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Bombjack is licensed from a Tehkan arcade game that appeared a few years ago and may still be found lurking in the dark and dingy corner of a long-forgotten arcade (well worth searching out).

Jack is the hero of this merry jaunt around the world, which stops at a variety of countries including Egypt, the USA and Greece. His mission, should he decide to accept it, is to defuse the 23 bombs that are scattered around each screen.

He encounters some pretty fierce opposition; robots, birds, rolling balls and snails all gang up to stop Jack from completing his dangerous task. Fortunately, a little help is at hand. From time to time, coin-shaped disks appear. Those inscribed with a P turn the nasties into smiling faces, allowing Jack to kill them. B gives a bonus if a lit bomb is collected and the elusive E gives Jack an extra life (he starts the game with three).

With his little cape tied firmly around his neck and a vounc3e in his step, Jack goes to work to rid the world of the enemy and their dangerous, explosive devices.

I remember playing this game for hours when it first appeared on the Spectrum. Jack springs around the screen with his little cape blowing in the wind against some very detailed backdrops. The game could have been made a bit more exciting if the bombs actually exploded, rather than just fizzling to themselves until Jack reaches them. Though still very playable, Bombjack hasn't quite retained the explosive impact it made on the reviewing team in Issue 27.