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A slightly disappointing release from Superior, given that it's the start of the company's big run up to the end of the year. The game, by Michael and Terry Simpson, is original enough (and we'll come to it in a moment) but the inlay artwork looks rushed, the graphics are just adequate and, overall, the need to produce a game across loads of machine formats seems to have drained out all the potential originality.

That said, the idea of the game is original. It's a boxing simulation - quite good in itself, with player against computer or other player - with an added twist. And a big one at that - the whole idea of the game is to use dirty tricks against your opponent, just when the referee isn't looking!

That's a new one on me, I think. Aren't these games supposed to be teaching goodness and fair play, or is that another notion discarded by the greed generation? Okay, polemic over.

There are a number of allowed moves (head punch, body blow, upper cut and duck punch) which show how unpleasant boxing can be anyway - know what I mean, Harry? But it's the foul moves that really demonstrate the evil side of man's nature - the headbutt, the kneeing, the kick and (ouch!) the groin punch. They make the game sufficiently different from other boxing simulations (er, Tynesoft's The Big K.O. is the only one I can recall at present, but then it is half past two and the wine bottle is empty) and it makes quite a neat addition to the games library.

I'm just not too convinced that this will appeal to a wide enough spectrum of Arcaders to give it better scores. There's nothing wrong with the game - it's just not outstanding.

Incidentally, Superior has taken over Alligata and will release Commodore, Amstrad and Spectrum games on a Superior/Alligata label; Beeb games continue to come from Superior/Acornsoft. No news yet of any possible re-releases from the Alligata back catalogue for the Beeb - but there were some interesting games, as I recall.

Dave Reeder