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An interesting mutation of several arcade games, with an original theme. You take the role of Chzraal the wizard, whose task is to save five maidens from the attentions of a host of demon-like birds.

Chzraal stands on the edge of a small cliff, stage left, with the five ladies in a row in front of him, each perched on a rock. The birds descend from the top of the screen and attempt to carry them off.

To Stop them, the wizard must fire at them with his magic wand, which you can move up and down by using keys A and Z. As he kills off each attacking wave, the difficulty level increases.

Colour, hi-res graphics and sound are used to the full, and what animation there is, is superb.

The cassette insert sets the scene in time-honoured Quicksilva tradition, and playing instructions are supplied on screen. Despite my efforts, I found no bugs or accidental ways of crashing the program.

The Wizard's strong graphics and simple concept give it instant addictive quality, and a hall of fame feature for the top three scores adds to the competitive element. But perhaps it is a little too simple to have lasting appeal - especially for arcade-hardened addicts.

R.E.