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Here is one of those strange adventures that accepts text-only input, but also has provision for joystick selection of a number of icons.

The icons represent some of the most common commands. Since it is necessary to input most commands in text, using the joystick means changing back and forth from the keyboard. For me, this is no improvement over keyboard-only input. Changing over from one to another is an interruption in the flow of play.

As the game starts, the player falls asleep, and can then only escape his dreams by passing through a border post in the game.

The game is a jolly little affair, with a number of relatively unconnected problems, unlikely adjacent locations such as a beach and an igloo (!), and unrelated events.

Dig in the sand with the handily positioned spade, and from under a bucket will spring the Sanman (why not "Sandman", for heaven's sake?) and he will run off into the igloo. See what I mean?

Starting off is the worst part, for the instructions on the inlay are almost microscopic in size. Were it not for the pocket magnifier helpfully supplied by The Fiend some time ago, to read his eye-straining letters, I'd probably still be struggling with the icons now!

Almost as bad is the keyboard response. The characteristics have been changed, and the rate of repeat is fast and unpredictable.

A short decisive tap on each letter is required, to ensure that only one character is entered. For some reason, apparently at random, the program takes it upon itself, every now and again to decide that ENTER has been pressed - usually when you are not looking at the screen!

This results in wasted split commands, but for some unaccountable reason, it does usually give a helpful list of exits!

Not a game to get up a good typing speed on, but fun nevertheless, and extremely good value if you've enough patience with its quirks.