Hello! This month is a C16 owner's dream - a top ten of C16 greats. The C16 has been out a while now and lots of software has been released. Originally, there were the conversions, but due to the ingenuity of Gremlin Graphics and the budget price of Mastertronic, the C16 has become a games machine in its own right, as well as a programmer's paradise. The C16 is a very good machine; it has a beginner's basic better than the BBC, a built-in machine code monitor, good sound and a 320 x 200 hi-res graphic screen. It also has a 160 x 200 multi-colour hi-res screen. These are 128 colours and good sound, so it's little wonder there are so many great games for it.

There are, however, two setbacks; firstly, it only has 16K memory, reduced to a minute 4K after the use of hi-res graphics and, secondly, the C64 is an established computer, so some of the major software companies, such as US Gold have, as yet, taken no real interest in it, although it is said that they will bring out some titles for it. Let us hope that it is true and they bring out such classics as Blue Max and Spy Hunter.

Commodore actually surprised me; some of their games are good - for instance, Space Sweep, Harbour Attack and Treasure Island. These games are great but, due to fancy packaging, are over-priced and £7.95 each. If you buy them cheaply, or second-hand, they are very worthwhile but, unless you have a special liking for one of their games, there are many better buys at that price.

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This is a compilation tape which has four games on it.

1. Xargon Wars
A battle spectacular in the classic mould. Defend your mother planet, against alien hordes. Put to the test your skills as gunnery commander as the space invaders launch wave after wave of laser bombs. Will your nerve last out and reflexes quicken as each success you attain is met by an even faster attack at the following level? You have probably now deduced that it is a "shoot-'em-up" game but it is perfect: keyboard or joystick option, a six place high score table, demo mode, sixteen screens, choice of number of lives. It is extremely responsive and also has a sound on/off option. One feature is laser temperature. This is in the box at the side that contains score, lives, rank, etc. and has three sections, green, yellow and red. Every time you fire, it goes up and slowly cools back down.

If it reaches the red section, then your laser becomes inactive until it has cooled down to the green section. This changes the games from an auto-fire/fure button firmly held down type of game to a strategic one. As the stages go by, you will see how to make sure you're not caught out by the laser temperature. The game is superbly laid out and is a No. 1 in its very own right.

2. Tycoon Tex
The inlay to ths makes interesting reader. "Tycoon Tex is a rootin', tootin' oil tycoon in true wild west tradition. Guns blazin', eyes glazin', the faster he can make his pipe petrol, the quicker he can add to his bank balance. Sand, ice or snow can't hold Tex's speedy draw as he fights off the dangers of falling bombs, arrows, surface missiles and crash explosives. And if he's a second too slow - **!!?? Boom - one more leak, one less barrel to add to his sticky hoard!"

What rubbish!!

Gremlin Graphics have two very good but totally different ideas and have tried to make them mix. It doesn't work. You're walking along in Texas in the 19th century, jumping the gaps in your pipeline when a jet tries to bomb you! Then, if you complete that stage, you move to Iceland.

There's a 21st century background on all stages. It's an enjoyable but very screwy game.

3. Dork's Dilemma
This is totally unique game and as far as I know there are no other versions available for any other computer. Dork must collect the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle which are contained in a force field all over the planet.

The force field will collapse when all the guards have been killed. To kill them you must drop short-fused bombs, which Dork is not immune to, so he has to run away. The game this seems to be to get as many of the guards together a possible, then dropping the bomb thus taking out as many as you an with one bomb.

After a piece has been obtained, you go after the next piece, leaving via the side door. By pressing ESC you can go on to the jigsaw screen at any time. You can move the pieces about and, if they are in the right place, they will turn white; if not, black. Graphics and sound are quite good and it is a very interesting and enjoyable game.

4. Petals Of Doom
Petals Of Doom is a "shoot-em-up" with a difference. The Petals refer to flowers as you might expect. The flowers get bombed by the nasties which you must destroy.

