There have been several attempts to produce motor racing games for the Dragon, but most show a view from above or from the side and fall far short of the versions available for Atari or Commodore computers. At last there is a version for the Dragon that can compete with games like Pole Position - in fact, it's surprising what excellent graphics have been achieved in Speed Racer.

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When the game has loaded, the background can be selected, although to get a really clear picture it's worth sacrificing colour in this program and choosing a black background. The title graphics are very clever and show a computer sitting on a chequered flag with the title and authors name appearing on the monitor. The screen then clears to show maps of four different circuits. Moving the joystick jumps from one to the next, and pressing the fire button selects the particular track around which you race.

The display now shows the view from just behind the car, with the track stretching away into the distance, complete with starter waving a flag. The joystick controls left and right movement as welt as acceleration and braking, and the front wheels of your car can be seen responding. The object of the game is to overtake as many other cars as possible. Indeed, should you fail to pass enough of them, you will find the game finishes after one lap. So that you know how many you need to overtake, there is an indicator at the bottom of the screen next to the speedometer.

As the race starts, one thing that is noticeable is the attention to detail. The track swings from left to right and the background of mountains, houses, bridges, etc, moves as well, giving an excellent impression of actually being on a racing circuit. Keeping on the track is not too difficult, but there isn't much room to spare when you attempt to overtake.

Should you touch one of the other cars, there is an explosion and bits of the car fly into the air, complete with relevant sound effects. You are not penalised when you have a coliison, but it takes some time to catch up with the pack when you restart. If your steering isn't all it should be and you veer on to the hard shoulder too frequently, the car stops and a little figure arrives to fit a new set of tyres!

Although I enjoy well-written arcade games and simulations, it's not often that I find one that is so addictive as Speed Racer. When you've mastered the easy circuit you can go on to one with more bends. If you can last ten miles, a figure appears with a chequered flag and your time is recorded under the circuit map. One of the best games I've seen for ages.