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If you've ever fancied your chances in a Formula 1 car race, Overdrive may give you something of the feel of being behind the wheel. You have four basic controls over the Ferrari-red vehicle at the base of the screen: to steer left and right, accelerate and brake. These are smooth and responsive and the illusion of movement created by the flashing white kerb markings is fairly effective.

The main challenge throughout the five stages of the race is to avoid the other cars as you overtake them. The number you overtake depends on your speed, which can rise to more than 200mph. This is clocked up on an attractive LED-style display at the top of the screen, along with your score, bonus points and the time remaining for the current stage. If you haven't achieved a high enough position on the grid, you can't advance to the next stage. You are very vulnerable if you collide with another car, since this seems a heaven-sent opportunity for every other driver in the race to plough into the back of you before you have time to pick up speed again.

In the first stage, avoiding other cars is fairly straightforward, as they maintain strict lane discipline, but after that they start to weave in a pretty suicidal manner (and at night too). This really is a round-the-world trip, with different stages running through snowfields, the desert and along a causeway in the middle of a lake!

A simple enough concept for a game, but well executed with fine graphics. The only disappointment is the lack of any bends. The contest to produce that on the BBC, however, is another race altogether.

Simon Williams