You must save the flowers by flying around in your jetpack, shooting the nasties. When your jetpack runs out of energy, you can hide under the flowers for protection.

Your energy decreases when you fly or fire. If the plants grow to their full height, the force field at the top will open and you can exit on to another and more difficult screen. With the usual keyboard/joystick option. It has good graphics and sound.

the game is, like the others on this tape, enjoyable and unique. This game really boosts the tape and makes it more worthwhile. The game proves that playing with flowers can be lethal!

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Another compilation tape of four games.

1. Xargon Revenge
The sequel to Xargon Wars and in comparison slightly disappointing. "The people of Xargon have never forgotten Xargon Wars and their humiliating defeat. They know your plan is to destroy them completely along with their four satellite planets. The bait has been set - so prepare yourself for Xargon's Revenge!

2. Blagger
Blagger, or the Famous Blagger Goes To Hollywood, is a thief. He has to move around the screen collecting keys, negotiating hazards such as conveyor belts, poisonous plants, collapsing walkways, trains, and other such nasties. When you have all the keys, you must go to the safe door.

Meanwhile, your energy is gradually ticking away. It's like The Perils Of Willy and has many stages. I confess I have only got on to stage 2, which has a giant Commodore logo amongst other things. The other stages promise to be just as good and this is another fun game. The graphics are not stunning and that game is slow (notably it stops when you pick up a key) but it is an important addition to this tape.

3. Time Slip
A totally amazing game, the screen is split into three sections and you control one section at a time.

The sections are called Zones. Zone 1 is the Planet surface with a starfighter at your disposal. Zone 2 is an underground cavern. Zone 3 is a mini-sub. Each zone incorporates different hazards. To succeed, you must destroy twelve orbs in each zone. You can interchange between zones after losing a life or, if you use the Fire function.

There is an overall timer which decreases from 24 hours. If you hit fuel pods or oil barrels you gain time, but if you are hit you will lose it. A time-slip occurs after every five losers. Which changes the time on the individual clocks. It is very hard, enjoyable, exciting and addictive and is even better that Xargon Wars. Like Xargon Wars, it's the one that makes the tape a good buy.

4. Monkey Magic
"Join Monkey on his quest in search of the holy scriptures. This will involve a long and perilous journey on his magic cloud. High in the air you will encounter many evil forces. Use your magic staff to fire at and destroy the evil creatures of the universe."

All this is a defender where your spaceship is a pink cloud. Fairly amusing, it's the sort of game to turn to on a rainy day when you've played some of the others and have run out of ideas. An important fact is that all the games on this tape "Novaload", which means you only have to wait two minutes for it to load as compared to ten.

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Surprising to think that the highest non-compilation tape is a £1.99 game. This is superb value for money. As the name implies, it is one of the multitude of racing games. It is to see what has been put into 16K of memory.

It has a scenic landscape comprising mountains, bridges, castles and trees, beautifully laid out at the top of the screen that smoothly scrolls as you turn corners, giving a very realistic view. The track is marked out in posts, giving more of a rally car look. You accelerate quickly in low gear up to a speed of 128mph, then press the fire button and you're in high, joystick forward and you're at 240mph. The red blob on the horizon comes nearer and increases in size and clarity - a car! Over to the other side of the road, one more successfully negotiated. The wheels screech as you slow down braking round the corners - very realistic.

At the bottom of the screen is your score, time left, lap time, gear and high score as well as a wheel which turns as you do. This takes your mind off the fact that you're holding a joystick. The first lap you have 90 seconds in which to complete it and thereafter 60 seconds per lap plus the time you have left. When you do eventually run out of time you get points for every car you've successfully overtaken.

The inlay reads "Based on Formula One, levels of acceleration, braking and road holding, this program has been developed for the ultimate in realism. Get your braking points and line the rough corners in right, hold the car on the tyre squeaking limit, overtaking the other cars if you can and experience all the speed and excitement of motor racing."

