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Hard-hitting action on the baseball diamond

With Channel 4 hoping to turn the nation into baseball fanatics by showing the World Series for the first time, this is a timely release for those who want a taste of the simulated action.

Originally marketed on the Commodore 64 by US Gold, Hardball was considered too complex for conversion to the Spectrum and the rights passed to a new company, Advance Software, who have proved it could be done successfully.

Hardball can be played against the computer or as a two player game (keyboard v joystick) and Kempston, Interface II and Protek joysticks are supported. There are three screens and the first to confront you is the Manager's Decision Screen which allows you to choose a well balanced team. You can make changes and substitutions throughout the match too. Perhaps realising that baseball players who are legends in the States are unknown in Britain you can pick a team of colourful names such as Einstein, Lineker and Asimov.

Alternatively, you can hold off from tinkering with the team and get straight on with the game. Pressing the Play Ball option transfers you to the pitcher/batter screen. A state of play display hangs over the batsman and both he and the pitcher are large, impressively animated figures. In the right hand bottom corner of the screen is a small map of the diamond which indicates how many battling players are on the bases.

Pitching offers plenty of variation. You select from no less than eight types of delivery from the Fastball (straight and very fast) to the Slider (a curving ball that veers at the last moment). The actual target area you select is cleverly indicated by the backstop's moving glove.

Batting success relies entirely on timing and in general it seems that a good clout is made by hitting the ball a split second after you think you should.

Once a ball is hit, the outfield screen comes up. This shows the diamond and outfielders. The batter has the option to get his players running round the bases while the fielder can move his receiving fielder (the one who is flashing on and off) to catch or retrieve the ball. He can then throw it to any of the bases and get a running batter out.

The flurry of activity as batter and fielder take appropriate action is exciting but unfortunately a lot of hits are set pieces, either being homers where the ball is knocked out of the ground or going straight to fielders for an easy catch. It's a small point but the game would have benefitted from a greater proportion of action dealing with fielding and running decisions.

Despite this, Hardball offers sports simulation fans a whole new ball game - it's addictive, well presented, contains a lot of variation and is an excellent two-player game. Playing against the computer is fun too. I lost the first series by an embarrassing margin but now I can give it a competitive game. The computer sometimes takes pity on you and does something irrational like send a player on a run to a base with no chance of making it.

Overall Hardball can be highly recommended as good value entertainment and will undoubtedly convince a lot more people that Baseball is not just a game of rounders played on the other side of the Atlantic.

A Monster Hit.