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The aim of the game (as the inlays says) is to have a good aim in life and shoot all the animals to clear the screen. Each animal scores a point and there are three rows of 32 animals each. Bonus points may be gained by shooting the prizes at the top of the screen unless the stall holder is present in which case the bonus will be negative. Completing a screen will award 20 points and leads the player to the bonus screen where you must shoot as many roller coaster cars as possible to gain extra bullets on the next screen. On the main screen the shot squirrels will begin to reappear if you take too long. Shooting the stall holder is called murder and will lead to your arrest and the end of the game.

Mastertronic's Rifle Range is not quite as simple as it sounds. The program was written by the people from Mr. Chip Software, better known, perhaps, for their Commodore software. Loading the game reveals some further sophistications than are apparent in the instructions. The prizes, various animals and wrapped boxes, sit in a row above a blue strip which must be shot away before the prizes can be hit. Although the strip may be chipped away while it isn't moving, the prizes can only be hit while it is moving (and the stall holder is 'away') which it does periodically. Hitting a prize when it is moving will result in bonus score and for bullets, but a negative bonus if it's stationary.

Control keys: 6/7 Left/right, 0 for fire
Joystick: None, but actually a ZX 2 will work with it
Keyboard play: Good, responsive
Use of colour: Good
Graphics: Smooth, detailed, above average
Sound: Good tunes, otherwise poor
Skill levels: 3 -150 bullets, 150 bullets with acorns, 100 bullets with acorns
Lives:1
Screens: 2

I found that this game had a good difficulty level - one that will make you want to play it again and carry on. The game itself is fairly unusual and quite playable. Graphics are large and move smoothly, they are also colourful and have the added bonus of being detailed. One of the better games from Mastertronic's range. Good value for the price, but it doesn't compare with more expensive packages. I noted that the man at the top hardly ever disappeared, making the game more tricky.

Rifle Range has a curiously relaxing pace to it despite all the shooting. It looks simple at first, indeed it is, but it isn't easy to get rid of all the animals, especially when the squirrels start multiplying off screen and you're waiting for one more duck which you know is going to reappear any second. Hardly a great game, but certainly at about £2 probably worth it.

The overall finish of Rifle Range is very good, with much more polish than many a program at three times the price. The game itself is very simple, but oddly compelling for all that. I haven't thought all that much of Mastertronic's "El Cheapo" range, but this one is worth the asking price, bearing in mind that it isn't a major game in any sense of the word. Fun for a bit, though.