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Hamish Highball and Harvey Headbanger are two of the jolliest rivals ever seen. The rotund pair of characters spend their time consuming vast quantities of potent cocktails, and once they're drunk enough they scrap - 'just for fun' (a regular Liddon and Penn really). Off to the local park they wobble to do battle on the climbing frame, banding off walls and doors as they go. Using their oversized tummies and thickened skulls, Hamish and Harvey swing around the frame, attempting to knock each other senseless.

The climbing frame is divided up into 48 squares and only one character can occupy a square at any time. As Hamish and Harvey move around the frame network the squares change colour; Harvey turns red squares blue and Hamish turns blue squares red. To win a scrap, one of the drunkards must completely surround the other with his trail.

When a player surrounds his opponent's square, or group of squares, those ensnared turn into cocktails which are automatically drunk when collected. The recipient of these refreshing beverages becomes even more drunk, with his level of intoxication shown as a bar chart at the side of the screen. Whenever the friends bash into each other they black-out and move around in a daze. The alcohol has a numbing effect, so the more intoxicated a player is, the less affected he is by a collision and recovers faster.

The twosome battle it out until one of them has been trapped ten times and the other is declared the winner.

Harvey Headbanger is a great concept, but it hasn't been carried out to the fullest. The main problem is with the continual collisions, all quite amusing for a while, but after that tedium sets in.

The controls don't appear to be very responsive, and sometimes the characters have a life of their own. Still, this is a cute game, with a great sense of humour (especially the scenario) and is well worth trying for size.

Harvey Headbanger is quite strange - strange in that, even though what your opponent is doing is in plain view, it's difficult to see exactly what's happening, and very easy to get caught!

But that's nice. And so are the graphics, which are simple but functional. For two quid, Harvey Headbanger represents a worthy purchase, but only as a two-player game - playing against the computer controlled opponent quickly becomes tedious.

Presentation 88%
Plenty of options, a demo mode and adequate in-game instructions.

Graphics 51%
Nothing special, but quite apt for the game.

Sound 67%
A jolly tune and some suitable spot FX accompany the proceedings.

Hookability 85%
Initially highly entertaining.

Lastability 71%
But the fun wanes without a second player.

Value For Money 81%
Sensibly priced for what's on offer.

Overall 73%
An unusual and highly playable two player game.