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When Out Of This World was originally released on the Amiga in 1991, it caused a sensation. French development team Delphine Software took a simple side-on flip-screen platform adventure, introduced revolutionary polygon animation, cinematic cut-scenes and intricate puzzles, and produced the most advanced platformer of its time. But that was three years ago. In the meantime, Out Of This World has turned up on a wide variety of formats, and its appearance on the 3DO is unlikely to have the same impact as the original.

The plot of the 3DO game is the same as the original: after a scientific experiment goes wrong, you find yourself stranded on an alien planet, from which you have to find your way home. Admittedly, Out Of This World's story was never its strong point, but what made up for its sketchy scenario was its superb playability, and in this respect, too, 3DO Out Of This World is no different to its predecessors.

Although the game employs the now familiar 'trial and error' arcade puzzle system, a lot of skill is still required to get through it. In fact, your progress is likely to be hindered by a lack of digital dexterity rather than shortcomings in your lateral thinking abilities. And progress is what you want to make, because Out Of This World is the kind of game you can't stop playing.

Aesthetically, this is the best version yet: the draughtsmanship is superb and the backgrounds are gorgeous. The music is excellent too, making a crucial contribution to the game's atmosphere. But it's a pity that the in-game characters weren't given a facelift; although they move well, they tend to look drab against such vibrant backdrops.

But the main failing of 3DO Out Of This World, like every other version, is that it's over too soon. It's basically a victim of its own success - its addictive nature means you keep playing until you finish it. Interplay could have used the 3DO conversion as an opportunity to expand the game, but they missed their chance. The result is that, apart from the aesthetic improvements, there's nothing new here; it's just the same game in a different package. Which is no bad thing, but most of us have seen it all before.