Psytronik has its first non-Commodore 64 release lined up, although the label doesn't seem to have strayed too far, as Carling The Spider is for the unexpanded Vic-20. The basic idea behind the game is to control the eponymous arachnid around caverns collecting precious gems while avoiding the lethal bouncing ball along, the poisonous mushrooms and other such perils. Created by Polygon, and featuring simple but effective graphics, title music and sound effects, this provides an interesting challenge for Vic-20 game fans. Most importantly, it's good to see the fledging software label expand its horizons to other formats.

As for Psytronik's C64 releases, there are definitely much more to come. Alongside its classics like Creatures 2: Torture Trouble and Armalyte stands a brand spanking new arcade adventure called Knight 'N Grail, which is influenced by Capcom's 1985 coin-op hit Ghosts 'N Goblins. The latter is now available to pre-order, with the former duet now available at just £12.99 each + postage costs. You'll note that there is a 'deluxe' and 'premier' edition of the games. This is to do with the packaging, as deluxe titles are boxed in cardboard and premier are housed in plastic disk cases just like the old days. To find out more, head over to Psytronik's web site.

One of the most popular games on earlier generations of mobile phones was a simple snake game in which you would have to collect food pellets, and for each one your snake would grow. With a limited play area, eventually you would be forced to smack into a wall or bite yourself as your body elongated. It was simple and also about the only, erm, 'action' game that the technology could realistically handle. Well, with a bit of reworking, more colour and a two player mode, Bob Smith has taken this concept to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, throwing in a maze element for good measure.

Although SnakeManXL will hardly win any originality awards, the basic concept is a sound one, as the play field is set over a few screens horizontally and vertically, which allows you to explore the locale before picking up the food pellets, or at least at the moment. Bob plans to evolve the code further, but a work-in-progress snapshot is available for any good vintage machine emulator from www.bobs-stuff.co.uk/smxl_1up.sna - or the two-player version. Key controls are typical for a Speccy, being Q, A, O and P for up, down, left and right respectively, with R restarting when you get stuck - and you will get stuck! To play with two players, set your emulator to have a virtual Kempston interface and you'll be up and battling.

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The new Spanish software label, Retroworks, has premiered its new Speccy game Gommy: Medieval Defender through its website. The game begins with Gommyland Castle braced for yet another attack, along with the star of the game Gommy; until he realises that everybody in the fort has disappeared. But, rather than investigate this bizarre situation, he takes it upon himself to repel the imposing forces, dispatching invaders who manage to penetrate the outer defences and enter the castle grounds. This rather polished looking piece of entertainment software is available to download from the aforementioned site for free.