This would have scored much higher if not for the inclusion of two turkeys which should never have been taken out of the back drawer - I refer to the embarrassingly dated conversions of Hopper and Hunchback, originally from Acornsoft and Superior respectively.

Both demonstrate the really simple graphics and slow gameplay that Beeb gamesters used to take for granted and, although it is good to keep in touch with our past, one game of this vintage would have been ample.

However, all turns out okay. Here, budget for the first time, is the mega-game Sentinel from Firebird, here confusingly renamed The Sentinel. If you never saw this, then shame on you - 40,000 landscapes to conquer (as I recall) with a new graphic sophistication to keep you amazed. Each landscape is ruled over by a sentinel - you have to absorb power from trees and robots until you climb high enough in the mountainous landscape to absorb its power too. Great fun, as it's trying to do the same to you! (NB. Back issues of The Arcade listed many of level codes for this game, but I'm still missing quite a few of them...)

Lastly, we have the high spot - Galaforce 2. Not a re-issue, this is a wonderful shoot-'em-up that, with any justice in the world, would a full-price Number 1 - faster than Galaforce, smoother, more complex, altogether more enjoyable. I can't really do any better than quote my earlier preview: 'Fast, furious, beautifully designed and stunningly compulsive'.

Incidentally, I claimed then that it would be one of the top three Beeb games of the year. I see no reason to change that claim. It's great - buy the compilation and play it. Now!

Dave Reeder