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The first thing to make clear is this game has nothing to do with Crockett and Tubbs, those two Miami Cops. It has even less to do with a spoof on Ocean's game Miami Vice. What it is to do with is American Craps (some people might say that is Miami Vice - however I wouldn't care to pass judgement on that).

Miami Dice turns out to be a pretty nifty simulation of the American dice game Craps. Craps has simple rules and terribly complicated betting. What you have are two dice and green baize table with high sides. Dice are thrown against the sides and bets are taken as to the numbers thrown up.

If the dice come up 7 or 11 it's an automatic win. If they say 2, 3 or 12 it's a loss (called Craps). Any other combination and the player has to try and roll that combination again before a 7 comes up in order to win. That's it in a nutshell. The complicated part is the betting, because there are literally dozens of different types of bets relating to the various odds on each combination of numbers. Fortunately, in the program sleeve everything is set out in an easy to read format.

You select four out of a possible eight gamblers with such notable names as 'High Risk Ron'. It's as well there's an Edit function to put in your own names if you want (Steady Eddie is a particular favourite of mine).

Each player begins the night's gambling with $100, so once you're set up correctly and you've chosen your shooter, it's away to the table to try your luck. There is some pretty good speech synthesis in this game, along with very slick and colourful graphics - in fact the whole game is a very professional production.

My only critiscism of Miami Dice is the speed. The program doesn't allow enough time for you to make your bets - it all has to be done in quick, quick fashion.

I also reckon games of this kind have a limited appeal because the real tension in gambling is having to use your own hard-earned pie and mash. Having money handed to your to play with doesn't quite taste like the real thing.

Label: Bug-Byte Price: £1.99 Joystick: various Memory: 48K/128K Reviewer: Andy Moss

****

Cheap and cheerful Worth it even if the challenge is more in its race against time than in the adventure puzzles.