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Before the almost inevitable CF's Elephant Antics II, Genesis Software have taken time out to produce a game which crosses the puzzles of arcade adventures like Dizzy with some extremely stylish 3D. So how does taking on the mantle of a horny Viking grab you?

Shipwrecked in Transylvania and minus his shipmates, Spike the Viking isn't too pleased, especially when his comrades-in-horns aren't around to join in the drinking sounds. It's no fun being a prototype lager-lout without your friends to get you into trouble, so Spike set off to liberate his friends from the local prison. Logically Spike might as well bang his head against a brick wall, douse himself with alcohol and get himself locked in with them straight away, but he prefers to go about things the long way!

Spikey In Transylvania is quite a change from the excellent platform action of CJ, instead using the well-worn form of a flick-screen arcade-adventure rather like the old Ultimate games. There's puzzles and people galore to encounter, adding up to a fair sized challenge. Spike's Viking longboat was crewed with either other sailors, each locked away in their own cell so there's eight keys which must be found. Obstacles are provided by energy-sapping rats, ghosts, guards, bats in the bell tower, and even a cute puppy with the manners of a Rottweiler! There's also Arbold the amateur Magician, who might be able to help you out.

There's nothing terrifically original about all this of course, however a nice sense of humour freshens everything up quite marvelously. I especially like the jailer who can only be bribed with a Pink Floyd tape and a Walkman. And the main sprite himself is a dead ringer for Hagar the Horrible and makes a great change from cutesy elephants, walking eggs and such like.

Although Spike is unarmed, there's a strong arcade feel with haunted rooms (where ghosts come sweeping in at you), castle battlements being blasted by lightning and of course the bats. The heart of the game is the puzzles though. Spike can carry several items which can be offered to various characters in hope of an exchange. There's also a few switches to be manipulated and guards to bribe.

Compared with the Dizzy series, the puzzles are relatively simple linear affairs, and it can be a little tough at times with the random movement of rats and bats, but like CJ it's the execution that makes the game *really* shine. Programmer Dave Clarke has managed to compress over 60 suprisingly varied screens into one load, together with Ash Hogg's decent FX and a good, lengthy in-game tune, sporting a neat bell clang 'sample' which really does show off your C64's SID chip!

It might not stand up too well in the game sophistication stakes but like Genesis's previous game, CJ, it's extremely accessible, refreshing original in ideas, great on the staying power front and (most importantly) it's a steal at the price!

Genesis Software Developments have been well and truly thrust into the limelight recently with CJ's Elephant Antics last month and now Spike In Transylvania, both reaching Silver Medal status. The Genesis Development line-up consists of David Clarke (coding), Jonathan Smith (graphics) and Ashley Hogg (music and part-time Zzap! contributor). Previous to Genesis, David and Jon were working for Northern Ireland-based Choice Software, contributing to a conversion of New Zealand Story and C64 Beach Volley.

But both products suffered problems, notably Beach Volley which has yet to see the light of full-price day. Following this, David was working on Spellcast for the best part of a year but Dave's luck run out again with Choice's demise, promptly ensuring Spellcast ground to a halt.

Optimism springs eternal, etc, and after starting up last summer Genesis are well on track. Their debut game showed off the lessons learnt with New Zealand Story - CJ arguably being the best original budget game in years.