Mayhem on the menu

Of all the strange scenarios, none have sunk quite so low as to suggest that the player is a mutated cornflake who has escaped the breakfast horror to find himself in the land of Yosh. Not only that, but he is now running for his life from the evil Tonneh.

Well, Pon is said distressed cereal, and for him to return to his proper place on the breakfast menu he must get through the dimension gate.

I don't quite know which is the worst fate, but as death seems more imminent at the hands of the Tonneh, perhaps the breakfast option is a little more open. A cheery but long title sequence with music gives way, after hammering the spacebar, to level one.

A beautiful scrolling piece of text passes, assuring you that you are at the beginning. Then you are left to the real thing.

There's a time indicator on the left of the screen and the land scape moves in a slick vertical scroll. Consequently all the screens are in a strip form and Pon is limited to sideways scampering within the bordered area.

You objective is to turn all the green and grey tiles to red while avoiding your homicidal adversaries in this strange land. Should you meet them head on they will drain your time bar.

However, these are not the only hazard you are likely to meet.

Among the chartered paths are more taxing squares, such as ones which look like crazy-paving but crumble on touch, one-way arrows divert you into a cul-de-sac, lurking tombstones are inevitably fatal and are sometimes cunningly partnered with slippery blue icy blocks.

You get a realsense of achievement as Pon whizzes around the screens - the tiles recede to red in a relaxing blotchy way and all the time our rancid hero winks and blinks his own body language.

A word to the wise - beware mysterious items that manifest themselves before you. Should you innocently jog up to and collect a poison bottle, Pon's face drops as nice red tiles become green.

However, should you meet any fellow nutritional cornflakes a touch of cannibalism will replace any of the three lives you may have mislaid earlier. Also an extremely useful tile allows you to short cut to areas to which you might not have access.

Though the Tonnehs are enacious and mean they can be quashed by finding an exploding stone or more dexteriously stepping on to a crumbling section just as a furry foe approaches.

Beware of the generator machines at higher levels too - they regenerate even nastier cousins.

The arrangement of the game is set to lull you into a false sense of security. You should be able to whiz through the first level, but then a more considered and strategic approach is required.

I could critise the graphics and simplistic game format, but I'm not going to as nothing detracts from the all-out, racing pace and fun.

Only the addition of a jump level option and a pause key could enhance Pon. The music is swell and I don't even miss any sound effects.

Matthew Ridd