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It's certainly good to see continued support for the 8 bit range of Acorn computers from Blue Ribbon. Their latest release, Dominoes, contains versions of a couple of games, both old favourites in the world of pub and family entertainment.

They look similar on screen and have basic rules in common. The player and the computer are each dealt a hand of seven dominoes. The first player selects one of his titles and plays it face up on the table.

Player two must then play one of his which matches one end of the first domino.

Play alternates, with a snake-like set of tiles building up, only ending when one player has used all of his tiles or when neither player can make a legal move. In the first game, Domino Out, the aim is to make sure that any tiles you have left at the end bear very few dots as they are totalled and added to the opponent's score.

Then a new hand is dealt and play continues until one player has reached the winning total of 61.

In the second game, Threes and Fives, the aim is to make the two ends of the snake have dots which add up to multiples of three or five.

For example, if there is a four at one end and a five at the other, the total is nine. Three goes into nine three times so the player who achieves this scores three points.

The ideal score is 15, which could be obtained with double six at one end and a three at the other. As 15 is three lots of five and five lots of three, this gives a score of eight.

As in the Domino Out game, the winner must score 61 points, and new hands are dealt until this is achieved.

The graphics in this computer version are generally tidy. The dominoes themselves are fine although, as purist, I would have preferred them to have round dots.

I like the board and pegs which are displayed for scoring. However, the on-screen text is rather cluttered and hard to read. The only advantage this game has over a set of dominoesw is that it's a one player game with the adversary being a most adequate computer.

For me, it provides that mix of luck and skill which make for a good game. It could also provide arithmetic practice for youngsters. This game could entertain a member of a family from 8 to 80. Recommended.

Rog Frost