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There is a small sect of racers, dedicated to the spread of disease. They are not particularly virulent, but delight in seeing the perpetuation of the common cold and other illnesses of this kind. Day in, day out they travel far and wide, up hill and down dale, visiting sickness to everyone they come into contact with. They are the Microbe Machines.

However, on a rather less atomic scale, there is also a small sect of racers who drive around in their tiny cars, much to the delight of their schoolboy owners, and they're called the Micro Machines. This game was originally going to be a shoot-'em-up, where the player controlled an antibody and you had to shoot all the sickness sprites. But somebody at Codemasters got all confused and signed the licence with the wrong people, leaving us with this now infamous race game.

One of the best things about Micro Machines is the variety in the gameplay. There are eight different vehicles to play with, and all of them require different skills to handle. The Warriors are probably the easiest, as they're the slowest vehicles and the courses are relatively clutter-free. However, the first couple of times you race with the choppers, you're almost certain to lose, thanks to their unusual (but quite realistic) inertia.

Sportscars and Formula 1 racing cars are the ultimate challenge, given the sheer speed they travel at and the complex, twisty-turny nature of the courses they are invariably placed upon. The edge of the pool table F1 circuit is particularly tricky, let me tell you.

If you manage to win three races in a row, you're given the opportunity to win back one of the lives you may have lost, or grab yourself an extra bonus life if you haven't lost any. Your fate is decided by the Rufftrux - a huge off-road Bigfoot-style truck.

You have a certain amount of time, indicated by a clock in the top left corner of the screen, in which to negotiate a series of off-road style challenges, such as driving across streams, where only a thin line of stepping stones keep you from plunging to the depths.

Should you manage to cross the finish line in the allotted period, an extra life is yours forever.

Micro Machines is absolutely one of my favourite games, and it's great to see it spreading over so many formats. It's also great to see that none of the playability of the original has been lost in the transition to Master System.

The dinky graphics lack the sheen of the Megadrive version, but that doesn't really matter once you start playing the game. It's fast, challenging and as variety-stacked as you could wish thanks to the eight racing styles what need mastering, guv.

It doesn't matter what kind of games you're into, and it doesn't matter if you're sitting there looking at the screenshots now and thinking "Aieee! This looks terrible!" I guarantee that you'll love Micro Machines.

Codemasters have done it again! They've taken their time getting this one out compared with the Megadrive and Game Gear version but the result is everything you could want from a Master System game.

It has to be said, the graphics are nothing to shout home about, but once you start playing, it really doesn't matter - it's fast, smooth, easy to control and one that really gets your adrenalin racing as you fight for pole position while trying to negotiate the zany tracks.

This one is a winner and an absolute must for any Master System owner.

Presentation 88%
Oh, there are options all right, and two player modes and everything. And intermissions.

Graphics 52%
P. Extra detail on the sprites.
N. But they do look a little flat and they're not overly pretty.

Sound 65%
P. Some of the best tunes on the Master System for ages.
N. But once you get into the game, there's just a piffly engine drone.

Playability 93%
Very simple indeed, and easy to get into, but it takes ages to really know the game, and it's great fun.

Lastability 92%
P. Completing the game should take some time, and it's timeless in two-player mode.
N. Once completed, one-player interest may begin to wane.

Overall 93%
The best Master System release in months and an absolutely essential purchase for all 8-bit owners.