In America the national sporting obsessions are American football and baseball, which correspond to our cricket and soccer mania. Of the two American sports, their football is the more familiar, baseball being a complex mystery.

This new computerised version of baseball from Activision can help dispel some of these mysteries.

For my part, 1 would have preferred greater explanation of the game on the dreadful instruction spreadsheet which Activision insists on including with its games.

The options at the start first of all allow practice, one or two player game. The practice game pits you against legendary pitcher (bowler), Heat Huldoon. The computer is the formidable opponent in the one-player game.

If the practice option is not taken, the next menu allows each player to select their teams and then the game begins.

There is a minimum of nine innings to a game and to win against the computer relies on skills far beyond my puny efforts. I found the timing for the bat swing difficult to master and the 3D view made fielding difficult to judge. Perhaps greater familiarity with the multiple joystick modes may have helped but somehow I doubt it.

Graphically, this game does not compare well with Imagine's World Series Baseball, lacking its big screen action and multi-coloured teams. Where it does score is in the complexity of the variations possible but is the British market ready for it? A look at the Top Ten games implies that maybe it is, but not for me.

E.D.