Skyhawk is a defender-type game in which you pilot a plane and try to protect a town from enemy fighter bombers. Your plane can travel both left and right at one of three speeds, and takes off vertically.

The action takes place over a nicely-drawn town which scrolls smoothly in both directions depending on your direction of flight. The enemy aircraft attack in waves of increasing numbers from either direction, and you can see actual deployment and number of enemy on a small radar screen.

The fuel and missile supplies of your plane are limited - you must replenish them by landing on one of the available landing stages. But the enemy will try to destroy the landing points before you can get there! The aim of the game is to simply survive and destroy as many of the aliens as possible.

Overall, a well-made program which uses multicolour mode and 3D effects. Animation is smooth and effective.

But control of the plane is by joystick only - a bit silly, since many Vic owners do not own joysticks.

I feel too, that the concept lacked originality. Bearing in mind the effort being made by Quicksilva to extend its cut of the market, I would like to see some brighter ideas than this.

In spite of my reservations, though, this is an addictive and difficult game which represents good value.

A.W.