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New York City is in a terrible state, with most of the inhabitants living in conditions unfit for rats, whilst the fortunate few, the drugs barons, live in luxury. Having lost control over the city the US government, they call in the CIA to clean up. They do so very well, the crime bosses are forced to run. Terrible revenge follows: they take CIA boss John Stevens hostage!

As the CIA's top operative you must rescue your boss and lead him to safety. To help you in your search you have your faithful sidekick Black Virgin, the panther, and a .357 Magnum. Together you battle the thugs that attack you along the way: members of gangs such as The Mutilators, The Happy Undertaken and The Streetwise Tigers. Your panther will occasionally help you out of a tight spot, but in general you must rely on either your martial arts prowess, or your gun (search for ammo, it's limited). At the end of each section a gang leader must be defeated before you can carry on - big dudes who need a lot of stomping.

Do your job, and Stevens is found, but that's only half your problem solved. You must get him back to the starting point, and to make matters worse, he's a physical wreck.

This game's streets may be wild, but I found myself falling asleep very swiftly. The idea is quite a good one, but the gameplay has all the appeal of a major traffic jam. The sprites are small stick like figures who judder around the screen like drunken CRASH reviewers. Take my advice, steer clear of Wild Streets.

MARK ... 35%

'Wild Streets did not impress me at all. The graphics are badly drawn and undetailed, especially in the white monochrome the programmers have chosen. The only colour you see in the whole game is the small bit on the status panel at the bottom of the screen. Beat-'em-up games are not new to the Spectrum (as you probably know), so why we need another one to add to the ever increasing selection I do not know. This one's not going to rank among the best of them either. Wild Streets is anything but: you'd have more fun watching a street sweeper do his job!'