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I remember the day that I received my first adventure game. Rushing home, I sat waiting for what seemed an age until the cassette slowly unwound its mystery into the depths of my machine. The fun and fascination which I found down that particular rabbit hole was responsible for the addiction that I have lived with ever since. The game was Philosopher's Quest written by Peter Killworth, and this game plus its successors have filled many hours of my spare time. Peter also went on to write what is my favourite adventure manual, Writing Adventure Games published by Penguin. If you have not read this I can thoroughly recommend it as a blueprint for all would-be adventure writers.

Never having met Peter, I was interested to see that he was a special guest speaker at the 2nd National Adventure Convention in Sutton last November. With the dragon in tow, I spent the day touring the exhibition hall, chatting with enthusiasts and being introduced to the wonders of MUD and MUGs. MUD is a Multi-User Dungeon and MUGs are of course Multi-User Games, which are generally played on some distant mini-computer via a home telephone and modem. There is even a company which will sell you a complete setup, comprising a BBC Master and the software, which will enable you to set up your own MUG which can be accessed by your friends.

Among the stands I found a new company called Topologika which, it turns out, is the new stamping ground of the old master Peter Killworth himself. In addition to marketing his former Acornsoft games the company will also be producing four new games early in the year. Among the new releases will be Return To Doom which is a sequel to the science-fiction game Countdown To Doom. The newly re-released versions of Philosopher's Quest and Countdown To Doom have been substantially revamped and are now available on disc.

This classic game involves you in a search through a cave system which contains such locations as an underground sea, a solicitor's office and an old lady's bungalow. Older hands amongst you, who have already played the original, will be surprised at the number of additional features which have been shoe-horned into this version. Peter has often used a particular problem involving a see-saw arrangement as an example of a cunning adventure puzzle (see the afore-mentioned book). It would appear that this puzzle has finally emerged into the light of day on the sea-shore of this game. The game is described as 'difficult' by the packaging and this may be true.

However, it contains many puzzles which will intrigue as well as baffle. To assist the completely befuddled the game has a built-in help facility which will prompt you along the right lines towards the final solution.

Remembering its antiquity, the game has a reasonable understanding of vocabulary and although its age does show in places I would recommend it to anyone.

Having crash landed on the planet of Doom, you must scavenge the wrecked hulks of previous adventurer's ships for the necessary parts to repair your vessel and escape. Time and the acid atmosphere combine to form the main enemy in this game, and unless you are quick, it will destroy the remainder of your ship before you can blast off with a hold full of treasure recovered from the caves beneath the planet's surface.

The required spare parts include Dilithium Crystals and shades of 'Scott me up Beamie'! The obligatory maze of tunnels beneath the planet's surface are enough to drive most adventurers mad, and this problem is compounded by a robot guardian who persistently hampers your attempts to take your ill-gotten gains along with you.

I know Peter regards this game as his favourite creation, and like its compatriots it has quite a few high spots. Personally, I hate the very existence of all mazes and this marred it for me. One point in favour of the Killworth mazes is that there is generally a logical way of solving the beasts other than by the tiresome method of 'Drop and Map'. Players of his triumph Castle Of Riddles will remember the many clever techniques used to solve those particular mazes.