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In this coin-op conversion presented as 'the Nemesis sequel', a giant salamander has swallowed your minuscule spacecraft, sending you on a terrifying journey down the amphibian's horizontally-scrolling alimentary canal.

The spaceship is directed up and down within the digestive tract, and accelerates to avoid the unpleasant obstructions that he within this particular salamander.

Lethal encrustations on the intestinal walls spit deadly particles, and pairs of thrashing, grasping giant arms accompany this biological arsenal. All are blasted out of the way, before they block the route and force the ship to crash.

The salamander's insides are split into several different levels, each guarded by a large creature that is destroyed to progress to the next.

Joysticks: Cursor. Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: colourful, with smooth scrolling and vivid loading screen
Sound: good title tune a effects
Options: definable keys

'As shoot 'em ups go. Salamander is infuriating - but is still very good. The gameplay is fast, exciting and addictive, and otters plenty of challenge. Salamander players might find that Konami have missed out quite a lot of the original arcade features, but if it's a good shoot 'em up you're after - this is a good one to go for.'

'Like the arcade original, Salamander is playable from the word go. The graphics are colourful and detailed, and the scrolling is smooth - there's a decent title tune, too, although the in-game effects are the usual zap sounds of shoot 'em ups. However, it's infuriating to be forced to start a level again whenever you lose a life, but in a way this adds to the appeal and keeps the player coming back for more. If you're a shoot 'em up fan, you could well enjoy Salamander.'

'The brilliant loading screen is followed by a game that's not so hot. It's incredibly frustrating having to go all the way back to the beginning of a level when you die, and some players might find this a little too much. It's a shame the gameplay is so annoying - because the graphics, scrolling and sound effects are all exceptionally good. Try before buying.'