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> Way back in the mid-Eighties, the young gamers of the day could be found in the dingy arcade halls stuffing 10 pence pieces into the dust encrusted arcade machines like Atari's sort-of-skateboarding-simulator 720°. So, for a nostalgic gamesperson like myself, plugging a copy of Midway's version of 720° into the back of my Game Boy Color almost brought a tear to my eye. Unfortunately, in spite of the initial warm glow of nostalgia, playing this game for a short while painfully indicates that time has not been particularly kind to 720°.

You are placed in the role of a skateboarder, who needs to improve their deft foot and wooden plank-related skills to become the king of Skate City - which is where the main action takes place. Skate City itself stretches the 'city' term to its limits, as it is really no bigger than a town square, but it nonetheless forms the hub of activity for the game. From here you can visit stores to buy skateboarding equipment like helmets, shoes, boards and pads. The latter help improve your skateboarding ability, for instance, a new board will allow you to move a tad faster through the city.

However, like with most things in life, the improved skateboarding equipment on offer will cost you some hard-earned cash. To earn some money, you need to visit the four different pars - ramp, downhill, jump and slalom - enter the related challenges and, in theory, qualify. This is harder than it sounds, as the control system is very sensitive, and it is far too easy to find yourself falling off ramps, colliding with obstacles, or simply heading off in the wrong direction.

The antiquated control system is where 720° really falls down like a precariously balanced crate of Pepsi Max on a rickety skateboard. 720°' frustration factor runs extremely high, and coupled with the act that the game has really not aged well, there is very little to recommend this title. It would have been a better idea if Midway had updated the game to make use of the Game Boy Color's capabilities, or at least have included some other 'classic' Atari titles on the same cart - Gauntlet and Paperboy would have been good choices. This interpretation of an extreme sport is extremely poor value for money.