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Off goes Wally Week, that well-known wally, trying to build a car in his dangerous 'assembly area' with parts from the 'store'. Everything seems to be against poor Wally: shelving units, gang-planks, tyres - even a tidy robot but wait! - with all these ladders and platforms and a give-away sub-title ('Manic Mechanic') I detect a derivative!

The game leads up into demonstration mode complete with a long cast list including, for example, 'Ken Tucky'. And the rest of the names are just as corny. Meanwhile, in the background, a Laurel and Hardy slapstick tune plays on relentlessly (fortunately it can be turned off!).

Once into the game proper we meet Wally who does not look much of a jinx, but is instead a large, though rather hollow, sprite complete with beer belly and flat cap - the Andy Capp of the computer screen.

Although jumping is essential to this type of game, Wally seems a bit sluggish, but his animation is good. Perfect timing is necessary for most moving obstacles, and sound effects are minimal, discounting that annoying background music.

The graphics are universally clear, the store being especially well-designed.

However, there is not too much variety to the game and there are few of the small touches that distinguish other games, such as the station master in Loco. You can define your own control keys but there are no level-of-difficulty options.

Despite having only two screens - the 'assembly area' and the 'store' - the game is still addictive because it is easy to get some of the car but extremely difficult to get all of it, let alone ten cars' worth.

You don't have to be Nikki Lauda to play this game, hut it might help.

The very well animated Wally Week toddles along, jumping the gently bouncing tyres. Graphically very good, the game uses only single colour sprites, although what you lose in colour, you gain in resolution.

I had a soft spot for the falling L-plates since I'm taking driving lessons!

One major point, however left Automania lacking realism - Wally never goes on strike!

The animation is as smooth and flowing as oil but the Laurel and Hardy music bugs after a while (it can be switched off).

The option to define keys is very useful for joystickless people.

But with oil cans, kettles and whacky wheels constantly putting a spanner in the works, you'll find the task very difficult. May drive you round the bend.

This one's a real fun game. Wally's a fat lovable character with a baseball cap and a big nose.

I loved the graphics and, although the tune was pretty nauseous, I couldn't stop playing.