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It must be at least thirty years that pinball machines have been around and they're still going strong despite the Invaders invasion.

The aim is to flip the ball around the table and score unbelievably high scores, which are recorded for you at top left of the screen, with current score at top right.

There are three different table layouts to choose from, the first having seven bumpers and the second and third nine bumpers each. On each screen there is a whirling cross which appears from time to time and which will gain you 1000 points if you hit it. There's a choice of three background colours, and you can use either joystick or keyboard; this is not very strenuous as the 7 key is the only one you'll need. This chooses the table layout, fires the ball onto the table, and operates the flippers.

To fire the ball, of which you get five - with a bonus every 10,000 points! - you press the fire-button, or 7 key, down to pull the plunger back, then release it to fire. The ball bounces around with realistic sounds, and the speed of movement seems fairly authentic with it shooting off as it hits a bumper of crawling slowly up the screen when gently flipped.

The problem with Pinball, though, is the graphics. These are decidedly fuzzy on even the clearest screen, and the green background I found almost unusable. As the ball bounces around, it also disappears briefly where the whirling cross appears and around the flippers. When this happens you can dig it out with a bout of frantic flipping.

Despite the dastardly disappearing ball, though, I did enjoy Pinball but felt guilty for doing so. It seemed that with complex adventures to be waded through, and multi-screened fast-moving arcade games to master. I ought not to be sitting there having fun with a game which only required you to lift one finger. But, as in the arcades, you become almost mesmerised by the bouncing ball, your flipper-finger itching, and all that matters is beating that high-score put up there by you or somebody else.

At the standard Microdeal price of £8, this doesn't compare well with some of its other offerings, and its appeal may be limited to those occasional sessions when you realise you haven't played the game for a while, just as you can pass dozens of Pinball machines and ignore them then one day you simply have to play. So, although I enjoyed it, it might not be everyone's cup of tea.