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Guide either Mick or Mack across the hazardous, platform-laden environs of Macdonaldland.

On their miserable way to the local MacDonalds one acid-rainy afternoon, Mick and his best pal Mack happen across a strange newspaper stand. Not having ever noticed this feature in the high street before the slavering pair stop and browse with interest at the many comics that the vendor has for sale. Now, one particular cover catches Mack's eye, so he hands over the cash and off he and Mick go to stuff their gimpy faces.

The comic's story tells the tale of 'The Global Gladiators', an ozone-friendly, super hero duo with muscles the size of cabbages and the combined strength of a thousand compost heaps. Much impressed by the Gladiators' green activities Mick and Mack long to be like their new-found heroes. As chance would have it, a strange looking man, with frizzy orange hair and a painted white face, appears beside their fixed plastic seats and bolted-down table promising them such an opportunity! After a worried glance at their burgers and quick feel of each other's foreheads the friends decide that this clown is for real and immediately agree to take him up on the offer. As Mick or Mack it is now your job to hope the pair into the most Globalinest Gladiatorinest dudes the world has ever seen and put an end to world pollution. The lads do battle through four different locations of our polluted world, using their slime guns to wash away the result of one crisp packet too many in Virgin's latest platform bonanza for the Master System.

Should those bonus items such as extra lives horders of valuable 'M's look out of reach, chances are that they are suspended above an invisible platform. As a result, leaps of faith on Mick and Mack's behalf are often very rewarding though there a similar amount of tragic consequences awaiting if their trust is betrayed. Death, for one!

Awaiting Mick or Mack at the end of each level is the strange looking fellow that they encountered in the MacDonalds. He's waving his arms around like a looney and refuses to let either lad go any further unless they possess a specified amount of letter 'M's. Weirdo! Humour him by collecting as many of these items as is superhumanly possible to get by, though there is a special reward for collecting letter 'M's above and beyond the call of duty.

By collecting ten or more letter 'M's Mick or Mack are awarded with a rubbish bonus stage, which doesn't mean to say that is just full of garbage!

A Global Gladiator is presented with three waste bins to fill and then showered with assorted trash for their troubles. This is all very much to their advantage as placing each item of trash in the correct bin is rewarded with many points.

For example bottles go in the glass bin, newspapers belong in the paper container and cans belong with the rest of the metal objects. It may sound easy but Mick or Mack but look-out for the anvil that crops. There's a time limit too!

If Mick or Mack go the distance, an extra life is theirs. Hoorah.

The high quality presentation found in the 16-bit version of this game is outstanding, likewise I am utterly gobsmacked by the graphic and sonic masterpiece that is Global Gladiators on the Master System.

This title, however, plays like a dog's hind leg! The control over Mick and Mack is way too floaty and there are far too many opportunities for disaster as soon as the war against pollution commences. It is unbearable to watch helplessly as one wrong move at the topmost area of a level causes a chain reaction whereby the chosen Gladiator finds himself disappearing off the bottom of the screen!!

This is a direct result of having your character rebound about half an inch off an enemy sprite each time they collide. It's fine that they sustain damage of course, but the loss ofa life from being bounced off a ledge in many situations is asking too much of anyone's patience!

It is also a bit of a chore when all that Mick or Mack are aiming for is the collection of letter 'm's. They may as well be stamps!

There's no pleasure in sliming the enemy either with this ridiculous sloppy gun! Nothing alters in the gameplay as the game progresses, the bonus stages lack variety as well and so there's no great satisfaction in reaching them. As a thing of beauty this is a shining example but at its heart is a pile of garbage.

Basically, this is exactly the same as the Megadrive version - except that it's a lot together. This is fine by me, as the 16-bit game was about as difficult to complete as putting on a hat!

However, Global Gladiators is still lacking. First of all, as Paul says, the gameplay remains identical throughout with only the graphics and meanies changing. It must be said that this does promote boredom very quickly.

The controls are also a pain too. Whereas the Megadrive version's controls had absolute precision, the Master System version is perhaps over-responsive which does lead to many an annoying death. It's a shame really because Global Gladiators is definitely the most graphically pleasing game I've seen on the Master System since Sonic II - I just wish that the gameplay way up to a similar standard.

Presentation 84%
P. A mildly entertaining attract sequence followed by a series of in-game demos.
N. The options are something of a token gesture.

Graphics 94%
P. Large, skillfully drawn and smoothly animated sprites act out their roles against the bold scenery.

Sound 91%
P. The game's funky music lives up to the standard set by the graphics.

Playability 74%
P. It's challenging and quite fast paced...
N. Although the movement of Mick and Mack is terribly floaty and frustrating.

Lastability 78%
P. The levels are quite large and the challenge level is consistently quite high, though not necessarily for all the right reasons.
N. Frustration with the control factor is a big turn off.

Overall 77%
Mick and Mack's impressive looking cleansing scheme comes a cropper on the rotting banana skin that is the gameplay. A bit more thought on the control method would have made this a winner.