Some thought has gone into the positioning of the controls in this keyboard-controlled arcade game. The chosen keys are neatly positioned for operation by both hands. The instructions are sparse, though mostly on paper, but the aim is clear.

The hero, Billy Ball, is set to rescue one Beryl Ball. It isn't clear whether she is his mother, sister, or better half. She has been imprisoned in a tower - we are not told why! - and Billy, who bears an uncanny resemblence to a Pacman with its mouth shut, has to bounce over obstacles to reach her and set her free.

An inset on the screen shows progress so far, while the major part of the game involves moving left to right across the screen, and choosing the right moment to jump to avoid oncoming nasties. At certain points Billy has to jump vertically instead of moving forward as well, and the hazards are well-presented, making good use of the Extended Basic facility for Sprites. The graphics have been well-designed and good use is made of colour. This needs Extended Basic.

P.B.