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If you are bored with soaking up the sun, or cannot become enthusiastic about a day trip to Clacton, how about widening your horizons with an adventure? Carnell Software has produced three 16K ZX81 cassettes, each with an adventure and another substantial game.

In Volcanic Dungeon, you enter the realm of myth and magic to rescue the Princess Edora from the three-fold clutches of the goddess of evil, the Snow Queen, and the Witch of the Black Mountains. You are given a map of the 80 connected caverns, filled with monsters, pits and fire. Armies of goblins and ice giants await. Weapons and magical objects are scattered around and you must watch your strength and water levels.

Also on the cassette is Hangman with a built-in 400-word vocabulary; the program allows for easy or difficult words, one or two players, and has full-screen graphics.

In Alien Intruder, you wake from cryogenic suspension to find that the rest of the starship crew has been eaten by an alien monster - and it will soon be dinnertime again. A graphics display shows any lifeforms on the same level - the ship has three levels - so you can watch the alien move closer.

Another display shows what exits are possible from the room or corridor you are in, and a third display shows what you have been able to load into your space shuttle craft, which is your only hope of escape. Food, water, oxygen, weapons and other useful objects are scattered around.

On the other side of Alien Intruder is Hieroglyphics, a clever variation of Hangman, in which a 39-symbol ancient alphabet has to be deciphered before the famous explorer, Wullie Makeit, is buried in sand. Both programs make good use of graphics and words to make a very entertaining package.

Wumpus Adventure features the most ancient and terrible creature of computer mythology. You must track the Wumpus by its smell and chilling cry through a maze of caves containing a host of terrors.

Goblins may catch you and tie you up as a morsel for their god, the Wumpus; bats may pick you up and drop you in another cave, which may contain a bottomless pit or a giant serpent - or only a swamp if you are lucky. Up to four players can take part and if you happen to step into Wumpus muck, one of the other players may smell you and fire an arrow at you in mistake for the monster.

With Wumpus Adventure there is Movie Mogul, which gives a taste of the trials and tribulations of Hollywood. See a day's filming go down the drain when the leading actor punches the leading lady in the mouth; try to balance location and studio filming, while keeping in mind the current fashions among the movie buffs. Wumpus and Mogul are two good non-graphics programs to keep you off the beach for hours.

Volcanic Dungeon/Hangman costs £4.50 and the other two tapes are £5 each, plus 50p P&P, from R. Carnell, 4 Stainton Road, Slough, Berkshire.