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It doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that Death Race 16 is a racing simulation. Probably the most brill and best known race game ever is Atari's Pole Position, and consequently it's the standard by which everything else is compared. Surprisingly enough, Death Race 16 doesn't come out too badly.

You start off, as is usual in motor racing, on the grid. The problem is your car has stalled and everyone else has left you behind in a cloud of smoke and gravel. You must come from behind, and overtake everything on the road at speeds of up to 300mph. You don't have to go that fast, but it you didn't then you wouldn't get many points and the spectators would think you weren't much cop as a racing driver. You'd never be able to look yourself in the wingmirror again.

Now, a number of criticisms. You have to push the spacebar to start each new game, which is a bit of a pain if you're using a joystick, a minor point, I know, but one which could easily have been put right. Next, the action is a bit jumpy, not really smooth-flowing enough. Given the hardware limitations this is inevitable, but it's murder on your eyes, particularly at the skyscraper stage.

Probably part of the same problem is the other cars on the road. There is no real illusion of gaining on them, then overtaking them at speed. It's more like they approach you, space invaders fashion from the top of the screen. They're also very difficult to avoid as you don't know which way they're going until they've smashed right into you.

Don't be put off by all this though. My overall impression is that Death Race is a pretty good simulation, the various tracks sections, city streets, mountain roads, night driving, are superbly done. Certainly the best game of its kind for the C16. In fact, the only one, I think.