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With a name like The Smurfs' Nightmare and a central character called Hefty Smurf, you begin to wonder if even the developers are taking this project seriously. I mean, I dimly remember the Smurs as having a sufficiently diverse range of characters to populate an entire shelf of my brother's bedroom. From Hammer Smurf to Hang-glider Smurf, it's difficult to think of a less enticing platforming hero than Hefty Smurf.

Still, at least the scenario is moderately interesting with a spell having plunged the inhabitants of Smurf Village into their worst nightmares. The singular exception is our friend Hefty. Fortunately, he doesn't look overly hefty - to tell the truth he looks indistinguishable from any other smurf and proves to be reasonably nippy and responsive in play. As for the game itself, it nods to modernity with the suggestion of a non-linear structure: to complete the game you must visit six Smurf homes. You can walk past all these homes right from the start - you can also visit three o the four characters/objects that lead to the four special sequences. Unfortunately, visit is about all you can do.

The first key that appears unlocks just one door - to the first home on the left. Entering this humble abode accesses The Kitchen Of Danger, an identikit collection of platorms, corkscrewing lifts, moving platforms (plates) and a cast of characters which seem lifted direct from Eighties arcade classic Burgertime. As you'd expect the first level passes easily enough, but as you progress difficulty rises and you start to die: which boots you straight back to the start of the level with all objects back to their starting positions. Haven't we advanced a bit further than this in game design?

The Smurf's Nightmare isn't entirely without innovation. By collecting Sasparilla Leaves, you not only work toward gaining access to an end-level bonus game, but also increase the height of Hefty Smurf's jumps (if you double-tap jump). This is a neat enough idea, although ultimately it's just another tool to force you back into replaying earlier (not amazingly entertaining) sections to find Sasparilla leaves. Moreover, the bonus game is barely a treat - being the very definition of the word simplistic: move left/right and press punch to unlock the falling objects.

Otherwise, it's much as you'd expect with potions to restore energy, provide temporary invulnerability, freeze enemies and even permanently add an extra heart to your energy bar. The Smurf himself is generally limited to the standard walk and jump functions, with enemies being despatched by jumping on their heads. The Smurf can also duck, push objects and operate levers. Soap bubbles can lift him to higher levels, while more dramatically he can gain wings with which to fly and a rocket to boost him higher.

To give a flavour of what follows The Kitchen Of Danger, consider; The Library Of Fear, Mysterious Planet, Haunted Manor, Workbench Gone Mad and Laboratory Of Hell. If that sounds intriguing enough to overcome Smurfophobia, be warned in the early stages at least gameplay is effective, but less than inspired with no hidden areas or treats or spectacular end-level bosses. Fun but not overly so and Infogrames have decided not to splash out on battery back-up memory; instead plumping for a 'password' save system which consists of remembering three Smurf's heads!

The bonus games consist of The Bottomless Well (Smurf goes swimming), The Flood Wave (Smurf running ahead o wave with springs for added bounce), The Mole's Burrow (Smurf riding mole) and The Rabbit Ride (Smurf riding rabbit with forced scroll to keep up the pace). The latter is noticeably more colourful and dramatic than early platforming levels, but once again gameplay is unoriginal as a less challenging steal from Rare's Battletoads.

In short, The Smurf's Nightmare is a professional but - in gameplay terms - somewhat dreary platformer clone. Then again, as the PR sheet proudly boasts The Smurf's Nightmare is one of the first titles exclusively for the Game Boy Color. Point of fact, the game does look pretty good with a very clean, effective look which exploits the 56-colour palette to be inarguably colourful, albeit in a restrained, easy-on-the-eye fashion which never interferes with gameplay. The soundtrack is, well, appropriate to the game's title which is about all you can ask: upbeat and cheerful but thankfully not hinting at any of their 'hit' singles.

To conclude, The Smurfs' Nightmare is one of the few titles I've seen which has English as a third language behind French and German. This rather suggests that - like Plastic Bertron - this is a Gallic export which even its makers don't expect to do too well over here, even if kids might initially prefer its bright colour over much superior, but monochromatic Game Boy offerings.