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Wheee! If you're a failed skateboarder, like me, the next best thing is playing Skate Rock! It puts you on board a super-slick skateboard. The challenge is to complete ten courses of increasing difficulty and become one of the elite Slime Rat Skaters. And it ain't easy!

But at least you don't suffer all the bumps, bruises and broken bones that you'd get attempting some of the moves required.

Each course requires you to pick up eight flags - as well as dodging dogs, punks, cars, remote control aircraft and other assorted hazards. You have to guide your board over pavements ramps and around road works in an effort to collect those flags.

Luckily your board is extremely manoeuvrable - once you've learnt the joystick/fire button combinations that make your skater jump, spin and perform perfect wheelies!

This is one of the really nice features of the game. The flexibility and freedom of movement is outstanding. As is the animation, which matches the fluid movement of the skater.

There are several start up options. Skill levels range from beginner to Thrasher! You can set up your board too - how the boards trucks - wheels to you - are fixed determines how quickly the board turns.

You'll have to learn how to make quick turns to avoid pedestrians, dogs and ends of pavements.

And you'll also have to learn when and how to make jumps or do wheelies to get over/around obstacles.

You can't move up a level until you've completed a course - and that means you have to collect all the flags. But you can collect them in any order you like as the game allows you to scroll backwards and forwards at will.

Once you've completed a few courses you can choose which one you want to play.

There's a time limit on each course too - didn't I mention that already? But you do get to keep any time left over as it's added onto the limit for the next course.

The graphics are colourful and for the most part pretty well drawn. The chunky cars let the game down a bit though...

Sound is good and there's a tune which drives the action along. Skate Rock is a different game which skate-boarders and gamesters alike will enjoy playing. Join the Slime Rats today!