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In the olden days when Spectrum games all had little graphics made of squares fruit machine simulations were all the rage.

Magazines even printed listings for them - it went along with Battleships and Pontoon as one of the first things you ever do with your Spectrum.

Those days were, I thought, gone forwever. How mistaken.

Codemasters has brought them back with Fruit Machine Simulator but, cripes, it's pretty brill.

The point is Fruit Machine Simulator, unlike the tedious old things you used to get, is as authentic and complete as any computer fruit machine could ever be - you just don't actually lose or win any money.

It isn't just the actual fruit which trundles around and bounces to a stop - this game has bonuses gambles, special payouts, 'light up the word' games, nudges, meganudges and more.

You can really 'play' the game accumulating money, deciding when to take risks and working out the odds.

Graphically it's great. The fruit all looks authentic (I do hate inauthentic fruit don't you) and it's chock full of lighting lights, flashing numbers and scrolling messages. Combined with a jolly soundtrack that is infexious or irritating depending on your point of view.

The whole game is idiotically addictive. The money I lost...

It sounds daft but this is easily the best fruit machine simulation ever and the whole thing is idiotically addictive.