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Explore each of the levels, destroying mines, finding agents, locating the satellite pieces and finding the exits!

Electronic Arts have uncovered a shocking global conspiracy involving Nasa, the Secret Service and the EEC agricultural policy! First off, it seems that Neil Armstrong and all his fellow astronauts concealed the fact that the moon is made of cheese after all! James Pond's arch-enemy, Dr. Maybe conceives of a plan to mine the cheese and flood the supermarkets of Earth with the stuff. His monopoly of the food market would be a step on the road to world domination.

Thank heavens secret agent James Pond is around, to accept the mission of closing down the moon mine operation. Ecco may be the Megadrive's most stylish aquatic star, but James has the stamina to wade through this massive platform adventure as only he can.

James Pond has previously been a bottom-bouncing fish in his adventures, and it's a skill he retains. But to harm an enemy he has to pull up his tail before he lands on their heads. On the moon, most of his enemies take several hits to kill. Those sitting in tanks and cars need more than a bounce - Pond has to use his gun or explosives.

One new attribute of James Pond is his blinding speed. Obviously all the training of the Aquatic Games did him some good. It's easy to reach incredible speeds on the moonscapes, especially with the aid of a slope. Pond is so fast he often sticks to the ceiling. The A button gives him extra speed as long as it is held.

There are tons of items to collect and use in Pond. Objects are found in boxes, often invisible until Pond strikes them. Items are used to solve the many puzzles that face Pond, and ingenious solutions open up new areas of the map. There are many more than this lot:

1. Fruit Guns
   Get these by overpowering a mouse guard. They fire fruit, including apples, oranges and useful, enemy-seeking meringues.
2. Spring Shoes
   Yes, that rib-tickling favourite. These attachments really let Pond fly, as he bounces across huge screen areas.
3. Helmet
   With this handy headgear (light and battery included) Pond cannot hurt himself by bumping into the ceiling or by something falling on his head.
4. Dynamite
   The red sticks contain a big charge, and the fuse lights as soon as James picks them up. Use them to derail Maybe's monstrous engines and blow walls apart.
5. Colour TV
   This bizarre consumer appliance appears to be just a sight gag - pick it up and the screen goes monochrome. However, picture-ghosting comes to your aid much later into the game.
6. Jet Pack
   Like one of those groovy personal rockets that Michael Jackson goes ape over. As long as you have fuel, you can soar around the heavens looking for isolated booty.

Completing each level involves finding and destroying Maybe's transmitter. Cups are strewn across many levels. In these areas, the necessary transmitter is turned off, and all the cups are needed to activate it.

Operation Starfish can be approached from either an arcade or adventure angle. Those looking for points should try and collect as many crescents as possible. These spinning treats cover every level, and even more are found cascading out the crescent marked blocks.

Adventure fans should concentrate on uncovering as many levels as possible. A special multi-path device opens up even more locations when found.

The decor of moonland is more bizarre and varied than you may think. The first levels are set in a distinctly cheesy environment, but Pond treads through custard levels, murky moors, fruity waterfalls, beanstalk land and a massive china service, where tea and sympathy is served.

The old 'quality not quantity' adage fits James Pond III like a s(t)urgeon's glove and unfortunately, it's the wrong way round.

After three years people are still trying to emulate Super Mario World on the Megadrive. I wish they'd stop! Even Nintendo themselves are being more creative with their flagship character these days so it's annoying that Electronic Arts has produced yet another game of this ilk.

On the premise of some terribly cheesy storyline, James Pond embarks on an incredibly huge mission packed like sardines in a tin with bonus opportunities. Of course there are variations to the Mario theme as EA has introduced elements of their other most popular platformer - Rolo - into the action.

It's all so cleverly designed but so very average as to become quite dull after a time. One to appeal to "anorak-wearing" Megadrive owners.

Compare this with Aladdin, also reviewed this issue, and James Pond makes fishpaste out of it. Although the graphic style looks a little naff, and the character of James Pond has little attraction, this is a meticulously programmed, massively challenging and hugely playable platform epic.

This is not the sort of game you'll finish in a week, or even a month. The landscape is utterly huge, and I don't even pretend to have seen it all.

The gameplay is inventive, having a speed comparable with Sonic, and puzzles as clever as Puggsy - this is best of both worlds for platform fans.

It takes a while to get into, partly because it's so tough, even from the first levels, but you soon appreciate just what a great game this is.

Vectordean have really improved on the ideas in Rolo To The Rescue, making James Pond III the best in the series. Definitely for those people who like a real game in their carts.

Presentation 85%
P. A well thought out password system, which doesn't make it too easy to continue.
N. The 'comic' approach and speech are wholly redundant.

Graphics 86%
P. The Pond sprite is well animated and there are mountains of well executed visual ideas in Starfish. Excellent scrolling.
N. There is something a little dull and Amiga-ish about the visuals.

Sound 74%
P. Excellent sound effects throughout.
N. The speech between levels is purposeless, but the music is far more annoying, like kids' TV.

Playability 89%
P. There is so much to do, and the game combines speed, action and depth superbly.
N. The game is hard, and often frustrating.

Lastability 92%
P. Excellent value for money, this game is much larger than most Megadrive games. Dozens of levels means months of play.

Overall 89%
P. It may not look it, but Operation Starfish is a truly sound platform game. A bumper package which is well worth a look.