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There's nothing the YS lovebirds like more than cuddling together round a nice, warm Gauntlet machine. We asked Dauntless Rachael Smith and Gormless Gwyn Hughes whether they dig the dungeons, Spectrum-style.

Rachael: What better place to start than the start? After an initial adventure in the land of multi-load, of course.

Gwyn: The main program's on side one: the dungeons on side two. A second player can join a one person game at any stage.

Rachael: Though you don't get a choice of character that way.

Gwyn: If you want to change characters at all, you have to re-load the whole thing.

Rachael: The score's ticking away. Move!

Gwyn: Ghosts! Let me get them. I've got more powerful projectiles.

Rachael: Boasting again!

STARTING OUT Gwyn: Look - there's a sorcerer coming.

Rachael: This calls for some hand to hand combat.

Gwyn: That should certainly do for him.

Rachael: There are loads of angry ghosts on the other side of that door.

Gwyn: That's because we've been hanging around. They carry on appearing until they fill the screen.

Rachael: And we've to fight our way through?

Gwyn: You forget my magic potion. Get close to them, so there are as many as possible on-screen, press the magic button and...

Rachael: Nice one, Merlin.

Gwyn: It kills every nasty on screen.

Rachael: Haven't you noticed that monsters outside the screen never enter it?

Gwyn: So you clear the screen you're in...

Rachael: ...then walk on a little to scroll it a bit further - but only so a few more masties appear.

MONSTER MASH Rachael: That wasn't bad for a first course. What's next?

Gwyn: Hang on. I'm just loading it.

Rachael: Help! it wasn't like this last time.

Gwyn: No. Though the maze remains the same. some of the elements shift about.

Rachael: Watch it, your health's pretty low, and I don't like the look of that crowd in there.

Gwyn: There's a lot of cider, to compensate.

Rachael: But will you reach it in time?

Gwyn: No good hanging around. Let's go in.

Rachael: It's no good. Your health indicator is flashing. You're done for.

Gwyn: Only one thing for it. Reincarnate. And in a single player game you could always use the ability to create a second character, before the first one dies.

Rachael: I'm a-maze-d you're not mapping this.

Gwyn: You think I've got time to get out the old graph paper? Anyhow - there are too many things that change during the game. Doors. Walls that disappear. Much better to get to know the sort of pitfalls that each level holds in store.

Rachael: Most exits seem to be on the edges of the screens

Gwyn: ... or in the centre.

Rachael: If you don't fight for some time, exits appear everywhere, anyhow.

Gwyn: I've never stood still long enough. Inactivity makes all the invisible walls melt, releasing whatever lies behind them.

Gwyn: Are you running away?

Rachael: No, just checking ahead.

Gwyn: You couldn't get far. The two characters have to be within the screen area.

Rachael: I know. The only opportunity I get for a moment's peace is when you've left a maze. Then I can run around, picking up any bits of treasure you missed.

Gwyn: Getting picked up by any wandering monsters we neglected to kill, more like. Co-operation's the name of the game now. So it's side by side and keep firing till we've cleared the generator.

WHAT'S YOUR POISON? Rachael: Look - another potion.

Gwyn: Better let me have it. I can do more damage when I use it with the magic key.

Rachael: It could give me extra armour or fight power or shot speed ... I'm going to pick it up.

Gwyn: Not if I shoot it first!

Rachael: Hey! Not fair! I thought you said we were co-operating.

Gwyn: Yes, but I reckon it's of more use to us if I have it to clear a crowd of grunts, say.

Rachael: Then why didn't you say so. It'll be less powerful because you got it by shooting rather than picking it up.

Gwyn: We're both pretty low.

Rachael: Use magic then.

Gwyn: It won't clear enough of those demons to get us to safety.

Rachael: Not for both of us ...

Gwyn: What do you mean?

Rachael: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. As soon as you're dead I'm running for the exit. So long sucker...

Gwyn: I'm reincarnating if you make it ... and I might use you for a bit of target practise!