The once all-conquering Software Projects haven't had too many successes over the last year, and I fear they could be unlucky again with this one. The problem is the remarkable Summer Games II, which offers astonishingly good equestrian action and seven other events besides.

Still, if you hadn't seen Summer Games II, first impressions of Show Jumper would be excellent. You find yourself astride a very nicely animated mount, pawing the ground with impatience at the start of the first of twelve courses.

Nudge the joystick right and the horse starts to walk. Nudge again and the walk becomes a canter (the animation is actually the same as the "walk" but the horse moves faster). A third nudge and this time the animation changes very effectively into a gallop at full stretch.

The view of the horse appears in the main part of the screen which acts as a scrolling window on the action. Below is a map of the entire course which automatically highlights which fence you should jump next.

All that is involved in jumping a fence is moving the horse down the right ligh toward it and the pressing the fire-button at the appropriate moment, according to whether the horse is galloping or cantering (for fast times you should gallop except when approaching double fences or when a sudden change of direction is needed). This is, unfortunately, more basic, than the demanding joystick contortions required in Summer Games II. However, it'll still take quite a bit of practice to get a clear round every time - and once you can do that there's always the challenge of getting faster times.

Mis-timing a jump can result in a refusal or even a spectacular fall from the saddle. and if you hit the wrong fence at any stage you get eliminated.

One very nice touch is a facility to allow you to design your own courses.

Game sound consists of a pleasant rendition of Mozart's famous horn concerto, an effective hoof beat, various hooters when you make mistakes, and wild applause from the crowd at the end of the course - even when you've been eliminated at the second fence!

If it had been released four months earlier, this program would have been a winner. But since then, Summer Games II has dramatically upped the standards for sports simulations, and poor old Harvey Smith suffers by comparison.