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The C16 is a new area of interest for English Software. The instructions are somewhat curt and burble on about time disturbances and other odd things. What you get on the screen are three scrolling windows; one depicts a landscape, one, the inside of a factory and the third, an underwater scene.

You control a rocket ship, a man in a rocket powered suit, or a submarine, depending on the zone you're in. Each zone scrolls from side to side as in Skramble, the idea being to destroy the 36 Time Orbs - 12 in each scenario. To do this you must shoot objects in your way and avoid others. Contact with any object looses you 15 minutes on your timer. Since you start with 24 hours, you have roughly 48 lives. Every five lives lost, the timers for each zone slip. Since the idea is to synchronise the clocks, this makes life trickier.

The game shows to good effect the colour capabilities of the 16. The design of the graphics are neat and the scrolling is very smooth. Sound is limited to zapping and other noises, but is quite effective.

Whilst this game isn't startlingly original, it is slick, pretty and very challenging. Each zone requires different tactics and all are infuriatingly testing. Even at the price, it's pretty good.

M.W.