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We've had our differences with a certain J. Minter Esq. on the User before but one thing you can't take away from the hairy one and that is that few people know as much about the classic arcade game Defender as he does.

The hippy got so hooked on it that he bought an arcade machine to have at home. So when a real Defender fan like Minter says that the best version he's seen on the C64 is Alligata's Guardian you have to take notice.

That's high praise for Alligata so you can't help wondering why they should want to tarnish their reputation by bringing out a third rate version on their new Budget Software label.

Despite some pretty ground level graphics and a wide variety of attacking aliens the game lacks appeal. It is difficult to manoeuvre your craft. It responds sluggishly to the joystick and often takes an age to edge across the screen. There is an equivalent of a Smart bomb - but this lacks the explosive graphics that are needed to be convincing as an all-killing mega being.

If you want a version of Defender then my advice is forget Raskel and get Alligata's Fistful of Fun for £9.95. This is a compilation tape that contains the excellent Guardian as well as a couple of Tony Crowther classics - Blagger and Son Of Blagger with one other game thrown in. Much better value than this so-called budget tape at three quid.