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Those of you who read the C64 reviews (and why not) will have seen my seminal critical work on that version of Ninja Master in the August 88 issue. I said it was a load of rubbish (which it was) and my advice was not to buy it.

Recognising a hot tip when they saw one, virtually every C64 owner in the world went out and bought it, sending it rapidly towards the top of the charts.

Oddly enough, although the C16 version is almost identical, I'm more favourably inclined. I'll tell you why in a minute, but first, the game.

All I got was a cassette, but as I recall the blurb is something about being brought up as an acolyte in a monastery because your parents moved house without telling you and nobody had invented the social services. Ninja Master is the final test of your skill - sort of 'O' level martial arts.

There are four tests which you must complete successfully. In test one you must defend yourself against flying arrows with your bare hands. The arrows appear on screen in one of four positions. The appropriate tweak on the joystick throws out an arm or a leg to stop it.

Test two: joystick wiggling Track And Field style. Pump up the power meter in 20 seconds before the Ninja chops some firewood.

Test three: more arrows, this time you have a sword.

Test four: Hit a 'blob' which flies across the top of the screen, using a specially-designed Ninja peashooter.

As you can see, it's pretty straightforward. My major complaints about the C64 version were that it was too easy, quite boring, the graphics were appalling, there was no sound, and I didn't like it. All of these apply to a lesser degree to the C16 version because it is identical in virtually every respect.

Why to a lesser degree? Because the C16 is a less expensive and less sophisticated computer and so your expectations are naturally lower. Compared with other C16 games, particularly the Oriental aggro variety, Ninja Master comes out smelling of roses.

Some of the criticisms are still valid. It is too easy. You can achieve maximum points on the wood chopping at the second attempt, interestingly enough if you sit there and do nothing you still get 40. Ninja Master is crude and I wasn't exactly wild about it the first time around, but for all its faults it kept me amused for an hour or so.