News of the release of Sim Classics Collection 1 had me searching through the official Amiga Power archives for (a) copies of the games, and (b) the old reviews.I emerged several hours later, covered in dust and sneezing frantically. Ha ha! I though, it's the easy life for me. While partaking of a few sugar-based snacks I shall read the reviews, play all the games and then write a witty and erudite review.

First Sim City, an old favourite. This won't take long I thought, I know this game backwards. I shoved the disks in the drive, whistled tunelessly while it loaded, selected the option to build a new city and started laying out my first industrial and residential zones. Five hours and half a million people later it was time to go home. "Don't forget," said JD as I left, "that I'm away all next week and you've got to write this quickly."

The next morning I arrived with new resolve. I loaded Sim Ant, learned a bit about ant behaviour, foraged for a bit of food, attacked a few red ants and built a huge nest. Then I switched to experimental mode and made the ants crawl around inside huge and fiendish mazes that I devised. Towards late afternoon I became aware of a glowering presence. Somebody was standing behind me. "Oh, er sorry JD," I mumbled. "I'll get it finished, er, tomorrow."

And so it was Friday at last. Just Sim Life to go. That couldn't take long, could it? Well, after a little tinkering with the geography and climate of a world, some light animal design and a whole species demographics, it was, as you might expect by now, again rather late in the day. And I was in trouble. I did the only sensible thing in the circumstances (three days wasted on a budget review, JD going on holiday for deadline week, etc, etc) and went to the cinema with Cam and Jonathan to see The Mask. And jolly good it was too.

So why have I just bored you with these turgid reminiscences? To make the point that this collection of games is not an ordinary one. Each game is an attempt at the unknown described by Maxis as 'software toys' not games. These are sims of complex biological and sociological machines; they're studies in dynamics.

Sim City is a classic and, even if you think that you've played it so many times that another go couldn't possibly interest you, you're probably wrong. There's still an undeniable excitement to building your own city. It is the king of 'software toys' - there is no end, no final scene and you play for as long as you like (which is usually a bit longer than you ought to). Sim Ant is interesting without being riveting, and fun without being addictive. When you first get hold of it, you'll play it for a while. But then you'll put it away forever.

Matt Bielby gave it 59% in Amiga Power 14 which seems a bit harsh for a game that attempts something completely novel and does it quite well. But Sim Ant doesn't deserve much more than that, because it won't keep you entertained for very long.

Sim Life suffers from the same problem as Sim Ant, while it's a fascinating subject and Maxis have approached it in a stimulating, thought-provoking kind of way, it still eventually leaves you dissatisfied and not wanting to play any more. This must have been what was on JD's mind when he awarded it a measly 50% in Amiga Power 29.

So what we have here is one absolute classic and two interesting, but not exciting, others. Rather like one Jimmy White and two Steve Davises. Buy this collection if you don't have Sim City. Or better still, buy Sim City on its own on budget version. Or even betterer still, save your £35 for Sim City 2000 which should come out in time for Christmas.

A rather overpriced collection of genuinely unique simulation games. Each is interesting and certainly worth trying in its own right, but only Sim City really makes the grade of 'classic'. So sadly only 65%.