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Micromega seems to be specialising in attempts to bring 3D to your Spectrum, and after the fun-but-limited Pac-Man variation, Haunted Hedges, comes a more exciting proposition with vague similarities to both 3D Tanx and Imagine's Zoom.

It is the year 2501 and the North American continent is ruled by mighty warlords. You, as one of the elite Riders of the Big Bikes, must patrol the forests and rid them of the enemy riders, thus earning yourself $1,000 a time.

The game is Kempston joystick compatible, but is easily playable from the keyboard.

The front of your own bike stays static at bottom centre of the screen while the trees of the forest rush towards you from the horizon. While two enemy riders roar through the forest, you must accelerate to top speed to bring them within range of your photon bolts.

The range indicator at the front of the screen flashes when you have the enemy in range - also shown are your three lives, your score and a high score.

Your handlebars switch left and right as you race through the trees firing at the hostile riders, who nip through the woods with ease, trying to tempt you to a head-on collision with a passing pine. From time to time you are given the change to fire on an enemy helicopter or tank, and you remain on the first sector till you've seen off the two riders you're after.

Then there's a brief halt while night-time falls and it's back to full revs in search of two more riders accompanied this time by enemy tanks, and naturally the forest seems to get thicker the further you go.

The cassette cover claims the greatest reward will go to the rider who can penetrate eight sectors, but as I only managed to get through the first four before losing three arguments with tree-trunks I can't tell you what this is.

The graphics of Deathchase seem to have been simplified to keep the game at breakneck speed, but I for one would rather have the extra speed of operation. Relentless sounds add to the excitement of the chase.

While not totally original, Deathchase restored to me the excitement of playing the original Space Invaders.