Whooooosh (plop). What's this that's just landed on my desk? Why, it a budget title from Encore. Two flight sims on one cassette for a laughable £2.99. Can't be bad - and it isn't! ACE is the first game and is a straight-forward fight sim and a jolly good blast as well. There are options for flying conditions in the form of the changing seasons and, prior to each mission, you must choose which weapons load you require. Once you're airborne you can look at the map to locate the enemy planes or ground forces and, if necessary, intercept your flying tanker to take part in an air-to-air refuelling session.

Okay so the graphics aren't exactly complex... but who cares when the gameplay is fast and uncluttered. Your objectives are simple, and so are the controls leaving you to get on unhindered with the job in hand.

ACE II is even more simplistic but provides a somewhat different challenge in that the screen is split across the middle. This means that both you and another chocks-away chum can pit your aeronautical abilities against each other. Again, the action is fast and the lack of graphical detail is unimportant when your concentrating your efforts on the enemy.

If all of your friends have deserted you, there's even an option to dogfight against a computer opponent, though in truth this was a bit too difficult for your average armchair pilot [then again, Andy, it might just be you being pathetic - Ed].

One of these games would be worth the budget price tag but having both on one cassette is an indisputable bargain.

It has been suggested that I am nothing more than a miserable skinflint, so to put these hideous lies to rest I will say of these games that they are worth every penny and more, and at least they represent some element of the real world and not some ludicrous fantasy. Well go on then, stop reading and go out and buy it... if you must.