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Byteback's first release is a set of 8-bit versions of Palace's Amiga and ST hit of earlier this year. You play a space pirate, patrolling the spaceways on the lookout for fat merchants. Zap the indigenous space-slimes to earn cash, then warp out through the toll gates. Once you've captured your prey, take him back to base and get the megacreds to soup up your old star-strutter into something hot.

Surprisingly enough, these three quid versions seem to have all the features of the twenty-odd quid 16-bit versions - even the ability to save games. Unfortunately, the Spectrum version has some nasty graphics glitches and moves ve-r-y sl-o-o-w-ly, so it doesn't get the thumbs up. The C64 version is much better - fast, smooth and pretty good fun - *but* it does crash occasionally, which is very annoying.

Would be a brilliant space shoot-'em-up if it wasn't for a bug which causes it to crash. The fact that you can save the game to tape is some small recompense.

Gameplay is the same as the C64 version, only slightly slower and with more blotchy graphics. The high-pitched warbly music will give you a headache too.