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At last we have a piece of software that pushes the boundaries of the human imagination in no less than two categories. Not only is it the most perfect arcade conversion to date, it's also the most sickeningly cute game ever to appear. So cute in fact that it makes The New Zealand Story look like a Stephen King movie. Just listen to the plot.

Bub and Bob (remember them? The real cute dinosaurs from Bubble Bobble) are back, only now they're evolved through a couple of million years and are cute little sexless humans in dungarees. There are no ordinary humans, however, these are humans with a mission. The seven Rainbow Islands are in danger of being destroyed by the Boss of Shadow, who intends to take over the seven islands and turn all the residents into his disciples. You, taking the part of Bub or Bob (or both in the two-player mode) have to traverse 28 levels (four an island) of fun and adventure.

Each level is composed of a vertically stacked series of scrolling screens each full of things like platforms, nasties and sweets. The platforms are there to help you get to the top of the level, where the goal line is set. Take it that far and you're presented with lots of bonus items and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. The bad guys are there to stop you, and what a lovely assortment of characters they are. They range from sweet little hedgehods and ladybirds to cute little tanks and bomber planes on the combat island. The bad guys are there to stop you from getting to the top of the level, and this they do any way they can, either by launching some sort of projectile at you, or by simply running into you.

And now we come to the most revolutionary thing about game design, your weapon. Easily the single most versatile weapon ever to fall into the hands of an evolved homo sapien, the rainbow. The rainbow can be used in many ways to eradicate the bad guys. You can hit them with it, you can trap them under it and jump on it to kill them, or jut leave them under one to die.

There are also various ways you can enhance your weapon. By collecting special potions you can develop your rainbow to a double rainbow, even a triple rainbow. You can speed up the firing rate and even yourself by collecting the infamous bubble bobble running shoes.

To say Craftgold's work is a fair translation would be unfair. It is exactly the same as the coin-op. It looks identical and it plays identically. Veterans of the arcade game will have absolutely no problems getting to grips with it, and onec newcomers have mastered it's odds-on they'll be able to get a fair way into the arcade version [Assuming they can find one! - Ed].

The graphics are brilliant. Colourful and full of character, even our miserable Ed melted at the sight of a screen full of rainbows and ladybirds. And that is its attraction.

It's just one of those games that it's almost impossible to get frustrated at. Almost.

The sound is excellent too. Loads of cheeky spot effects and a remixed version of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'. Come on gran, get those knees up.

A brilliant game. Perhaps not the most lasting of games thought there's a darn sight more to it than Bubble Bobble. Buy it. Please.