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Is this a Spectrum? That's what I said when I first saw the amazing graphics in this new conversion of Accolade's brilliant baseball game. Apart from a few colour changes, the screen display looks a lot like the C64 original. Incredible, but true - just look at the screenshots!

Hardball is the computer version of America's favourite game, baseball. It's a game where the word strike doesn't mean all the players have walked off the field and formed a picket line. It's also a game which, like American Football, has some complex rules.

Like all simulations this isn't an arcade game. It's a mixture of strategy and action so you'll have to be prepared to do a bit of thinking if you want to get to grips with it.

Basically, you play the part of a team manager, selecting your team, working out your game plan and making on the spot decisions on pitchers and batters if things start going wrong!

Four screens appear during Hardball. You kick off with the manager's decision screen, a sort of menu in which you set up your team and check out the opposition's strength.

Then there's the graphic representation of the batter/pitcher screens and two others which show left field and right field. Here you set up your fielding positions if your team isn't batting.

Batting and pitching are controlled by a series of options which appear at the top of the screen and which are selected by using the joystick or keyboard.

For example, if your team is pitching, you can tell your pitcher to throw a fastball, a screwball or a sinker! Just watch the action and you'll soon get to grips with it.

The same menu system applies to batting - and if you decide to play with a friend you'll have to ask them not to watch while you make your choices!

The basic idea of the game is to score more runs than the opposition. There are several ways to achieve this - but the most satisfying is to hit a home run. The batsman blasts the ball out of the park - or at least into the crowd! If you've ever played softball or rounders, you'll know the drill.

The "action" screens are well animated and it's just as hard to give the ball a good clout, as it is in real life. But when you do get it right. Wow!

You also have to be quick off the mark if you're fielding. Once the ball is hit the screen display switches to the field view where you have to control the fielders and return the ball as quickly as possible to the pitcher or throw to the bases if the opposition looks like scoring a run.

Hardball on the Spectrum has appeared just in time to coincide with Channel 4's coverage of the World Series. So if you really want to know more about the game you should watch.

The game loads all in one go - so there's no fiddling about with the tape, surprising for such a complex program.

The game comes with a set of comprehensive instructions which must be studied before you begin to play.

Hardball won't be to everyone's tastes. It is a complex simulation of a sport unknown to most English games players. It takes a bit of time and trouble to get to grips with the rules and the layout of the game - but it's well worth it.

Sports fans won't find many simulations as slick and well put together as Hardball - especially on the Spectrum.