In Russia, this is the Capitalist game you win by losing. Waddington's Monopoly must be one of the world's most popular games, toy cupboards are incompete without it.

The idea is to circle a board wheeling and dealing like a Real Estate Baron. A cost can be levied on any opponent who lands on any of the squares which you own. Most of the squares can be bought if they bear the name of a London street, station or if it's the electric or water company. Hazards include Chance and Community Chest squares which can be beneficial or harmful to your financial status.

The idea is to bankrupt all of your opponents by developing your property before they develop theirs. Opponents can be human or computer and up to six players can take part. The computer also acts as banker.

To find out who owns what and where, or to gauge your status in the game, there is a menu of options. This menu also allows you to buy houses and hotels to develop your property or, if things take a turn for the worse, to mortgage your property.

The rules of the game are fixed to those laid down by Waddingtons. This makes for a long, involved game, but there is no save game facility. For this reason, a shorter game may be played by specifiying a time limit.

The graphics of the original board are too detailed to produce on-screen so the screen is split in two. The upper section shows the board with the pieces in their relative positions, while the lower half shows a blow up of the current player's position with the following two squares to the left.

A throw of the dice is accompanied by an excellent piece of dice-rolling animation, making the game a sight for sore eyes.

Excellent value.