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Ballistix, Superior Software's latest release, is a sort of cross between a pinball machine and shove ha'penny, making it unlike anything you've seen before. It's a one or two player game and is great fun either against the micro or a friend.

The game is played on a court and the screen shows about half of this from a bird's eye viewpoint, scrolling as necessary to reveal the rest. At either end of the court is a goal, yours at the bottom of the screen in the one player game. You can take your pick in the two player version.

The puck - a large red ball - is released in the centre of the court. You control an arrow which automatically follows the puck a short distance away and always points toward it. You fire small balls at the puck in an attempt to knock it into the opposing goal.

While you're about this tricky business your opponent or the computer is attempting to reverse the process.

The computer opponent simply takes the form of gravity - it's like playing uphill. It might not sound difficult, but in practice it certainly is.

You score points for goals, but the number you receive depends on how good the goal is. Run the puck over the line and you won't score many, but a long shot from halfway down the court earns a lot.

To add interest and create a lot of frustration various objects litter the court and special tiles can be shot for extra features and bonuses. Arrows accelerate the puck in the direction they point, which more often than not isn't the direction you want to go. Also the puck can disappear down black holes and reappear in the centre of the court. Tunnels such in the puck and blast it out of the other end. Ridges present barriers and magnets attract it. Oil slicks and dead spots stop the ball.

Bonus tiles can be shot and RICOCHET letters can be collected for a further bonus. Splitters shatter the ball into four or eight bits, other tiles stop or send the puck off in a random direction.

You start off on a court with very few extra features, and on scoring three goals you move on to the next and harder level. More features are progressively added to increase the difficulty. With 30 levels to master, Ballistix is very challenging. One feature I particularly like is that on completing a level you are given a password so you can skip any levels you've mastered next time you play.

The Mode 5 feature are excellent, and minor colour changes add a little variety. The sprites are well defined and clearly visible over the background court graphics. The court scrolls quite quickly, though it jerks a little, but I didn't notice this while playing.

The sound effects are limited, just the odd beep here and there when the puck is hit or bounces off an object. A tune or two would have brightened up the game.

Ballistix is original, fun and very addictive. Each new level is a challenge which brings a new court layout with several surprises. I found it just as much fun as a one player game with a friend. If you're on the lookout for something completely different, Ballistix could be right up your street. Recommended.

* * * Second Opinion (By Llewelyn) * * *

I found Ballistix interesting initially, but after a while it became tedious. The two player version has more challenge, so if you can't find an opponent to play it with I'd forget it.

Roland Waddilove