And for one it's not far wrong. It is the ultimate racing game for the C16 and, although it's not cluttered with dials and billboards, its simplistic beauty is a match for any other version. At £1.99, a definite *must* for all C16 owners. It has only one setback - loading time - but don't all good games?

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"Defences are low and the bitter war continues. Alone in the skies you must survive by fighting off endless attacks from the enemy. Your perilous mission is to destroy the enemy aircraft carrier based at sea!"

Well, that's your mission but it doesn't sound much like the title, does it? Anyway, about the game, MAD stands for Mastertronic Added Dimension and so I assume that these games are better than the normal Mastertronic £1.99 games, well sort of.

The scene is out at sea with you flying above the mountains; the sea is made to look 3D by a series of dots spreading further about as they get lower. You are a red plane speeding along after fuelling quite happily, when suddenly you're attacked by other planes that enjoy firing black dots at you from their rear end and seem to get their kicks from ramming straight into you for no apparent reason. Some just like firing at you.

After a few minutes, night begins to fall and the joyful music dies down. Then you notice on your scanner a small dot approaching but, be warned, do not attempt to blast it away because, if you glide slowly up behind it, you begin to refuel; if the refuelling process is completed then an extra shield is gained (shields are used instead of lives, you get seven).

Then it's back to day with a different screen. Icebergs, tankers and mountains are just some of the hazards, your main aim is to get to the enemy aircraft carrier and blow it out of the water, but, alas, I have not got this far.

Joystick is optional but is easier than keyboard. Anyone now Falcon Patrol for C64? Well, that is roughly what Bandits At Zero is, and a promising version at that.

This has a high score table feature and makes good use of the C16's colour. A promising start. Let's hope MAD produce more games for the C16.

1. Berks
If you like simple but addictive games, then Berks is the one for you. The Berks have invaded earth protected by the homing drones. You are a lone fighter in the new Hi-Tec Terror Tank created to seek and destroy all the Berks. The Terror Tank must move around the screen blasting everything around him but, beware, when a Berk is destroyed it will begin to fade so do not ram full speed into the poor fading creature, as you will be blown away.

There are walls generously scattered around the screen; thee can be useful but also fatal. So far, the game sounds pretty normal, doesn't it, so what makes it a chart topper? Well, I would say the fact that the drones can only be stunned for around ten seconds certainly makes things more interesting.

So does the enemy level which proves very frustrating when you are doing so well and suddenly *boom* you've wasted all your energy - tough! I have never actually finished this game but I can say that there are a fair number of screens; to finish one screen you have to blast a certain number of Berks which gets higher as you progress.

Although joystick is optional it is far easier because of the diagonal movement and firing. The graphics are not o a very high standard, with you being a pulsating blue and white cross, the Berks colourful little men who look like they're wearing pyjamas and, lastly, the drones just diamonds that flicker when stunned.

2. Major Blink
Now I've heard of sequels being different to the original, but Berks 2 has gone too far, in fact the only similarity is those pestering drones that again can only be stunned, but let's look at the game.

Now, instead of playing a human bent on destroying every living Berk you play Major Blink the creator of the Berks, trying to lead a normal life by painting but, of course, there's always one thing that tries to upset you and this time it's super cool, colour-blind teddy bears who try to unpaint your work. But you can sort them out by giving them a nasty shock by blowing them away with your double-barrelled laser gun mounted at your waist.

There is no diagonal movement in this game because the passageways are only large enough for one character to move through so don't stun drones all around you 'cause it's bound to end in tears and the drones don't cry easier. There is an endless number of screens and they all have their different scrolling system, but the complete object of this game is to paint as much as possible and stay alive for as long as you can.

The game itself is a very enjoyable one and the graphics are good. I especially liked the teddy bears which wear sunglasses! Major Blink is a kind of goose (honest!) that is wearing a sort of star trek spacesuit and again the drones are diamonds.

As I said, a very enjoyable game that proves good, addictive arcade play.

