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Well, well, well. How interesting. Bounder actually comes with a recommendation from Zzap! 64. That was quick work getting part of the game review printed on the cassette inlay. We're most impressed.

According to the Zap! reviewer, Bounder is, and we quote: "The most compulsive game I've ever played." Surely there's been some mistake. Is this the same Bounder as the one sent to C&VG? Did he get his hands on some super-deluxe private collector's version? Who knows?

That's not to say Bounder isn't okay, but it's certainly not the most compulsive game we've seen.

In Bounder you control a bounding tennis ball, jumping from grey slab to grey slah. Miss the slab and it's certain death as the tennis ball is destroyed in the mountainous terratin the same is set against.

Extra hazards hinder the ball's progress. They include flying aliens such binoculoids, stickpits, moscita birds plus the odd coin and Exocet.

Some of the slabs have arrows on them. These allow you to make longer jumps - other slabs have question marks on them. These can be good or bad. Some give bonus points while others change into a pair of chomping teeth and destroy the ball.

After each level there is a bonus stage. A screen of slabs appears, dotted with question marks. You bounce on as many of the question marks as possible to earn extra popints. Then it's on to the next section of the game.

Bounder, in the beginning, is a game of trial and error. A map is very helpful to remind you where the grey slabs are.

The sound effects are quite amusing but the music, initially quite impressive, begins to grate after a time.

All in all, Bounder is a different and difficult game. Good fun, fairly addictive but it lacks something which would make it a great game.

A bonus for those who buy Bounder is the inclusion of the Commodore version of Metabolis.