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Manic Miner is one of the latest releases by the longstanding Bug-Byte. Bug-Byte has been around on the micro scene right back since the 'old days' of the ZX80. Over the years they have built up a reputation as a highly business-like professional body, producing high-quality software in colourful packaging, advertised over glossy spreads and being sold in just about every retail outlet available. Recently there have been some reservations as to the quality and originality of the individual games. Fortunately, Manic Miner has some to dispel these. Though the packaging is of the normal professional standard, the game is the real masterpiece. I had no hesitation whatsoever when including Manic Miner in my 'Hall of Fame'.

Miner Willy is the star of the show. Whilst prospecting, he stumbles over evidence of a lost civilisation far superior to ours. To maintain such a civilisation it was necessary to mine vast amounts of precious minerals. When, many aeons ago the empire crumbled and this world lapsed into a dark age, no-one thought to inform the mine workers, who were in fact robots anyway. Willy realises that there is a fortune to be made if he can find the hidden store. Your task is to guide him through the 20 underground caverns, collecting the keys so as to progress to the next cavern.

Each cavern is an arcade game in itself. Apart from the problem of Manic Mining Robots who are out to get you, there are also Poisonous Pansies, Spiders, Slime, one-way conveyor belts, collapsing floors and lots more besides. In each cavern, the problems are slightly different but never easy. Some of the monsters created are incredible. Each being perfectly defined and controlled.

The introduction to Manic Miner entails a display of the surface of the mine, and the home of Willy. There is also a full graphical keyboard, on which a like is played with the appropriate notes lighting up as it proceeds. Once this is over, and you have not selected to play the game, a demo mode will proceed, showing displays of all 20 caverns.

The sound is fantastic, the graphics are excellent, whilst the programming is brilliant. This must be the most colourful game I have ever seen. This is highly recommended for arcade freaks everywhere. The controls are simple - only left, right and jump - hence making it playable by anyone.

Though it may take hours before proceeding past Cavern One this in itself is a game. Manic Miner is an absolutely fantastic game - very highly recommended.

Have a very happy Christmas!