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US Gold have put a new perspective on an old favourite with the latest episode in a long running series of tricks, traps and treasure hunting that harks back as far as 1986 and a four-player coin-op. Our reviewer tours the land of Capra and finds that the familiar quest has taken on a whole new angle...

Breaking a promise can have all sorts of results: a clout round the ear, detention, no telly for a week it's bad, but not that bad. Tell porkies on the island of Capra though and you've got a lot more to worry about. The moment the eight kingdoms broke their pledge of peace to good of wizard Magnus, the forces of darkness were unleashed. Leaping out of the shadows with a truly bloodcurdling scream, the evil Cavricom kidnapped Maanus. 100k over his throne and started to spread death, B.O. and acne throughout the land. Bleuch.

But don't despair: Thor the Warrior, Thvra the Valkvrie, Merlin the Wizard and Questor the Elf are here. Armed with swords and shields they battle their way through Capra's underworld casting out darkness and...

Hang on a minute. Haven't we heard all this somewhere before? Well, yes. Twice, actually. Gauntlet is a lot longer in the tooth than one or two chelonian pizza-eaters I could mention. It's been around as a computer game since 1986 and it was a coin-op way before then. So why, you may ask, are they doing another one?

The answer is because this is the first time it's ever gone 3D. Instead of 100-odd levels you've got eight fully scrolling worlds in glorious isometric 3D. Not only that, the original quartet of axe-wielding goody-goodies has been joined by another fearsome foursome: Petras the Rockman, Dracolis the Lizard Man, Blizzard the Ice Man and Neptune the Merman. Missions are based in each of their homeworlds, come in five mini-sections, involve solving a puzzle or two and can be tackled as a gruesome twosome or solo.

Each of the heavies is fully equipped with armour, some magical ability and long- and short-range weapons. They're not all equally good at using them: If spells are your thing, pick Merlin - but for a good hand-to-hand bash, Rockman or Thor are best.

In addition to the original Gauntlet's spooky ghosts there are different baddies for each of the eight levels: everything and anything from mummies, zombies and dragons to venus mantraps, slime worms and walking pointy hats. Touch 'em and they drain your energy - kill 'em and you'll be raking in the points.

En route there are plenty of goodies to collect. Treasure boosts points, food tops up your energy (except when it's poisoned) and potions provide a marvellous array of magical effects: invulnerability, rapid fire and repulsiveness among them.

Gauntlet III has all of the original Gauntlet's most distinctive features and then some. It has better graphics, loads more monsters and plenty of puzzles. There's a whole host of new baddies in each world and the music (front-end, high score and between-world only) is absolutely brill. Some people might still find it gives them too much of a feeling of déja vu - but if you're mad about monster-mashing, you ought to give it a try.

1. Two-player mode is fun
2. 3D scrolling is unusually fast and smooth
3. Huge variety of ghosts and baddies, which differ according to the theme of the level you're tackling
4. Detailed well-drawn background graphics
5. Lots of (simple) puzzles
6. Four new characters, all with different qualities
7. Frantic quick-fire action
8. Basic hints provided via Help key
9. Different weapons
10. Excellent front-end music

1. Small playing areas.
2. Tedious multiload means long waits between levels.