Anybody who has ever played the original Gauntlet will know what a fantastic outing it is. Having said that, the sequels were every bit as good as the original, if not better and more addictive in parts.

If you aren't too sure which of the three blasts in the Gauntlet series is the best, then take this gem of a compilation out for a test run and decide for yourself.

First up on the tape, is the original Gauntlet blast. The aim of the game, as with all three games, is to create havoc through the seemingly endless series of caverns and rooms in the mazes.

Before you set off however, you must decide whether you want to be a Warrior, a valkyrie, a wizard or an Elf. Take a good look through the manual before you decide, as each character has its strong and weak points.

Once you've made up your mind, you're on your own. Starting off on the easiest levels, you must simply locate a key that will help you on to the next level. To start with you only encounter a few baddies, so progress is fairly easy. As you progress, the number and variety of the monsters increases rapidly, making your life a real nightmare.

Most of the monsters can be shot, though some are harder to kill than others. To be certain, make sure you take out the generators which spew out the baddies before moving on.

Be sure to pick up as many treasures, potions and bonuses as you can, to increase your fighting power and keep you fighting through to the final confrontation. Like the original, the two sequels have pretty much the same ground rules, the only differences being that the locations have changed and there are even bigger, nastier bugbears to take on...

In the Dungeons, make sure you look out for extra magic pick-ups, which will make your life a whole lot easier; while in Gauntlet II there are some excellent new pick-ups to be had, such as invisibility, invulnerability and super shots.

If you are really lucky, you may even find a repulsiveness amulet, which will turn all of the monsters away from you in disgust. Very handy. However, take care when using some of these amulets, as they may prove a bit of a brain on your health points.

Talking of which, there also also poisoned potions and foods to be found in Gauntlet II, so beware.

Say what you like, you won't find many better single game collections around on the market than this one.

Each of the Gauntlet blasts are classics in their own right and, as a compendium, they are excellent value for money on the budget label. Fast, colourful, addictive and above all, fun, Multimixx 4 is not to be missed.