New games for the C64 are beginning to pour onto the market. Here's a sample of the latest.

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Heroes Of Karn is a large text adventure with the bonus of a graphic depiction of each location. There are also pleasant musical entertainments when you reach certain points - one of the airs, Greensleeves, is rendered as soon as you begin the adventure.

The cassette inlay gives some imaginatively-written background to the story, from which you learn that you must rescue the four Heroes of Karn, each of whom has his own special abilities which you will need to call upon. Needless to say, you must also find and bring back the treasures of the realm. Meet up with a gypsy encampment and you'll discover a bit more.

The graphics are interesting and drawn quite quickly although colour-in fill is rather slow. However, each picture is only drawn on your first visit to a location so you needn't wait again unless you request a fresh look.

Commands can be complex, ranging from the simple - TAKE BOX, NORTH, etc - to the more sophisticated. Some of the commands and formats are provided on the cassette inlay.

There is a save game facility but this is available only when you quit or restart the game.

An interesting and lengthy adventure that is likely to keep you away from your other games while you try to finish it.

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The widow in question here is a spider, a black widow. What the game turns out to be is another variation on an old theme - Centipede.

An army of beetle-like insects tramps across the screen firing rays down the screen whenever they collide with one of the many eggs cluttering up the place. Below, you control a cannon, the idea being to obliterate all objects indiscriminately, animate or inanimate.

The widow in question has only a small role - to scurry across the screen at random intervals, hoping you blunder into its path. A flapping vulture is on hand to replace the eggs you are busy blasting.

There are many rousing sound effects and bags of action to keep you from nodding off. The trouble is that it is too similar to (but not quite as good as!) Extermintor, Bubble Bug's earlier Centipede lookalike.

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Far better is Bubble Bus's other new release, Kick Off. This is a micro version of that old seaside and arcade mechanical favourite - Table Soccer.

Kick Off is pretty similar except the rows are controlled by joystick or keyboard. The computer records the scores and keeps putting up the balls. Though it is mainly intended as a two player game, you can play by yourself. However, the one player contest is pretty dull as the computer doesn't take over the other side. At the start of every match, you are treated to a rendition of a sporty tune and you can select the ball speed. Control of your rows of players takes a little getting used to but, once you've got the hang of it, it becomes second nature. You get eight balls per game and the teams change ends once four of them have been used.

Great fun. Addicts of the original will find this comes well up to expectations.

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In more familiar arcade territory is Xerons, a game that Galaxian fans will especially welcome. Against a backdrop of twinkling, colourful stars, you move your ground-based ship left and right to battle against bomb-dropping, suicidal aliens.

The Xerons are a mixed bunch; some wiggling, some spinning like demented starfish. Several of them peel off and swoop down towards you releasing bombs as they dive and loop. Overcome one wave and another soon follows, meaner and swifter.

There are no skill levels or starting screens and you can have only one missile in the air. These restrictions apart, this traditional space shoot-up, aided by attractive graphics and decent sound effects, is thoroughly enjoyable.

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This blockbuster sets you up as a galactic commando whose job is to recover as many stolen treasure chests as you can. The setting is a multi-floored chamber whose platforms are linked by ladders and tightropes. Pursuing you are a number of two-legged enemies - you can leap, swing across the tightropes, climb up and down ladders and dig traps in order to escape.

The catch? There are 150 different screens to conquer. If that's not enough, there is a built-in screen generator for you to create another 150 screens of your own design. Given this facility, you could end up playing Lode Runner for ever.

Lode Runner is an exciting game of grab, it and go - though expensive its scope gives excellent value.