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I could almost say this program needs no introduction, since it has featured at various positions in Acorn User's Top 20 for the past few months. And I'm not surprised.

Chuckie Egg is a 'platform' game in the best tradition; you steer a rather portly farmer along ledges, up and down ladders and on and off lifts to collect eggs and remove piles of grain from the path of the marauding geese (actually more like emus) that pursue you. You collect a time bonus and points for every egg and pile of grain picked up. A large yellow duck is held quacking in a gilded cage at the top left-hand corner of the screen, and comes into its own at higher levels.

The graphics are good, though not spectacular. Each character is only single-clour, although quite chunky, and the geese are well animated as they peck at the grain.

Control is from the keyboard only, but the keys are redefinable, and there's a high score table to add your name to in all but the shortest of games. The main attraction of the program is that movement and control of your playing figure is very smooth and reassuring. You lose lives not because it's hard to get your figure to jump properly or line him up with ladders accurately, but because you mistime your moves and the psychopathic birds get you. This builds up just the right amount of annoyance to make you want to play again.

You have five lives, so a good long game isn't difficult to achieve.

Although not one of the most visually exciting games around, Chuckie Egg is certainly one I'm glad to have in my clutch.

Simon Williams