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In this highly entertaining game that started life on the Atari micros in America, you control Flip the kangaroo and Mitch the monkey as they try to escape from the evil clutches of a zoo keeper and his net. Flip and Mitch are desperate to leave the zoo and meet their circus friends once again.

The zoo is a garishly coloured multilevel grid, complete with ladders, 'sticky squares', and non-coloured squares which the two animals have to step on in true Q*Bert style. On the odd numbered levels of play, you control Flip, the beautifully drawn kangaroo; on the even numbered ones Mitch is the central character. There is a twist though, literally, as the grids are flipped upside. down for Mitch. and he tackles it in true swinging fashion. Eat your heart out, Tarzan!

When all the blank squares have been 'flipped', action progresses to the next level. Despite this relative simplicity, addictive qualities are undeniably present. However, if you leave the grid or touch the zoo keeper or the net, that is it One o f your five or more lives disappears. The grids are always larger than the screen and so omni-directional scrolling is needed every now and then. but it's smooth.

Any of the first 13 of the 36 reflextesting levels can be selected at the start - useful for practice. And as a small bonus, after every fifth level a ladder appears which Flip uses to climb down from the zoo and meet his circus friends: a fun intermission that gives the player a chance to rest and sit back for a little while.

The idea draws on many classic games but Flip and Flop is designed so that it is truly original. This game is certainly not a flop.

All this bouncing and swinging is enough to make you ill - particularly when you suddenly have to change your perspective from right way up to upside-down.

I really liked the game and think it's a step up from Q*Bert. Controlis a little difficult to get used to, but the game is easy enough early on for you to perfect your technique.

The animation is not very good but Flip and Mitch are very cute. A decent joystick is essential so that you can get a hang of the movement, or you will be falling through space much too often.

The striking things about this game are its 3D perspective - and originality, slightly Q*Bert-ish perhaps, but with a refreshing new twist.

The graphics were excellent, especially the jumping of Flip the kangaroo. A nice touch was the interlude scene of the big top, complete with the big wheel in the background.

Flip and Mitch are so realistically depicted you can almost smell them. But trying to control these characters takes a fair bit of practice.

I found it lacking in playability.