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Hardball is the first game produced by US Gold's new signing, US-based Accolade software, and it's a promising sign of things to come.

The hardball in question is a baseball that is being bashed about in a game between the Champs and the All-Stars, which features some of the best graphics that I have seen on the C64.

Don't worry if you don't know a slider from a sinker as the games instructions include a quick guide to baseball. Unfortunately, this is only a quick guide, and still it still leaves things like designated hitters and Parameter field positions unexplained. Although anyone who has played rounders will soon be "playing ball".

Both teams take turns to bat in order to score runs while the other side tries to get them out either by catching the ball, tagging a runner before he reaches a base or by striking a player out.

The main battles in hardball (and indeed baseball) are between the pitcher and the batter. To strike a player out, the pitcher must throw or pitch the ball in front of the batter in an area known as the strike zone. If the batter misses such a pitch then the umpire will call a strike; a strike is also called if the batter swings and misses a pitch even if it was going to miss the strike zone. This is called a ball and if the batter sees it coming before he swings his batter it is counted against the pitcher. Four balls and the batter is allowed to walk to first base.

Consequently the pitcher attempts to con the batter into hitting out at a ball by pitching a bewildering selection of fast balls, screwballs, change-ups, sinkers, sliders and curve balls.

In turn the batter can attempt to hit the ball high, low, inside and outside, bunt (or tape it) or not play a stroke at all.

Should the batter actually hit the ball he then attempts to run around the bases before the fielders collect it.

The most impressive screen is the one showing the pitcher as he delivers the ball to the batter. According to an onlooker this was even clearer than the recent TV coverage on Channel 4!

Once the ball has hit the screen display switches to show either the left or right side of the field.

If that lot isn't enough, you can also exchange or substitute players from your bench, as well as changing your fielding positions and tactics.