game (I would always lose at). The game was all about memory and reactions (Hence why I’d always lose)
At the start of the game, each player sits by one of the coloured buttons and speaks a word or sound into the microphone. The game starts by Max flashing a player's light and repeating that player's word. The player scores a point by quickly pressing his or her button. If your reaction time is too slow you lose a point. The longer you play, the faster the words are spoken.
The game was made by Milton Bradley in 1986. Only 4 people could play it as there were only 4 sections to the game. But that was okay, it was usually just me and my brother so we has two paddles each anyway.
The games were fast and furious – truly furious in our case as me and my brother would come to blows over who won and who lost!
Do You Remember Max Backtalk?
Do You Remember Max Backtalk?