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One unique arcade game that never really took off in the arcades is Stix.

The "Stix" is a bundle of energy, represented by elaborate graphics lines that whizz round the screen. Your job is to harness the stix avoiding destruction. This object is achieved by filling 75% (or more) of the screen, avoiding the hazards that lurk.

You control the construction of the forcefield synthesiser by use of joystick, creating squares, rectangles and other shapes within the forcefield perimeter.

Each block or stage created restricts the movement of the stix giving you more opportunity to corner it - for maximum points. When a field has been constructed, it is automatically shaded. On the larger areas, this process is rather slow, using a "Fill" command.

There are two speeds in which construction can be made. These are accessed with the joystick fire button either pressed or not, and are visibly differentiated by red or blue shadings - on earlier levels. The slow speed doubles your points but increases risk of being wiped out by the Stix.

As mentioned, there are certain hazards to beware of. If the Stix touches a partially constructed field, it will be destroyed due to the molecular transposition! Some nasty-looking quarks and anti-quarks patrol the force field perimeter devastating everything in their path! The third hazard is unfortunately a software design fault, which the manufacturers have admitted to and promised to rectify in later production! The problem is that any hesitation whatsoever while constructing a field, results in a rippling wave to penetrate the field, following your construction field directions, and annihilating the synthesiser. However, this can be avoided by finishing construction before the wave gets to you!

I found the movement of the synthesiser awkward at the top left hand corner of the field perimeter. Once a screen has been completed, consequent levels ensue with faster, more complex action.

Although the game was exciting to play, I feel this particular version will have to iron out its mentioned defects to become a games players' favourite.