Race to the reactor room

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Bug Eyes is a platform game with no pretensions to 'arcade adventure'. The whole thing is in Mode 1, which allows for well-detailed sprites, but only in four colouors. The idea is that you steer Starman, a nicely drawn astronaut, through the various levels of an alien asteroid that the aliens are aiming at Earth. If you can reach the reactor room in time... well, Flash Gordon look out!

The playing screens are only about two-thirds full size, presumably to get as many as possible in the Model B's memory - but you don't really notice.

Your only controls are left and right - none of this jumping rubbish here! - and it's all a question of timing to avoid the assorted meanies that bounce up and down or flash on and off. This may sound rather full particularly as there are a lot of platform games around with more to amuse you. Indeed, the game is more cute than treacherous, although none the easier for its cuteness.

The first screen, Stampy Stompers, has a number of pistons plonking down in your path. Not too difficult to avoid, but in places you need to wait for two or more pistons to line up before you risk your neck beneath them.

Screen two, 'Turbos Mini', involves disappearing bridges and first sight of the 'Bug Eyes'. As you might expect, things get more complicated further on.

There are ten screens before your final onslaught on the reactor. Sound is fairly standard, but quite entertaining.

This one's a maybe. It's quite fun, but there are more entertaining games to spend £8 on.

Simon Williams