In retrospect, many games are of the same basic storylines. As a consequence many games by very different authors play much the same. However, if you cast your minds back to some of the earliest games, revamped versions of Breakout (Arkanoid, Impact) have been proved to sell well, so you may be forgiven for initially thinking that this £17 3.5" disk was just another Pac-Man clone.

You would not be far wrong. The game is supplied in very poor quality packaging, consisting of a box that is impossible to open without rendering it useless, a weak plastic insert designed to hold two *cassettes* and an instruction guide intended for any non-Acorn computer imaginable. Also included is a special voucher, and when seven have been collected you may claim a £10 discount voucher (or two thirds of a game!). As this and Terramex are the only games by Grandslam (as far as I know) for the Archimedes. I can see little point of including it unless Grandslam are planning many more releases for our beloved Arc before 31 December 1989 (when validity of the voucher expires). To add to the list of cons, Grandslam ask that you fill in a questionnaire, supply a stamp, and return it to them.

So they are the points against. What about the pros? Well, there is a cute little poster showing our hero pursued by the ghosts (which are now called Inky, Pinky, Blinky, Clyde, Sue and Funky) and a sticker. And, of course, the game.

Everybody has heard of Pac-Man (or Snapper, Munch Man and many others) and a few years ago it could be said that Pac-Man was no more. And most would be inclined to nod in agreement. But Grandslam really have come up with a good quality reincarnation (which is more than can be said for the latest Reptons) of a game that used to be all the craze. There is now more to persuade you to have that "one more go".

There are four different worlds, the first three of which are selectable as starting levels. There are 22 screens, each one harder than the last, and due to some clever coding a good 3D effect is created. Three pieces of stereo music are available (very catchy one at that) and a few sound effects. Another nice touch are the musical interludes between each of the first four levels. And the piece de resistance - the ability to bounce. Having a 3D display allows Pac-Man to jump over his adversaries, but in later levels the ghosts retaliate with jumping green ghosts. The special objects are still there, but in more colourful and detailed guises.

A demo version is present with all the splendour of the real game except an intelligent Pac-Man; instead, there is a suicidal maniac whose main objective in his four lives seems to be bouncing around trying to die as quickly as possible. There is, however, one complaint. It is too slow at the starting levels, and is too easy to complete. On completion you are presented with a picture; I felt that having preserved this long a little "congratulation" music had been well earnt. A high score table is among the other "standard" features, such as sound control.

Despite poor packaging, frequent disc access between levels, and being a little too easy (not true on the higher levels) Pac-Mania proves to be an addictive game which will keep you occupied for hours.