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Bently Bear has a problem: he's mad on collecting gems. As you can imagine this obsession could get him into trouble, and it does in Crystal Castles. The gems are scattered about the floors of 18 3-D structures jam-packed full of lifts, ramps, tunnels and hidden passages. Each of these levels has its own name, like Tree Wave and Doomsdome. Old Bently's task would be a simple one if it weren't for the creatures roaming the structures in search of bear burgers. These include Mad Marbles, Tree Spirits, Skeletons, and there's Berthilda the witch, who can only be killed by wearing the magic hat. Speed is also important it you're going to succeed in Crystal Castles: spend too long on a screen and killer bees swarm up and sting you (ouch!).

3-D graphics have been' attempted over and over again on the Spectrum and the Crystal Castles version's almost unique to this game. It works really well too. Bently goes in and out of the tunnels and up and down ramps; in true 3-D style. Bonuses are collected for extra points, the honey pot and magic hat being the most common, with 11000 points each. Once all levels have been completed it's back to the start again. But don't moan, because this time' things speed up to provide a whole new challenge.

Crystal Castles is an addictive arcade romp with pleasant graphics and sound. Well worth the asking price and great for all the family. Happy playying ladz!.