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Be warned: this program is addictive. With each run that ends in disaster, and most of them do, you feel that the reasons for failure are obvious and avoidable. With a slight change of tactics you should be able to do much better. So you try again - and again - and again.

Known to arcade devotees as Scramble, among other aliases, Ground Attack provides you with three ships armed with bombs and lasers. Your task is to destroy enemy fuel bases while dodging ground-to-air missiles and airborne attackers.

The scenery, which moves from right to left, begins in the open air, but then goes into underground caverns which get narrower and narrower. There are nine alternative running speeds, ranging from fairly comfortable to impossible, and six control keys.

The instructions are brief but adequate. You have to work out the scoring basis for yourself, and the optimum tactics dawn on you as you gain experience. Destruction of one of your ships is shown in a spectacular and effective way, with appropriate sound.

No bugs or glitches were detected, and the program loaded without difficulty.

Excuse me. I must practice that ground-skimming laser attack. If I can get that right...

D.T.