Graphics aren't everything
When watching some of the long-time cherished animations on this site which are cherished because of their outstanding animation quality and graphics (Brakenwood comes to mind), one can easily critisize the flash's high score due to the graphics alone. In most cases, however, this is not a legitimate complaint, as the flash authors also worked hard on the other areas of flash storytelling to make the animation really excellent.
Throwback the Duck is one of the best-animated flash movies I've seen in a while, but I feel that almost every other part of it stumbles and fails to reach greatness, or even quality enought to be buoyed by impressive graphics.
We'll start with the sound. It took me a bit to determine if Throwback's voice was the same one that is infamously used by the clock crew and others when lazyness gets the better of them (you know the voice I'm talking about). I was glad to hear that it wasn't, but it's never good if your voice acting is as irratating of a computer generated voice. The sound effects were generic and distracting, and the campy music was the only moderately good thing the sound department had to offer.
I didn't understand what this film was trying to do, storywise. I guess it was a comedy, but all the jokes seemed on par with the standard Hollywood animated fare, which should be insulting. The story seemed random and, as far as the Nintendo focus, well, lets just say that rtil's "Flash Comedy Extravaganza" is one of the most misunderstood flashes on this site. The fact that the main character is a duck seemed irrellavent and added in an attempt to make the story cute and original.
I'm more cynical than complementary in these flash reviews most of the time, so let me restress that I was very impressed by the graphical style and level of detail, though I think some kinks could still be worked out (I thought some animations were kind of choppy and awkward, but that might just be prefrence). I'll be looking out for future installments of this, anyway, in hopes that it improves.