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Superior Software's policy of buying up other companies or their software is having a noticeable effect upon the quality of its Play It Again Sam compilations. Its already impressive games portfolio has been swollen with top titles from Alligata and Micro Power - some of which are in evidence in this volume.

On receiving this package I was overjoyed to see that Micro Power's Imogen had been included. It was not originally released on the Electron and is an excellent game.

Imogen is a wizard who lost a few of his marbles as a result of a disagreement with a dragon. For his own safety, and that of the local community, he was incarcerated in a dungeon by the great wizard. He must earn his freedom by solving the dungeon's many puzzles and collecting the sixteen pieces of the Spell of Release.

One of Imogen's party pieces is transformation - he can change from a wizard to a monkey to a cat at will. Each form has a different ability - the wizard can use objects, the monkey is an expert climber and the cat can leap great distances. Your desired form is selected using a series of icons at the top of the screen.

There is no time limit on the game and the only stipulation is that the sixteen sections must be completed using no more than 150 transformations - if this seems generous let me assure you that it isn't. A few wasted changes as a result of badly-timed leaps can easily mean the difference between success and failure.

Puzzles range from traditional adventure game brain strainer to obvious, but difficult to execute, tests of manual dexterity. I would also add that a warped sense of humour is a distinct advantage.

Having got itself the basis of a superb game, Micro Power blended these puzzles with graphics of a quality that had never before been seen on the Electron. High resolution monochrome characters are animated with a grace and realism that brings them to life. Imogen is in a class of its own in the arcade adventure field.

Elixir is an arcade adventure that originates from the opposite end of the quality spectrum. This is most surprising as it is the only one of the four programs on the compilation to come from the Superior stable. It revolves around the exploits of Cyril the shrunken chemist as he strives to locate the elixir that will restore him to his former stature.

Cyril clambers about shelves on which stand bottles and jars of pills potions. The colour of a pill indicates the effect it will have upon him. His meanderings are interspersed with fatal falls, killer flash bulbs, acid drips and a runaway circular saw. This probably the weakest game in the package.

Leaving the arcade adventure field, we take a stroll down memory lane to an arcade game of yesteryear. Bug Blaster from Alligata was, and still is, a first rate version of the insect extermination game, CENTIPEDE. Winding its way through a field of mushrooms is a giant centipede, and your task is to blast this megamyriapod before it gets you.

The rate of the beast's descent is determined by how many mushrooms it collides with. Each collision is followed by a change is horizontal direction and one step down the screen. The mushroom population increases with each new level.

Other hazards are supplied in the shape of falling fleas, bouncing spiders and an assortment of other members of the insect family who traverse the screen at regular intervals. Bug Blaster is a rave from the grave that is still capable of setting the pulse racing as you fight for survival against mother nature's rejects.

The final game, Moon Raider, is a cracker. In this fast-paced horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up you control a fighter plane raiding a heavily defended enemy base. Equipped with an assault ship and a full complement of bombs, you and your trusty laser cannon set out for the centre.

The hills scroll below as you fly over them straffing rocket bases, buildings, radar towers and so on. Bombing fuel dumps adds to your rapidly dwindling fuel supply - your ship is a real gas guzzler. Any rockets you miss launch as you approach. They must either be shot down or avoided.

On later levels you enter a large cavern which must be negotiated with considerable care. Fireballs must be dodged and bouncing aliens either shot or avoided. An option which pleased me was that you can jump to any stage of the mission.

Play It Again Sam 5 is yet another top quality Superior Software release that is destined for the charts, especially with the inclusion of Imogen.

Another great compilation from Superior Software. Newcomers to the Electron games scene are having a field day with these top quality titles which work out at under £2.50 each. If you've had your Electron right from the beginning you probably already have two or three or these games, which would make it less of a bargain.

Carol Barrow