Grandstand is billed as being the ultimate sports compilation - a bit like Daley Thompson in fact. So, the games should be amongst the best that money can buy.

Sadly, as we all know Spec chums, the smooth always comes with at least a little rough and I'm sorry to say Grandstand has more than it's fair share of the stubble.

The compilation consists of four games; Continental Circus, World Class Leader Board, Gazza's Super Soccer and the very nice looking Pro Tennis Tour. The less said about Gazza'a Super Soccer the better. The tiny slow sprites, completely unsealed pitch and diabolical control make this a complete dog of the first order.

Moving on quickly to the formula one racing game Continental Circus. Converted from the coin op and set over eight different race tracks around the world, this fast scrolling race game suffers slightly due to the difficulty in controlling your machine. However, the racing is realistic enough and some nice touches, like your engine billowing with smoke and turning into fire after a crash if you keep racing with it unattended and the little men that run onto the track to overhaul the car when in the pits.

Third on my list working towards the top is Pro Tennis Tour which is by far the best tennis game I've seen on the Spectrum. Consisting of large, well animated sprites and a host of different court and tournaments it was great fun, however, yet again, severely let down by it's difficulty in use as you have to be almost pixel perfect to return a ball. I didn't win a single game let alone set, but I took a few off Garth in two player mode. If you want to see the games potential take a look at the built-in demo.

Lastly, (but not least-ly), World Class Leaderboard proved to be the pick of the crop. A first rate golfing sim that combines colourful (green!) screens with accurate golfing realism. A little annoying that you have to load each hole in at a time, but it only takes a couple of seconds.

Overall, a varied and entertaining compilation but there's something rather wrong with the price isn't there? Budget games on their own cost 3.99 and so by buying these four you actually save only 93p and are stuck with them all. And for the sake of 93p I think I'd rather just buy the ones I want singularly instead of tying up 15 quid with Domark.

Label: Domark Memory: 48K/128K Price: £14.99 Tape, N/A Disk Reviewer: Steve Keen

Hey kids save your squids! Nothing hurts more than buying a compilation that's almost the same cost and buying separately on budget! Stick your dosh away for another day.