Superior definitely don't do things by half! The second of their new format compilations (seven re-releases plus one new title) is even stronger than the first!

On the basis of these two compilations, the future looks very rosy indeed for those amongst you who want to fill those essential gaps in the collection. Where many other companies' collections seem to pre-suppose a games playing public who haven't bought any major hits at all (Where have they been?), the Superior collections offer a nice mixture of smashes, also-rans and new titles that are worth seeking out for themselves.

This collection includes two smashes: the Repton sequel; Repton 2, of course, and the superb arcade conversion of Sinistar, DeathStar. I'm only surprised that they are not still selling strongly on their own.

The earlier games are still very playable - Space Pilot, a simple but addictive aerial fight in five time periods; Missile Strike; Battle Tank; the classic Crazy Painter and the now superseded but still good car racing game, Overdrive.

But again it is the new game that raises this collection above the norm - a maddeningly simple but compulsively addictive painter game, Kix, based on the arcade classic Qix. I'm certain I've seen another one of these but, nevertheless, Alwin Adolf's version is excellent. The gameplay could hardly be more basic - divide a square with lines from the edge of the screen whilst avoiding sparklers inside the square, tracers moving around the lines or fuses, which chase you if you show a moment's hesitation. There are bonuses for splitting the screen with sparklers in different parts but their reasonably random movements make it a challenge just to try and capture territory - you move onto the next level after you capture 75% of the screen.

Quite why it is so addictive I don't know - the game is so simple, but I return to it again and again. The graphics are unexceptional, the scoring and hi-score table are simple and the whole game plays like something from about three years ago - you could almost imagine Acornsoft releasing it before Elite.

And yet, and yet - I'm hooked and I'm not too proud to admit it. Try the collection, wallow in nostalgia, relive classic moments of gaming history and try and fathom the appeal of Kix. You won't be disappointed.