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The Death Squad are back with The Eggsterminator which is their twelfth game for the ZX Spectrum. As you'd expect with a Death Squad game, the graphical style is instantly recognisable being bright, vibrant and colourful with many of the characters from earlier games making an appearance.

Our old hero from Death Squad games such as Sewer Rage and Crappy Crates returns, only this time he is "the Eggsterminator", tasked with punching poisonous snake eggs. The action is fast paced and fantastic fun throughout with shades of pacman in both controls and the last second avoidance of enemies. The familiar 4 axis up, down, left, right and fire controls are in full effect and the action feels immediately familiar.

Where the game really stands out though is in the graphical style. Everything on screen looks fantastic and the bright colours and enemy sprites are outstanding. The soundtrack by Yermyey is another factor that really makes this stand out from the rest. The jolly tune that accompanies the action ensures you play with a smile on your face from start to finish. The game has a fantastic learning curve with the first few screens being extremely forgiving but that doesn't last long and problem solving tactics soon become necessary if you are to progress. The game plays in a classic arcade, coin guzzling style which promotes that 'one more go' mentality.

Not every character can kill you and you can punch some away but you need to keep an eye on that energy bar as it diminishes with every contact. The bigger sprites can eat you in one bite too but again, like Pac-man you are faster than most enemies so you soon become skilled in avoiding them. The game is a rewarding play which would be great fun as a multiplayer but that isn't an option here. There's still enough to merit a playthrough as a single player though and this is a super addition to the Death Squad Library.

The arcade gameplay ensures a pick up and play nature which is fun for hardcore gamers and novices alike. The music is outstanding and adds to the experience. The graphics are excellent and there is very little colour clash throughout. The gameplay has a great learning curve which requires a brain as it progresses.

The game is a little too short and can be finished in a couple of hours. Upon completion there is no real reason to play through again.

As an arcade style experience on the Spectrum, this game presses all the right buttons (pun intended). It just doesn't have the longevity that other titles of this style offer. Overall it's well worth a play and you'll enjoy your time with it. A second player option would make it fantastic so perhaps in the future we could see a real classic coming from this talented duo. Let's hope like all Terminator movies: They'll be back!