Compilations abound this Christmas and if the latest Capcom Collection turns up in your Christmas stocking then watch out! It's so hot it'll toast your toes and turn your corns into cornflakes.

Strider and Strider 2 are both quality games. In the original, the Red Lord has taken over Moscow and it's up to super warrior Strider with his bionic bodily appendages and amazing power ups to free it from his tyrannical grip.

In Strider 2 the very same man is hired by another world (no not the TV program with Lisa WOW! Bonet) inhabited by the Magenians whose ruler is being held to ransom by mutant space terrorists/ He's equipped with a new laser and transmutation capabilities. The graphics are good with all the blisterin' action of the original.

UN Squadron involves fighting ruthless drug barons with some amazing techno planes including an F-14, an A10 and a F20. The monochrome horizontally scrolling graphics are well detailed but disappointing in animation. Unfortunately, the game isn't really up there in the stratosphere with the rest of this collection.

LED Storm is one of my favourites and takes the form of a futuristic road race over nine challenging scenarios. Exceptional speed, playability, power ups and mind boggling actions, this one's a real winner.

Dynasty Wars is very, very strange but worth a look if you are into medieval Chinese battling! (And if you are I suggest that you get psychiatric advice). It basically involves a horse mounted hero trying to defeat a really bad Chinese guy and all his minions.

Forgotten Worlds is a fantasy nightmare scape where two super warriors must fight against an evil god of destruction who has laid waste to four, until recently prosperous, worlds. Not at it's best on the Spectrum but still a furious shoot 'em up.

Last Duel contains more motorised mayhem in car a hoverplane as you shoot your way through vertically scrolling danger zones. A frustrating game I really wouldn't like to play again.

And last but by no means least we come to Ghouls and Ghosts, well what can I say it's good, very good, in fact it's probably more difficult on the Spectrum than on any other format so beware as you help Arthur on his medieval quest to rescue the Princess Hus.

Well, well, merry Christmas, this is definitely a comprehensive collection of software. Most of the games are above average or very good and had a high profile as full pricers. If you don't already have one or more of them the Capcom Collection is well worth a look.

Label: US Gold Memory: 48K/128K Price: £14.99 Tape Reviewer: Big Al Dykes

With at least three outstanding titles and a fistful of good ones this Capcom Collection looks promising. Eight games sounds like an darn fine deal and that's the conclusion we've come to here.