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Is this the first computer cartoon to feature wife-beating? Also husband-battering?

Not particularly suitable subjects for entertainment until you realise we're in the world of Andy Capp, star of the Daily Mirror's long-running and hugely successful cartoon strip.

In case you don't know about Andy, here'a brief character rundown. He's lazy, a skiver, a drunkard, a brawler and rotten to his long-suffering wife, Flo. Mr Nice Guy, in fact.

And that's before the game starts!

Anyway, the game opens with Andy facing a real problem - his dole-cheque has disappeared and Flo wants money.

The game is an arcade adventure in which you must steer Andy round the houses, pub, betting office, ducking and diving and wheeling and dealing. All the characters from the cartoon strip are present - Flo, Chalkie, the barman, policeman and Andy's young girlfriend.

The game is icon-controlled by joystick and four icons. These are:

1. Wallet: for keeping a tally of how much cash Andy has.
2. Speak: Andy can chat to the various people he meets and ask them questions. For example, he can quiz his mates in the pub about money and how to get it.
3. Fight: Andy can easily get into scraps with anybody from Flo - she sometimes wins, though - the rent man and the policeman.
4. Action: This icon is used for examining objects.

The graphics are truly excellent, capturing all the characters perfectly. Despite my reservations of Andy Capp as a hero - you can even get him to steal her handbag - I quite enjoyed playing the game. Perhaps it was the slob in me coming out.