A good old-fashioned slugging match is on the cards with software companies preparing for the MSX wave from Japan.

In the red corner if the tag team of Mastertronic, Llamasoft and others who plan to release MSX software at the usual prices. In the blue corner are Activision and new company Electric Software, with games from £9 to £12.

Activision explains the £11.99 tag on its first six titles by a reference to the small number of MSX machiines it expects to be sold this year. It also talks about quality and creative programming. Electric Software is producing games for sale at £8.95 and says: "The programs use the machines' capabilities to its full extent."

Both get a raspberry from Llamasoft's Jeff Minter. "We will be selling MSX programs at about £5 - like any Vic 20 or C64 programs. But, of course, it depends on the complexity of the program," he said.

Mastertronic, as usual, will be rocking the boat with bargain basement prices. Its Space Walk and BMX Racers, due to be ready by mid-November, will cost £1.99.

And the machines themselves? The European launch of MSX is due this week.