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Isometric 3D explore-em-ups went out with the ark. But now they're back, with US Gold's latest version of Gauntlet, the coin-op classic that rocked the world. Can US Gold pull it off...?

So what is Gauntlet III? Basically, it's more of the same. Choose from a selection of eight heroes, each with different strengths and weaknesses. The selection includes the four heroes from the first game: a warrior, a valkyrie, a wizard and an elf. Also included in the line-up are Rockman, Lizardman, Iceman and Merman.

All of the dudes behave in much the same way. Some have faster shots and some have better magic, but there are no stunning differences between them. These eight warriors must save their world from a dark being from another dimension.

You appear in a very mysterious and totally spooky landscape, which scrolls in eight directions. Inhabiting this landscape are the bad guys you have to destroy. The screen is viewed from an isometric perspective, unlike the first two games, which are both viewed from above. The object of the game is to collect as much treasure and kill as many bad guys as you can. This may sound simple, but the evil creatures appear in large numbers from generators dotted around the landscape. It's a good idea to destroy the generators as you go, reducing the number of critters on screen.

Your energy ticks away slowly, but can be replenished by collecting food and wine. Some food is poisoned, so look before you eat. Also lying around are magical potions, which can be used as a kind of mystical smart bomb when things get tough.

The graphics are ported from a Spectrum, but fortunately the Speccy original was brilliantly designed to begin with. The sound effects are superb throughout and really add to the atmosphere. It looks really good and the presentation, including a wonderful manual, is quite superb.

For a simple scrolling shoot-'em-up, Gauntlet III has a surprising depth of gameplay and, once you start, you desperately want to see what comes next. US Gold has retained the gameplay of the first two and tarted up the options and the appearance of the game. It really is quite superb.

The Spectrum-style graphics put you off a bit, and it can be a bit tricky to see what's going on. Get used to that, though, and you're in for a treat. It's a huge game, and a challenging one.

Escape from the Tree Kingdom.

Graphics 78%
Spectrumitis at its best, with wonderful scrolling and detail.

Sonics 88%
Some of the best spot effects ever on the Amstrad

Grab Factor 86%
Easy to get into but oh so hard to put down

Staying Power 88%
Lots to do and kill in single or two-player mode

Overall 85%
A brilliant blast but with an added hint of adventure...

Gauntlet was a groundbreaking coin-op from Atari which swept the world. The original arcade game was contained in a huge cabinet and allowed up to four players to play at once.

This gave enormous scope for competitive or team-orientated strategies. It used the classic scenario of Dungeons and Dragons, with huge playing areas infested with ghosts, ghouls, ores and wizards.

The game still looks as good in the arcades as it ever did and spawned home computer versions across virtually every format. The sequel, Gauntlet II, had identical gameplay, a mixture of frenetic shoot-'em-up with a hint of exploration. This too made it onto home micros and very successfully at that.

However, Atari Coin-ops changed its name in a confused marketing move and sold the rights to the name Gauntlet to US Gold. Gauntlet III never appeared in any arcade and probably never will.