Not different - just meaner!

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Sinbad, from Virgin, is one of those quest for the ultimate goal programs. Sinbad - that's you - must complete each screen in order to go on to the next one. Unfortunately, there are only two different screens, and later screens are just meaner versions of the first two.

To start with, Sinbad must convert his enemies to a peaceful way of life by touching them - sounds familiar? His enemies float around the screen and Sinbad can leap onto a rope ladder dangling from a flying carpet when it drifts low enough.

Once he's on, it's running up and down time until one of his converts knocks him off. Converts aren't all that peaceful! On later versions of this screen, nasties lurk at the bottom. Fallingon them loses energy and turns all the converts mean again.

When everything's converted, you appear on your rug just above Earth's atmosphere dodging the passing asteroids in time to a very space-age rendition of Star Trek.

You must dodge the asteroids for as long as you took to do the first screen. This time factor is raved about a great deal in the instructions. The asteroids simply get faster on later screens. Your score is the percentage of the entire adventure completed.

Getting through both screens three times yields about 50 per cent. Once again, the reams of instructions rant on about the surprise awaiting you when you finish. (Will the machine crash I ask myself?)

They do tell you the keys but you have to wade through a lot of rubbish before you get to the important stuff. Virgin do, how ever, put a screen picture on the cover which makes sure the user knows what he's getting.

The graphics are average but effective. The sound is quite good with various interesting noises always drifting from the loudspeaker.

Joysticks can be used and I'd recommend them because of the repeated hammering on the edge of the space bar to jump.

All things considered, it's a reasonable game but is aimed at the younger end of the market.

Philip Tudor