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Firstly we must apologise for the fact that this review appears after the World Cup finals are dead and gone and too late to warn many of you of the extraordinary furore surrounding this game. This is because we didn't receive our production review copy until after last issue's deadlines. Not being a cynical person, I'm sure it's purely accidental that US Gold didn't manage to put out early review copies - it wasn't the fact that nobody wanted us to tell you the truth about this product.

The truth is that it is little more than a re-issue of Artic's ageing World Cup game, very slightly enhanced, but packaged lavishly to make it sell. It comes with posters, a badge and a special competition. The only problems are that the competition is already over (so most of the packaging is useless!) and the original game cost only £7.95 a year ago; it's available at knock down prices today. And it was never much good in the first place.

The game itself allows up to eight players to play in a knockout competition either against each other or the computer. This takes place on a horizontally scrolling pitch where you control the player nearest the ball. The scrolling and player animation is jerky while the gameplay lacks depth with little possibility for passing manoeuvres or skill. The 'enhancements' are three practice screens that load separately. They are for ball control, penalty taking and penalty saving. They aren't very well done graphically, are very short on gameplay and have absolutely nothing to do with the main game at all.

My advice is this: if you've got World Cup from Artic don't buy this game. If you haven't got it and really want it then try to find the original being sold off cheap, and if you can't do that then buy Match Day instead because it's a better game.

The most annoying thing about the whole episode is that US Gold didn't make clear to the public that World Cup Carnival was an 'enhanced' version of Artic's game, and that's unforgiveable. Our ratings are from the point of view of someone who already owns World Cup.

P. As a two player game it has some merit. But only if you don't have the original.
P. After the violent response to this game, I shouldn't think anyone will make this sort of mistake again.

N. Basically a direct copy of Artic's World Cup, a fact which isn't made clear on the packaging.
N. The enhancements are very weak indeed.
N. The scrolling is jerky and the animation poor.
N. The gameplay is frustrating and repetitive.
N. The presentation was only of interest before the World Cup.
N. The game costs £2 more now than it did a year ago. A shameful ripoff.

I can only see red over this one.

A real professional foul by US Gold. I mean, I feel completely outraged by their behaviour and I didn't even buy the miserable game. Maradona is Mr. Honest in comparison.