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Who needs mega-games when you've got Boulder Dash? It's a really simple game - but this reviewer found it hard to put the joystick down. Boulder Dash will have you glued to your screens.

As I've said, the basic objective is very simple. You have to help a little character called Rockford search through sixteen caves picking up jewels along the way - and avoiding getting squashed by the boulders or killed off by the other hazards he finds.

You can select various caves at the start of each game from the comprehensive menu. Each cave has five difficulty levels - the time you get to complete each screen gets shorter as you increase the difficulty.

To get from one cave to the next, Rockford needs to collect the right number of gems. This opens the exit door - allowing Rockford to move on. In later screens, Rockford can transform things into jewels - such as butterflies and amoebas.

In between certain screens are little bonus games or "playable intermissions". These take the form of short interactive puzzles. Solve one and Rockford gets a bonus score.

There are so many nice touches in this game that it's hard to pick one that stands out.

The graphics are great fun. Rockford is a graphic gem - he stands and blinks at you if you let him stand still for long. It's well worth doing that just to watch him!

I suppose the closest thing to Boulder Dash would be Dig Dug the arcade game - but Boulder Dash is better, by miles!

Strangely enough, Boulder Dash is one of the first computer games to be transferred to the arcades. Exidy have brought out an arcade machine of the same name.

If you've got a C64 - Boulder Dash is a must. Tell Santa now!