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Old Egg-head's back! Magic Land Dizzy is the fourth in the Dizzy trilogy. The games depict the adventures of a rather unlikely hero - a walking egg who wears boxing gloves. The Dizzy games are in the arcade adventure mould. A series of problems have to be solved to get further into the game - just like a traditional adventure. However, it's not a case of typing in reams of boring text. Everything takes place in a graphical environment - it's a platform game in essence. The combination of the two requires accurate arcade skills and the ability to work out logical (and illogical) puzzles.

This time, Dizzy's old arch enemy, the evil wizard Zaks, is back with a vengeance! He was killed at the end of Dizzy One. Or was he? The truth is he has taken up residence in a magic world, and is determined to take out revenge on our hapless hero.

The way he has done this is the way that will trouble Diz the most. All Dizzy's friends have been taken hostage, and by magical means are trapped! Dylan has been turned into a tree. Denzil has been frozen. Dozy is in an enchanted sleep. Grand-Dizzy has been locked inside a magical mirror. Daisy has grown to the size of a house. Dora (a new character) has been turned into a frog! Dizzy has to rescue all the yolk folk and then kill the evil Zaks - this time for good!

Dizzy starts his quest at Weird Henge. At first, all directions seem closed. Wherever you may wander, the hazards seem to be impassable. After a bit of bold experimentation, and a lot of lost lives, however, you'll figure out how to get past some of those early puzzles.

The usual array of brain-teasing puzzles are there to stop you. If anything, they're even more difficult than before - they certainly had the AA team stumped! The bizarre assortment of objects scattered liberally around magic land at first seem to have no relation to any of the puzzles. Then, all of a sudden like, you realise that maybe, just maybe, the thing you've been carrying around for ages could be the key to the puzzle that's been perplexing you for the last half hour. Then again, maybe not.

A couple of new features have been added, although for all intents and purposes the gameplay is exactly the same. Instead of collecting coins as a sideline, there are jewels for the taking instead. These are beneficial in more ways than just adding to your score - they boost your energy levels as well. Graphics are once again four-colour Speccy ports. Dizzy himself is the only multi-coloured sprite.

All the other graphics are solid red, green or white. This colour coding does have a couple of advantages, though. It often gives clues to where it might be possible to make progress later on.

A jolly little tune plays throughout the game. It fits well into the cartoon nature of Dizzy, and ultimately becomes annoying. Then again, that's what volume controls are for!

Magic World Dizzy will be welcomed by those who fell in love with the other three games in the series - after all, it's virtually the same. Not as many gameplay enhancements have been made to Dizzy Four as in previous efforts. Maybe there's only so much that can be done with the same old format...

The puzzles are certainly tougher, though, and should provide a challenge even to those who've completed all the other Dizzy games.

It's a shame Dizzy IV is a Speccy port, but then again it's pretty well done, so perhaps we shouldn't complain. As with the other Dizzy adventures, this one's a little bit tough right from the start, but it will keep you going for a long time.

Rescue one of the Yolk Folk

Before you rush down to the shops to get hold of Dizzy in time for Xmas, there's one thing you should know...

Magic Land Dizzy will initially only be available as part of a compilation. The Dizzy Collection includes five games starring our eggy friend, and will cost £9.95.

If you already have the rest of the games then you'll have to wait 'til after Christmas to buy Dizzy IV on its own. It will be released in the first week in January at the usual £2.99.

Graphics 67%
P. As cute as ever.
N. A Speccy port and no mistake!

Sonics 62%
P. Fitting, bouncy tune.
N. A bit too jolly.

Grab Factor 88%
P. Dizzy fans will be right at home.
N. A bit tough at first.

Staying Power 83%
P. You'll play and play and play...
P. ...until you complete it.

Overall 85%
P. Izzy Wizzy let's get Dizzy!