It's no secret! It's Breakout with a new twist. Instead of the bat being confined to the bottom of the screen you can skirt around the playing area in a huge sweeping circle, which makes this game interesting in its own right. But it has been crafted so well that its atmosphere really takes you in.

From the little man dragging the Ballarena banner across the score table to the beautiful array of bricks to be wiped out, Ballarena never fails to make you step back and admire its design. Gameplay isn't bad either. You battle to keep your ball, straying off the edge of the screen, while aliens obstruct its path. As if this wasn't enough - you have to collect the power-up tokens that spiral out from the 'vanishing point'.

With two players it becomes even more involved as you either help each other out or concentrate on knocking your opponent out of the area by deflecting his ball.

Each screen consists of blocks that range from old tin caps to hub caps, and at times I was reluctant to blast them away, but then I remembered that another work of art was waiting to be admired on the next level. After every four levels comes a challenge stage. Here your bat is equipped with a laser and you have to destroy streams of aliens with a wanton blood lust to gain points. Frustration really comes into play if another player is trying to do the same, since the bats don't pass over each other here - you have to ram your 'partner' out of the way!

To conclude, Ballarena shows style, even if it isn't too original. It's a game of top quality and the guys that produced it show an enthusiasm for the Arc that makes me very glad to own one. Take my advice, buy this game - you won't be disappointed.