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The brutal 'sport' of pit-fighting involves muscular combatants using any means possible to put each other into hospital (or the morgue) - it's just like Ludlow on a Saturday night!

In the horizontally scrolling 'pit', you and an optional friend each face a single opponent from a wide assortment of martial artists and thugs, each with their own unique manoeuvres. Your own special moves can range from a graceful spin kick to a direct head butt, depending on which of three characters you choose at the start of the game. As well as the standard beat-'em-up punches and kicks, you can pick up your opponent and throw him to the ground - then kick him while he's down! For extra fighting power, you can collect one of the flashing pills that occasionally appear. Alternatively, there are always plenty of barrels and crates to pick up and throw at your opponent. Reduce his energy bar to zero before he does the same to you and you go onto the next pit with a pile of cash in your pocket.

The special moves and throws add novelty interest to an otherwise very standard beat-'em-up with the one-at-a-time opponents proving unintelligent. It's slightly more fun with another player alongside - especially as you can knock him down accidentally, or on purpose in the grudge match after every three pits: the first to get three knockdowns wins bonus cash.

The repetitive action isn't aided by uninspiring graphics. Nothing lie their digitized coin-op counterparts, the blocky figures are jerkily animated on yukky brown backdrops. Ironically, the game's main attraction is watching the fighters really laying into each other - seeing a leather-clad woman stamp manically between a downed muscleman's legs had me in fits of laughter. It's a shame the gameplay is nowhere near as entertaining.

Presentation 65%
Simultaneous two-player mode, choice of three pictured fighters, multi-load after every three pits.

Graphics 58%
Dull brown backdrops and blocky sprites - although the latter provide some amusements.

Sound 78%
Good title tune, continuous in-game tune, plus simple FX.

Hookability 58%
The novelty of fighting dirty soon wears off due to repetitive, unskilful action.

Lastability 55%
The unintelligent opponents aren't much of a challenge and after a few samey pits it becomes tedious.

Overall 56%
Not quite the pits, but a dull, unambitious conversion of the coin-op.