Two programs designed to teach the use of grid references to young people of 9 to 16+. Treasure Island invites you to locate five buried chests by specifying six-digit grid references. The island is displayed with the eastings and northings grid overlaid. When located, the chests are revealed accompanied by a sea shanty. Nine attempts are allowed for each. If you fail to locate a chest its co-ordinates are displayed, though it would be useful to see the actual chest in position too.

Artic Patrol is similar, but here you are trying to direct your helicopter to locate a submarine under the polar ice cap, searching for a place to surface. Unlike Treasure Island, your guesses are not permanently marked on the grid making it a little more difficult to see where you have been. But your guesses are still tabulated on the display. If you locate the sub your helicopter flies to the area and duly obliterates it. The action here though is anything but smooth.

Instructions are clear and concise and both programs achieve their aim quite well.

D.H.