Just when you thought all the good games for the Vic had dried up, something excellent turns up that forces you not to write off the old micro yet.

Cave Fighter from Bubble Bus gets around the limitations of the unexpanded Vic's memory by using a clever multi-load technique.

If you manage to master the first level of this tough platform game, part two will automatically load. There are eight different loads in all.

Cave Fighters was launched originally for the C64. This Vic version will be followed by a C16 version to be launched at the Commodore Show in June.

The aim of the game is to get as far as you can into the complex of caves blasting the aliens as you travel.

It doesn't do to get too near to the aliens as they give off poisonous gasses that can kill you off without the alien even making contact with you.

Our cave explorer is armed with an automatic laser that can be operated by simply pointing the joystick in the direction you wish to fire.

One criticism of Vic Cave Fighter is that the little man is very difficult to control. It requires differing pressure on the fire button and movement of the joystick after he has taken his leap.

I don't like games where the difficulty is controlling your character. The difficult bit should be beating the game itself - not learning how to play it.

That said, Cave Fighter is still one of the best games I have seen for the unexpanded machine for some time.