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Activision has a happy knack of producing the right games for the Atari VCS at the right times.

It wasn't coincidence that Pitfall Harry was on sale while Raiders Of The Lost Ark topped the cinema charts. And it isn't surprising to find that the company's version of arcade hit Battle Zone has almost beaten Atari's own to the high street stores.

Of course, it has to go out under an assumed name, Robot Tank, and it does include a few new features - but for once it's the Atari version which gets the jury's vote.

The original game (from Atari's arcade division) played on the duel of wits which took place between the computer-controlled tanks and the player's. Only by carefully manoeuvring an opposing tank could you be sure of getting in that all-important first shot.

Activision is guilty of adding too much to a simple formula which worked well enough. Robot Tank utilises the Enduro skyline to give the game a day and night sequence. There is an addition of weather problems, snow, rain, fog or some of the opponent's fire can knock out vital parts of the tank's weaponry.

It all sounds as though it ought to improve the game. Sadly, it makes the whle thing a lottery compared to the Atari version.

The scenario behind the game explains that renegade robotic tanks are threatening to destroy San Francisco. You must command still loyal robotic tanks to defeat the enemy.

Control is helped by a radar screen which shows up a tell-tale blip - an enemy tank. There is a video screen with sights in the centre for looking forwards onto a colourful landscape. The damage sensors show V.R.T.C. which stand for: Video, intermittent loss of picture; radar, becomes inoperative; tracks, mobility is brought to a crawl; cannons, cannot rely on them firing.

Cannon fire can be guided onto the target. During nightfall only video and the flash of an opponent's firing gun give clues to his position. And each different weather condition presents its own problems. Robot Tank costs £29.95.

Good graphics but the game doesn't measure up to the addiction generated by the Atari version.