3. Berks 3: They're Angry
At a quick glance, Berks 3 looks rather like Berks 1, but take a closer look and you'll see there is a lot more to Berks 3 that meets the eye.

Once again, you have the form of the Terror Tank blasting through every known Berk (still protected by the dreaded drones) but this time you are in the Berks City searching for their sacred treasure hidden in the heart of the inner sanctum. The Berks have reinforced their walls with energy which will drain your points if you smash into them.

This game is a kind of arcade adventure; in other words, you don't have to finish one screen at a time, you can go through any number of exits and entrances. Firstly, you must find 21 keys to open a forcefield; the keys are put behind blocks, which must be blasted away before you can gain the key. After the forcefield is opened, you enter the inner sanctum where you must get four keys to open another, smaller field.

Then you enter the treasure chamber where you must find another ten keys to gain access to the treasure, then just ram into it and you have won! Joystick is optional and, as in Berks 1, using one is far easier. The graphics are the same as in Berks 1, except some drones are different, some even have faces! This is undoubtedly the best of the three by far and full marks to CRL for a brilliant arcade game.

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At last! A truly brilliant arcade adventure for the C16. Big Mac 2 (Mr. Puniverse) is *the* arcade adventure for the C16. Of all the Mastertronic games I have played and thought were good, this beats them all. In the game you are the wimpiest of wimps, Mr. Puniverse, tottering around 25 fun-filled rooms avoiding plungers and missiles.

The object is to collect 25 power pills, essential for all wimps to survive, but beware, apart from the plungers and missiles, there are clear destruction boxes that kill on impact and falling clocks can put you in a sticky situation as well. Every room can be entered at will except if you get on a ladder when you could end up anywhere.

You have an energy level which, as in most other games, cause problems. For some unapparent reason you have an exploring time. When you find a pill, enter the next room and the energy level will go up and there is a rest room where your energy automatically goes up.

The graphics fit perfectly to the game and there is a nice feature that allows you to kill yourself by pressing "D" if you are stuck where you cannot move.

Overall, this is an amazingly colourful game that makes good use of the C16's ability. It's certainly a must for C16 owners.

"The Further Adventures Of Big Mac" is another one in the series where you must complete one screen at a time. It is virtually the same, but it has a new "Y"ing feature to move on to another screen if you wish. Another good game.

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Looking at the cover of this game, you'd think you played an ice-cream seller but this is not so. You play super Strawberry avoiding acid apples and falling ones. The object of the game is to eat up all the cherries, or kill all the acid apples. When you fire it will continue flying around until it hits one living thing (including you!). It is difficult to know which of the two you will have to do, as there is nothing to tell you, so you might end up having to do both.

There is a spritely tune played in the background and there is a novel way of high score as well; scores are printed up the side and your score goes up as you gain points. Joystick is needed. The graphics are very good. You, as super Strawberry are exactly lie one and acid apples are green round things with white limbs. The game reminds me very much of another Mastertronic game, Rockman, but it is simpler and more addictive. However, when you buy this game do not be deceived by the cover, as this has nothing to do with the game.

A very worthwhile game that should prove very successful with C16 owners - well, anyway, I liked it.

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"You have seconds to overtake as many cars as you can. Drive at up to speeds of 300mph trying to avoid other cars as they swerve across your path. If you manage to overtake 70 cars without losing three lives, play is extended but this time you only have 60 seconds.

Each extended play gives you an extra life and a bonus score. The game features many different screens, day and night driving and a high score," or so the inlay says... and it's true.

I was almost put off buying it because of the title. Death Race indeed! Normally games with titles like that are useless, but I forked out the £2.99 and wow! - a great game. Think back six to eight years go - the "in" arcade game was Demon Driver. It's like that except it's 3D with the buildings, trees, lamp posts, etc, coming towards you.

The cars are the same, like a racing car. The graphics are simplistic but suit the game down to the ground. My favourite is the lamp posts, they are so realistic. The game is another cheap great for the C16 and is well worth buying. Great value for money and a game I've been wanting to get my hands on since the days of Demon Driver.

