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Nope, not a game of acrobats, lion tamers, clowns and outrageous prices, but a motor racing game. Apparently it should have been called Continental Circuit but the title was mistranslated. Continental Circus is all about qualifying in races - along with 100 other aspiring drivers - in order to win a Formula One racing car.

Your car is capable of travelling at about 400kph - something not even a Formula One car can do. The idea is to compete on eight different circuits and on each one you must beat a qualifying position in order to proceed onto the next. Complete all eight and you get your very own scrummy Formula One death-mobile.

You have four credits (or lives), so if you blow up a car you can start the race from the beginning. If the crash isn't too serious you have the opportunity to nip into the pits and get your crew to do a quick refit. While you're in the pits the clock doesn't count down, but you do lose time because you have to accelerate up to top speed again if you're to catch up.

Graphically, Continental Circus is reminiscent of Super Monaco GP, although the gameplay is more like that of OutRun. The scrolling is smooth but the animation is simplistic. Don't expect a realistic simulation in this one - the emphasis here is on over-the-top action. Aurally there are some nice touches, though - the other cars make a nice vroooom sound as they scream past you, for instance.

Continental Circus is twee. It's remarkably like OutRun in terms of joystick of joystick skills, so if you like that game you're going to enjoy this. If you want a simulation, though, buy something else. If you want cheese, go to a cheese shop.