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Having been beaten senseless in the vast array of contact sports available on computer, you may now indulge in further oriental culture with Thai Boxing, a strange mixture of martial artistry and fisticuffs.

The playing screen depicts an elevated view of the combatants, who are situated before some suitably Eastern backdrops, presented in corresponding perspective.

At the start of each bout, the boxers are seen squatting on the floor - the first round then begins, and they literally leap into action. Each bout consists of three rounds, and at the end of a round the boxers somersault into new positions ready for the next fight.

The progress of the contest is measured by loss of stamina, as indicated by a pulsing bar at the top of the screen. Next to this are the boxer's faces. As the bout continues and the action hots up, the faces begin to show the damage inflicted upon one another. Thus, by the end of the round they are covered in cuts and blood - which is promptly wiped off by two little men in white coats!

Having completed one bout, you progress to the next level. There are six levels in all, each with a different backdrop and becoming progressively harder.

Control is executed in the usual way: each position of the joystick corresponding to a different move of the combatant. These are accompanied by suitable sound effects (mainly consisting of crunching body noises), and there is some speech on completion of a contest.

The options screen is joystick controlled, and caters for one and two players modes. It also shows the current state of play at the end of each bout. A high-score table is also provided which may be saved to tape or disk.

Anco have tried something new with this fighting game - changing the angle of view and including the bloody face meter.

But they fail to cover up the fact that it's just another addition to the already swollen beat-'em-up market. The other detraction is that the opponents are too easy to beat, and consequently the fun disappears after a couple of goes.

If you haven't already got a fighting game then you might like to look this up, but if you have, turn your attention to something more original.

I'm sick and tired of beat-'em-ups that don't offer anything new or exciting. Thai Boxing is the same old game with different backdrops. There are a couple of novelties included, like the way the faces gradually become bloody and so on. However, unless you're got a bizarre desire to collect every bash-'em-up in existence, give Thai Boxing a miss.

As the latest in a now all-too-long line of fighting games, Thai Boxing offers no startling advance over any of the others available. To be fair, it is competent, if perhaps a little lacking in variety of movement.

The graphics are adequate - the backgrounds being pleasant but a little sparse. Not bad, but I think it has missed the boat somewhat, especially at its current asking price.

Presentation 81%
Informative instructions and on-screen display.

Graphics 69%
Good backdrops and adequate sprites.

Sound 56%
Bland tune and harsh spot effects.

Hookability 62%
Initially appealing by not particularly gripping.

Lastability 53%
Not much in the way of lasting challenge, although the two player option does provide some spice.

Value For Money 55%
Not the cheapest fighting game available, and certainly not the best.

Overall 55%
A different approach to a tried and tested theme, sadly making little difference to the content.