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Um. Morph, eh? What a terrific, puzzley game. And now, thanks to Morph A1200 Version, it's got 50% more levels! (If you've got an A1200, that is.)

(Steadily dumming of fingers.)

Right. If that's the way you want it. You will, of course, have read Tim's review of Morph in AP27. He gave it 86%, on the grounds that it's one of the most original, enjoyable puzzle games to have appeared in ages.

As usual, the idea's simple enough. You're a little round blob with eyes and a mouth. And your precise form and capabilities depend upon the state you're currently in - solid (in which case you're very heavy, and can roll around), liquid (you can flow through gratings), gas (when you can float upwards) and bouncy solid (when you can bounce around). And you change from state to state by waggling the joystick in the appropriate manner. But beware! You've only got a limited number of each sort of transformation - usually jsut the right number to make it through the current level. Once they're all gone it's game over. (Or, at least, back to the start of the level again.)

Luckily, though, extra transformations are dotted about the place, and occasionally you'll find yourself having to pass through a transformation block that'll change you whether you like it or not.

There are other obstacles, of course. Like, er, fans, pools of acid, spikes, fire, that kind of thing. You're vulnerable to each one when you're in certain states, so to make it through each level you've got to make sure you're in the right state at the right time. And you can only move in some directions if you're in the right state too. (Like, to move upwards for any distance you've got to be the little cloud.) The levels are arranged into four worlds which you can tackle at your leisure, so if you get stuck on one puzzle you can switch your efforts to a different world.

What's so good about it? The puzzles have been extremely well designed - they start off easy, but get incredibly (almost frustratingly) difficult within minutes - much harder, in fact, than the ones in the original game. And it's all very jolly and cute. It's a pretty even blend of thinking, dexterity and going-along-a-bit-and-dying-but-remembering-not-to-make-the-same-mistake-next-time, which has got to be a good thing. It's not something you're likely to return to once you've finished it, but that shouldn't be for ages. And it's not for everyone - you really do have to think very hard all the time.

So why am I telling you all this again? Because the A1200 version has come out. And it's got 50% more levels! [Come on. You've made it this far! - Ed]

I know, I know. It's got 50% more levels, which means that if you barely made it to the end of the ordinary version alive, this new extended version will put your very soul in jeopardy. A1200 owners - now there's a version of Morph especially for you.

Uppers: Morph's a great game that, if it lacks anything, lacks levels. But this new 36-stage version (and that's 50% more!) corrects even that potential flaw, giving you loads more playing time for your money. The levels (after the first few) are much harder than the ones in the A500/600 version too, and the graphics have all been touched up into the bargain.

Downers: Don't expect any really extraordinary advances graphics-wise, though. And, unless I'm missing something, couldn't the A500 version have had the extra levels in the first place?

It might only be scoring 1% more than the normal versioon, but it's a big, important 1%. Morph was a top puzzler that could only be improved by being enlarged and toughened up. And now it has been.