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Over the years, Codemasters I have assembled an army of cute, cuddly characters who star repeatedly in their games. They've got eggs, slugs, cavemen, wizards, and now a sort of, er, squashy thing. It's got eyes and hands, but looks like it's been melted. And its called Seymour.

Seymour has decided to save the planet. With the toxic waste, mutants and holes in the ozone layer, he's on a crusade.

Because he's Super, he has to wear a mask and cape. These give him special powers, like the ability to jump fairly high and fall off things. Don't knock it. Apparently he's all that stands between us and an ecological disaster of pretty large proportions.

Actually, it's time to set the record straight. The plot for Super Seymour is utter nonsense, an excuse for filling the cassette inlay card with words. The important thing is how the game plays. And the answer is... it plays magnificently.

Each screen is one level, so if you clear it, you're instantly on to the next. And there are over thirty of them to deal with. The screens are filled with platforms, barrels of poisonous waste, radioactive debris and mutants. The mutants are what you have to worry about. They appear all over the place, and the only way to get rid of them is by jumping on their heads from a great height. This crushes them, but if left alone, they spring back up! You need to jump on them again to kill them.

Making things even more fun are some mutants which need to be headbutted from below. You'll have to recognise these when they occur, but jump on them and you're dead meat. So, basically, you have to make a two-pronged attack - rush around the screen getting rid of the toxic stuff, but keep jumping on the baddies who are chasing you.

Does it work? Well, as a matter of fact it does - eventually! You start off by dying an awful lot; everybody in the CF office did. In fact, the crew almost broke their no-swearing rule. That's how addictive and frustrating it is. The trouble is, Super Seymour is remarkably difficult, especially the first screen. Once you've beaten it you'll be well set up to continue the rest of the game as normal, but that beginning is a real pain.

Practice, though, makes perfect. You'll soon get the hang of it all, and when you do, you'll find Super Seymour to be a most excellent game. It's got everything - addictedness, frustration, skill and a fair proportion of luck. You'll be hooked.

Having said all this, the graphics aren't earth-shattering. The sound is fun but won't worry Jean Michel Jarre. Both are fine, and the whole thing runs at a speed which will keep you glued to the screen as you hammer your joystick, trying to get out of the baddies' way.

For four quid you're getting a remarkably playable game that you won't finish in double-quick time. In fact, we'd like to hear from you if you find it easy. You can tell us your secret.

1. Beginning level is very tough.

1. Addictive and frustrating gameplay keeps you coming back for several hundred million 'last goes'.
2. Smooth and quick, it's responsive yet quirky to get to know.
3. Excellent soundtrack gives the game a fun, arcade atmosphere, and adds a lot.
4. It's hard, but you can learn to beat it if you persevere.
5. If you lose a life, you don't have to do all the way back to the beginning.
6. It's a pretty original idea, and it's bright, colourful and cute enough to give your eyes a treat as well.