Mega Vault is, without doubt, the best game I have ever seen on the Vic. The fact that it is written for the unexpanded machine is even more incredible.

You are a Megaboopa - a cuddly, selfless little creature, intent on rescuing your owner, Fred, from the evil clutches of Doctor Zorklef. The Doctor has locked up Fred in a cage within the impenetrable Mega Vault and plans to carry out horrific experiments on him.

Bravely you set off to collect food for your hungry master and, more importantly, to find the key to the cage.

However things are never that easy, especially in the world of computer games. Doctor Zorklel's security set-up would put Fort Knox to shame. There are Mega Mines which float about the vault menacingly, Ultron lasers firing blasts of searing heat and the Delta Block which will squash an unsuspecting Megaboopa into meat-paste.

Having outmanoeuvred the security devices, collected the food and found the key you must now retrace your steps to free your master. However, even when you have released Fred from the vault your problems are not over. The Doctor has cunningly designed his prison so that any escapees have to negotiate several different, but equally hazardous, vaults. Should keep you busy for quite some time.

The graphics and sound are very good considering the meagre amount of memory space. I loved the way Megaboopa danced about while he was waiting to be moved. But Fred has to be one of the ugliest characters in any game, strongly resembling a Space Invader. Having combined this with an excellent idea, Imagine must be onto a winner.

Buy this if it's the only game you ever buy for your Vic.

What an excellent game Mega Vault is for a computer with a very small memory. An original idea combines well with good sound and graphics and makes it the best 3.5K Vic 20 game by Imagine.

There are not many good games for the unexpanded Vic (except Arcadia - another Imagine masterpiece). It is quite amazing that this game, with a fantastic title page, can fit the memory available.

It is an absolute *must* for any unexpanded Vic owners anywhere.

If you didn't read on the tape inlay that this was an unexpanded game you could be forgiven for thinking it was for an 8 or 16K machine.

The assault-course manner in which you have to conquer the vaults, combined with the breathing spaces between stages means you are continually summoning your resources for the next charge past danger.

The game retains its interest even after you have completed a screen because although you may know how to complete it, your reflexes and mind aren't always up to the task.

The Imagine legacy lives on in the tape inlay, and with more games like this, they might have survived.

The game looks quite simple once you've worked out how to do it, but let me warn you, one small error and you're obliterated.

Megaboopa has this great way of sort of bouncing on the spot and, although he's only a black blob with legs, he's got a lot of character.