Previous Next

Do you remember when you last strolled by the seaside and were lured by those arcade machine halls with names like Palace of Fun and Penny Falls? Inside, perhaps as a refuge from the rain, you were tempted to gamble some of your hardearned cash in the vain hope of increasing your spending power? And the most enduring of these has always been the one-armed bandit.

It has a hypnotic power of its own with the ability to keep you performing a hopeless task - accumulating more money!

This computer version captures a lot of that quality and, given a bag of vinegar - soaked chips by your side, accurately recalls for me those moments of refuge.

Unfortunately you have no choice of colour on this version which spoils an otherwise lovingly detailed fruit machine. Hi-res black on buff however does make everything crystal clear including the instructions.

You start with a pound and have to pay lOp a go. All money is added and deducted automatically on screen. Other features include nudge and hold which make this a very accurate simulation. The apples, pears, cherries and lemons are there with one or two little additions. It's so simple and quite addiclive. As to how generous it is ... well I managed to accumulate about four pounds before gradually going down below my original stake. I never managed to win the top payout of two pounds and I usually ended up the poorer. A good game therefore to have at a gathering of friends if you act as the bank!

M.P.