It is another definite must and alternative to Formula One Simulator, which doesn't have corners, but stunning sideline graphics.

Hustler is a good game. It is limited in the fact that, apart from the cue ball, there are six balls to pot. This limitation is due to the fact that balls and pockets are a reasonable size, unlike Steve Davis Snooker. There are six games you can play:

1. 1 player - pot any ball in any pocket
2. 1 player - pot the balls in order
3. 1 player - pot each ball in its own pocket
4. 2 players - pot each ball in its pocket and score the pocket
5. 2 players - mini pool: similar to the game played on Shoot Pool. Each player plays until one player pots a ball, either a spot or a stripe. He continues to pot that one (either spots or stripes) until one person finishes by potting all his balls. This is probably the best game and is easy to understand.
6. 2 players - one player pots in order 1-6 and the other plays in order 6-1. There is a high score table for games 1-4. To play the game, move a cross round the screen. The cue ball will pass over this spot. The best idea is to position the cross against the ball you want to hit in the appropriate place. At the bottom of the screen is a marker continuously changing, this represents how hard you hit the ball. It can be a bit tricky because, if you try to hit the ball at full pace and just mistime it, you hit it at the weakest velocity and play a foul.

You also have top-spin, back-spin, left spin and right spin. You can use none, just one or two. Score and fouls are controlled by the computer. The music is superb - the best I have ever heard on the C16. It is the theme tune to Pot Black. It's extremely good. The graphics are perfectly adequate with well-sized balls and shaped pockets.

The cushions work perfectly, making a truly wonderful simulation. In my view, it outclasses Steve Davis Snooker. A much better buy.

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This conversion features transfer market, full league tables, injury problems, save game facility, promotion and relegation, FA matches, managerial rating, four divisions, as many seasons as you like, pick your team for each match and seven skill levels. In fact, the only things the C16 version lacks compared with the C64 is the graphics (which are boring) and the renaming of the players (which is tedious).

You have a choice of teams to manage, but whichever one you choose, you'll start in Division 4. The seven skill levels are (1) Beginner, (2) Novice, (3) Average, (4) Good, (5) Expert, (6) Super Expert, and (7) Genius. I find a good way to work is to start on Beginner and, if you manage to win the Division 1/FA Cup double move up one level. In the game you get 12 players; 4 defenders, 4 midfield and 4 attackers. When you see the players you will see the player's name, his number (used for picking the team), his skill rating (1-5) energy (1-20). The energy rating is important because, if a player has only one energy rating he may become injured if played, but if rested, his energy will increase by 10. Also displayed are the player's value which relates to skill and division only and whether he is playing, injured or available. Loans are available but are directly related to your division.

Division 1: you can loan up to £1,000,000 but it decreases by 1 million every division to only £250,000 in Division 4. 5% is paid back every week plus 1% on the outstanding amount. You can buy players but you cannot have more than 16 players in your squad at any one time.

Instead of the graphics there is a running match commentary, which is almost as boring as the graphics. At the end of the season, the final league table is printed. The top two teams are promoted and the bottom two are relegated. The skill ratings change, so, if you have a team full of players skill 4 and 5, at the next season they may be only skill 1 and 2 (as I found to my cost). In all, this is a very good version of the C64 hit and well worth buying.

Well, there you have it. Ten games no C16 owners should be without. Other games to look out for are by Gremlin Graphics:

1. Search For The Sky
2. Gullwing Falcon
3. Jetbrix
4. Kung Fu Kid

From Atlantis:

1. Space Escort
2. Panik

For Mastertronic:

1. Spectipede
2. Rockman
3. Squirm

Also all Anirog/Anco games are good and for a true fighting game Thai Boxing is worth a look in. ACE is a good flight and fight game but a bit over-priced. But those ten games are the ones to buy. They give a wide range and will hopefully give many enjoyable gaming hours.