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What more natural setting for a shoot-'em-game that the Wild West, even if it has been used before?

The aim is to avoid the glowing cactus, to stay alive, and to shoot all the baddies. I thought at first the cassette's instructions had omitted to mention which keys you fire with, but they've saved you the bother of pressing any key as your Colt 45 rapid-fires automatically in whichever direction you're facing.

The game can be played with a Kempston joystick, or any programmable joystick interface, while keyboard users will be firing on all four cylinders: Q, A, SYMBOL SHIFT and SPACE for up, down, left and right. There are both one and two player games, with three lives at your disposal, and those quick on the draw will earn an extra life at 20,000 points.

The program has certainly been written with style, and there's hardly a moment when the screen isn't changing colour. But all that glitters isn't gold, so what of the game inside all the razzamatazz? Well you find yourself in the centre of the screen which fills with a number of bandits and cacti. Your task is to simply blast your way out by shooting both.

Your character moves with as much speed and zip as I've seen in any game. The so-called bandits start to move towards you, though they look more like Al Capone in their suits with padded shoulders. They'll try and force you into a corner, which is usually fatal as it's very difficult to shoot your way out with the bandits being so numerous on some waves. As you slide across the screen at such a speed it's quite difficult to avoid brushing the occasional cactus. These plants have an unusual defence system - the slightest contact with one results in instant and spectacular disintegration!

You don't need to clear the screen of cacti, but as soon as you've wiped out the last gunslinger there's an explosion of graphics and you're on the next screen.

Apart from all the zap-pow surrounding the game, I wasn't too impressed with the graphics, particularly the Wild West Hero himself who looks more like a deep-sea diver than Billy the Kid. The sound is never-ending and adds to the feel of the game, but I have my doubts about whether I'd return to it again and again. It's very repetitive once you've had your bit of fun with it.

Worth seeing for its speed and presentation, but low on long term appeal.