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At last. Atari's sexy puzzling coin-op finally makes it onto the console (and the Plus range for that matter). The original arcade machine was one of a plethora of Tetris rip-offs. Actually, 'rip-off' may be a little harsh, as Klax is a very good game in its own right. The question is: how good is the GX4000 version?

The game involves stacking tiles at the bottom of a screen as they fall towards you. Sound familiar? The parallels between Klax and Tetris are easy to spot, but the differences are just as important. Instead of assembling shapes, as you do in Tetris, you must stack rows of corresponding colours.

The colours must be piled either vertically, horizontally. or diagonally, and a row of at least three tiles of the same colour is a "Klax". Making a complete Klax makes those tiles vanish, giving you more room in the limited stacking box. Although it is often easy to make such a stack, the computer has ways of making things difficult.

At the start of each screen, a set target will be given, it could be as simple as three Klaxs (Klax's? Klaxi? Klaxies?), but it could be something a lot more difficult, like five diagonals, or ten Klaxs. Often the computer will give you a large target score to beat before it will allow you to see the next level.

The tiles are grabbed as they fall, by the small paddle you control. You then move the the paddle to the column you wish to place your captured tile in. Press the Fire button, and the tile drops into place. Your paddle can hold up to five tiles at once, although dropping them in the right places in the right sequence is another matter. If things start getting on top of you, you can flip the topmost tile back onto the track, giving you either breathing space, or strategic placement.

Great fun can be had by trying to get huge bonuses, by getting large Klaxs, or by making difficult shapes, like the near impossible "X". Secret warps to higher levels are available, but things get very difficult, very quickly.

The graphical quality in Klax is of a very decent standard. The tiles tumble convincingly enough, and there are some pretty backgrounds to keep you amused. The colours, very important in this game, work exceptionally well, but can be a little confusing when a lot is happening at once.

The sound is limited to the bangs and clanks of the tiles, but special mention should be given to the Klax anthem. It stinks. It's not big, and it's not clever, and nobody thinks that the person who came up with this mind numbingly irritating tune is hard or cool. Let's go round to his house and smash all his windows (it really is that bad!).

The gameplay is fun, sometimes great fun, but is marred by the exaggerated inertia imposed on your paddle, a feature which was not so heavily emphasised in the arcade original. Klax has the kind of long lasting appeal that'll make you want to come back for more, time and time again. A worthy contender to the Tetris throne, but it does have its problems...

...One of which is the price. We reviewed Klax on the ordinary CPCs a while back, and looked forward with glee to the console version. All excited we were, squirming in our seats. Uncle Rod had to tell us to sit still and behave. Finally it arrived, and believe it or don't, they are both absolutely identical! Not one noticeable difference. No change in speed, colour or sound. So can you justify spending ten, maybe fifteen quid more for the privilege of instant loading?

Though a fine game in itself, nothing has been done to take advantage of the console's special features. A real pity. It could have made a good game great.

Get to level ten, or make an "X"

Graphics 78%
Attractive and functional, with just a hint of style

Sonics 68%
Excellent spot fx spoiled completely by that tune!

Grab Factor 89%
Instant addiction, helped by simple gameplay.

Staying Power 84%
So much to see and do, especially with the bonus options.

Overall 78%
Just the same as the tape version. It's a great game, but poor value.