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Gyroscope first appeared in the country's pubs and arcades about a year ago. Then it was called Marble Madness and was twenty pence a shot. Something which obviously didn't put Jeff Minter off, as he described it as the "most brilliant game ever".

The only significant difference between Gyroscope and Marble Madness is that the marble has been replaced by a gyroscope! In most other respects, the game is virtually identical.

You contro, or at least attempt to control a gyroscope which is spinning on a 3D block graphic surface. Using the joystick you must manoeuvre the gyro so that it doesn't bash into the walls or go flying off the edge.

This would be easy except that the surface is full of holes, dips, bulges and precarious narrow ledges. As if this weren't enough to foul things up, just when you're doing really well aliens appear from nowhere to topple your gyro.

So the object of the game is to complete the thirty screens before losing your five lives or running out of time.

Stunning and brilliant are words too often used to describe average graphics, but Gyroscope really is excellent in this respect. The music is pretty good too. The most fascinating thing though, and what makes it so addictive, is the fact that it's so difficult. It took me half an hour to get through the first screen, but my skill and confidence improved rapidly - very gratifying. My money's with Jeff on this one.