Being harshly critical about a game that has raised over £3,000 for charity is never an easy thing, so it's a good thing Bug's Quest For Tapes doesn't require it. This is an excellent platformer in the tradition of Manic Miner; with plenty of tricks and traps to keep you entertained for hours.

You play a Novabug, the alien entity who assumes human form in order to live stream his testing of Amstrad CPC games on YouTube (you may even have seen him review a few titles in this here magazine!). Unfortunately though, an evil, dastardly villain has nicked a lot of Novabug's cassette tapes and it's up to you to help him get them back. Sadly, that's easier said than done because the villain has hidden them across a vast array of deviously designed levels replete with colourful enemies that you may recognise from years gone past; plus a few that will haunt your nightmares for years to come. They range from weird sheep, Commodore logos, vintage joysticks, and a whole lot more.

Each of the sprites is excellently animated, and the game flows very smoothly. The controls are very straightforward and Novabug moves nice and smoothly around the screen, so if you fail, it's all on you rather than the game.

And fail you absolutely will, too - this game requires pixel-perfect jumps on many screens. Don't worry though, you will want to try again, and the game is very forgiving in that respect - you get plenty of second chances.

There are some downsides to the game, however. Some of the enemy designs feel like they are here simply because the designers didn't have anyone to say no to them. Nude prostitutes appear on several screens (including the instructions, so you can't miss them) and one enemy is distinctly in the shape of an erect penis! Neither of these fit the overall theme of the game, and as a result I can't recommend this to anyone with kids. That's a shame otherwise it would be a great introduction to old school gaming.

Overall, Bug's Quest For Tapes has a clear layout and makes good use of colour to highlight the player, enemies and platforms from the background. The graphics are well drawn and nicely animated, albeit with a large amount of enemy space on most screens.

While that makes the enemies and platforms clear, it does result in quite a sparse look to many screens. The music is an excellent rendition of Novabug's theme tune.

It's a shame there are no sound effects in the game, but while you're playing, you won't notice this all that much.

There are many great puzzle platformers that have that inherent "just one more go" quality to them and Bug's Quest For Tapes is no exception. Try it now!

If you're looking for some classic platforming action where precise jumps make the difference between life or death then Bug's Quest For Tapes is for you!

Graphically, the game is simple but looks gorgeous and the music track is excellent. Could do with the odd sound effect however and whose idea was it for flying phalluses???

Great game and fun to play.

Presentation 90%
Clear layout and good use of colour to highlight the player, enemies and platforms in the background.

Graphics 75%
Nicely drawn and nicely animated. Sparse feel to many screens.

Sound 80%
Excellent rendition of Novabug's theme tune. Sadly, no sound effects but doesn't detract from main game.

Addictive Qualities 85%
You'll want another try, and before you know it, it's morning and you're late for work!

Lastability 88%
One game you won't finish on a first sitting, or even a twentieth. You'll want to keep coming back for more.

Overall 85%