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Zaxxon, on which this game is based, was one of the most popular arcade games of 1983. Zylogon doesn't quite make the same grade.

Your ship is piloted across a scrolling band of blue and light blue geometric shapes. It can move up and down, left and right, and must avoid the various defences of the Zylogons as it goes.

There are five different levels of play, which don't change the content of the game, but speed up the action. Level 5 is quite tricky whereas level 1 is a doddle. The Zylogons don't seem to be very imaginative in the construction of their defences. As in Zaxxon, you must fly either over or under obstacles placed in your way. You must also bomb fuel dumps to replenish your tanks.

Every so often you leave the scrolling landscape to do battle with alien ships in deep space. These sequences aren't particularly exciting, but they do provide some variety.

Then it's back to the last waves of missiles and rockets, and last but not least (but almost least) a large robot who blasts away at you.

The robot is a bit of an anti-climax. He's very easy to shoot, and the only threat is from the missiles he hurls at you which are very difficult to spot as they blend in with the background. Once you've killed the robot, it's back to the beginning with a new supply of ships, and the same task to accomplish all over again.

The best thing about the original Zaxxon was the display. Zylogon's graphics aren't exactly stunning, and the game doesn't have the compulsion of a good shoot-'em-up. which means you're better off looking elsewhere.