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Weird? Wacky? Educational? I just don't know folks, one thing's for sure though, Viz the comic is even crazier than the paving on an Essex garden path and twice as naughty as a scrumping schoolboy.

So what about the game? We've been waiting, nay anticipating the appearance of Viz ever since Virgin first announced they were working on it, and ever since Sinclair User previewed it back in March. Well, this is your big chance to find out if Virgin and John Brown Publishing made good bedfellows (fnarr, fnarr) as the SU Crew give the game (and Biffa Bacon) a bashing to see if they have managed to pull off (yuk, yuk) the transition between comic characters and computer game giants.

The opening screen allows you to choose between three Viz regulars, depending on whether you want to be: incredibly flatulent, a bully, or have unfeasibly large testicles because, yes, it's Biffa Bacon, Johnny Fartpants and Buster Gonad, making their first prime time TV appearance on Fulchester Television, yippee!! You then begin a race against time, the other contestants and a variety of invariably rude Viz inhabitants who will try to make it as tough as possible, in fact, a real tough ride (heh, heh). The day's compere is that nice man on the telly... Roger Mellie and he's in a right ruddy humour probably 'cos Tom, his producer, is nowhere to be seen! In order to make sure that people stick to their own lanes during the race Rodney Ricks will be chucking bricks at those who deviate.

Each race starts with a bonus screen in which Buster, Biffa and Johnny collect tokens for use with their specialist skills during the event. These bonus levels are wrist and joystick mangling, as their success largely depends on quick shooting and frantic wiggling (double fnarr, fnarr).

The bonus competitions for each character are naturally based on their world-renowned talents. Biffa's include lager drinking and fighting, Buster's a re painfully plum pulverising and Mr. Fartpants esq.'s involve lots of brussels sprout-induced whiffy guffs.

There are five races: country, town, building site, beach and night club where people like the Parlie and Mrs. Brady, old lady will try to spike your scrotum or cork your canal which makes things not so easy.

The graphics and the gameplay recreates Viz admirably - the zany personalities and images of the comic are all there, easily recognisable and with all their peculiar talents intact. Where Viz is let down is by the not quite so successful joystick-wrenching gameplay.

The graphics during the races are acceptable but the sprites can mix and become confusing; this confusion also extends to avoiding obstacles and crossing bridges/paths, which can be difficult to judge. Another annoying feature is a tendency to get put back in the same place or situation which you've just been killed, thus resulting in a second loss of life. There is a short period of immunity once you return, but because of graphic confusion this can be wasted. Be warned that all of this can lead to serious frustration.

On a more positive note, the music and background sounds are reasonably good and fit well. Overall Viz is a mixture of good and bad. It's just possible that the bad points are actually deliberate, as Viz traditionally likes to do things differently, but I don't know... as Biffa might put it, "It's a reet cheeky ghay-em, 'an not fer ya mutha or fatha like".

I've been following Viz since its first inception and the actual characters themselves are brilliantly done. Some backgrounds however, can be cluttered and misleading and, although it started out well, it looks as if Virgin couldn't keep it up long enough to have a creamey product on their hands.

Viz starts out with great promise, and there's no denying, it is quite entertaining. However, control can be difficult and even frustrating. You'll either love it or hate it.