Delays in delivery of the Electron, or perhaps the lack of serious competition at such an early stage in the life of the machine, appear to have led software houses to minimise their investment in Electron games and abandon any attempt at originality. Many of the games available seem to be aimed at the complete newcomer to computers who has never had a chance to make comparisons with the software available for other machines.

No doubt that mistake will soon be rectified and in the meantime any new software, much of it competent if not inspired, will be welcomed gratefully by Electron owners.

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Wave upon wave of unwanted visitors of one kind or another are a recurring theme of the games on the market. In Kamakazi - such is the unusual spelling on the cassette cover - from A & F Software, the threat is from successive squadrons of enemy aircraft which are attacking the player's base. The aim of this straightforward shoot-out game on Space Invader lines is to move up the ranks listed on the score table, from novice through to leader right up to superman, by displaying prowess at zapping the enemy from the sky.

The concept is by now all too familiar, giving the game a decidedly dated air, and the graphics lack the sophistication which might have dragged it into the present, if not the future. The action is fast, however, and anyone who enjoys testing reflexes against invading hordes will probably find Kamakazi a satisfactory way of doing so.

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A more interesting game for the Electron from the same company is Cylon Attack, based on an earlier version released early last year for the BBC micro. Cylon Attack features a space battle in which the player is a pilot on board an earth supply ship travelling to a distant planet. The Cylons are trying to prevent the mission succeeding and the player must try to line them up in the spaceship sights and zap them before they have time to release their deadly missiles.

The screen display shows the pilot's cockpit and the view from his windscreen. At the top is a long-range radar screen revealing the whereabouts of Cylons which are out of the pilot's view. When Cylons are framed in the pilot's sights, the cross at the centre increases in size to indicate that there is a good chance of a direct hit.

Fast reactions are needed to shoot at precisely the right moment and forestall enemy fire. Each time the spaceship is hit the number of its shields decreases and regular trips to the mothership are needed to prevent it running out of fuel.

The 3-D graphics and the sound effects of this lively game achieve some striking results and most arcade games fans would probably need no encouragement to play it for long periods. To make sure, however, A & F Software has incorporated a high-score competition, with the facility to save the high score table on cassette and send it as a competition entry.

A & F Software is at Unit 8, Canal Side Industrial Estate, Woodbine Street East, Rochdale, Lancs OL16 5LB. Kamakazi and Cylon Attack cost £7.90 each.

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The fact that the line of fire in Jungle Jive, produced for the BBC and Electron by Virgin Games, is directed against animals will probably not endear it to many people. The two-sided tape for the BBC B and the Electron has the player as explorer strolling through the jungle, with various beasts such as elephants and crocodiles closing in on either side.

The explorer moves on a central axis up and down the screen and pressing the left and right keys causes him to fire in the appropriate direction. The player's task is complicated by the fact that bullets which do not hit target are liable to ricochet from the sides of the screen and kill the explorer, as well as by a slithering snake which makes random appearances in the explorer's path. Clearing one screen leads to another where the action is faster and more dangerous.

Jungle Jive is well-presented and lively but in spite of an unusual setting, is simply a variation on a well-tried shoot-out theme.

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The same goes for Bugs, another Virgin Games offering, this time for the Electron only. The targets are a variety of bugs which for some reason have invaded your garden and which you must fight off with your fast-firing spray. A slow-moving snail adds to your difficulties by leaving a trail which prevents you killing your spider and scorpion enemies - this is obviously no English garden.

Jungle Jive and Bugs are produced by Virgin Games, 61-63 Portobello Road, London W11 3DD. They cost £7.95 each.

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In Alien Dropout, from Superior Software, the pests to be eliminated are - you will never guess - killer moths bent on destroying the earth. The moths fall in sequence into a row of boxes overhead and as soon as one box is full a moth is released which will attempt to destroy your laser. Shooting from the ground, your aim is to destroy the moths before they fill their boxes and wreak havoc to your defences.

Although little more than yet another thinly disguised version of Space Invaders, Alien Dropout provides shoot-out fans with some fast, lively action and attractive graphics. Bonus laser bases at 10,000 and 20,000 points offer an additional incentive to continue playing.

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Fruit Machine, again from Superior Software, is even less likely to win prizes for originality than Alien Dropout. Modelled faithfully on the pub game, it is introduced by a score table, followed by detailed instructions on how to play. As on real machines, you can spin, collect your winnings - if any - or gamble and you can also nudge or hold individual reels.

The game is reasonably realistic and certainly attractive to look at but any attempt to reproduce the thrills of gambling on a computer is bound to be a disappointment. This version of Fruit Machine is at a particular disadvantage as it is relatively slow and winning spins occur infrequently.

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Superior Software has also produced two educational programs for the Electron which differ in appeal. World Geography, a straightforward quiz program intended to help students memorise capital cities and population figures for a wide range of countries, does an excellent job of what it sets out to do. A clearly-drawn map of the world occupies the top half of the screen and with each new question a flashing point indicates the location of the country being discussed.

At the start you can choose the category of countries on which you would like to be tested, from easy places such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan, to more obscure ones like Mauritius, Samoa and Kiribati - an island in the Pacific, in case you didn't know. Eight categories give the quiz ample scope.

World Geography supplies the correct answer whenever an incorrect one is given and generally manages to combine entertainment with enlightenment. The only disadvantage is the somewhat slow transition from one question to another.

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Constellation allows you to view the stars and planets from any vantage point and at any time you choose. All you need to do is enter the latitude and longitude of the location - several points around the world are given as examples - then the date, the time to the nearest minute, and the elevation of the telescope. The screen then displays a picture of the sky as it would appear according to the facts entered.

Without being an astronomer, it is difficult to judge how accurate the sky charts are. Assuming that they are, Constellation is no doubt a useful reference and teaching aid but it is a pity that no explanation is provided, either on screen or on the cassette insert, which would help the uninitiated to use and learn from the program. Stars and constellations are not named and there is no easy route back from one screen to the menu should you want to look at another screen.

Superior Software is at Regent House, Skinner Lane, Leeds. Alien Dropout, Fruit Machine, World Geography and Constellation each cost £7.95.

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The humour in Bed Bugs, from Optima Software, may not be to everyone's liking but the game at least shows a promising touch of individuality. The less-than-enticing storyline has the player tucked in bed and falling prey to a swarm of fleas.

If the fleas are squashed successfully, they are followed by bed bugs, from which one bite is sufficient to end the game.

You have a choice of weapons with which to defend yourself - a set of dentures to bite back at the fleas; a jam sandwich which is most effective for swatting bed bugs but leaves undesirable stains on the covers; a sponge for wiping away jam stains; and a telephone to summon help.

The graphics and sound in Bed Bugs are lively without being highly sophisticated and the action is reasonably fast, even though the bugs, realistically enough, prove difficult to swat.

Optima Software is at 36 St Petersgate, Stockport SK1 1HL and the game costs £6.95.