Hmm, can't for the life of us think where we've seen this before...

Here's an odd one for you: a budget game made with content licensed from a pet supplies firm. As you can probably tell from the name and the shots here, what developer Data Design has done is riff totally from Super Monkey Ball's concept. And in doing so it's not only gutted a very sound game concept but also hung, drawn and quartered its inherent charm.

You roll your hamster in a plastic ball across 20 courses. Certain cues, such as the analogue stick-only control, have been 'borrowed' straight from Sega's simian-sliding antics. A few other elements are familiar from other sources, such as the Micro Machines travel-through-domestic-landscapes bubble the game is now enclosed in, and then there's the striking similarity between the main character and Stuart Little.

Most importantly though, Hamster Ball is clearly designed to sell Habitrail merchandise - the 'Hamster care guide' included in the game kindly displays all the lovely different cages you can buy - and your character's treat for completing each course is a pack of Habitrail snacks. Tasty.

Ask yourself: is a glorified advert worth nine quid of your hard-earned cash? Of course it's not. The levels are an ordeal rather than an adventure - they are frustrating, haphazard and random. Plus the game is very brief, weighing in at just under an hour's worth of play - which is actually a blessing. The less time you spend with this, the better.

Graphics 40%
Just about do the job.

Sound 40%
Helium-fuelled high-pitched whines.

Gameplay 30%
Takes an original idea and snaps it in two.

Lifespan 20%
Probably about 40 minutes.

Overall 30%
Real hamsters last a lot longer than this and also cost about the same. We recommend getting one of those instead.