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Budget-priced software has grown enormously in popularity recently, which in my eyes is strange because very few 'cheapos' rise above 'mediocre' standard. Spiky Harold does little to change the situation.

Spiky Harold is a rather cute little Hedgehog, and your job is to help him prepare for hibernation. Beneath the hedgerow where he lives lie 57 chambres (bedrooms to you) - each containing an item of food. Harold must collect all 57 items, and on doing so he may find his bed and settle down for a nice long winter kip.

Of course, the underground system is inhabited by some very nasty creatures indeed. Amongst other things there are periscopes, bouncing balls and sulphur clouds which, if touched, all bring death to Harold.

Fortunately, you have an incredibly nineteen lives at your disposal. Also scattered around the maze are coins, which provide extra lives and glasses of wine which put Harold into a state of drunkeness (reverse joystick controls).

You're probably guessed by now that Spiky Harold is a platform game, and a pretty average one at that. It is similar in many ways to Monty On The Run, but played at a much slower pace and not nearly as addictive or exciting. It is also very difficult, just watch your nineteen lives disappear like the seconds on a stopwatch. The game is flawed in parts by some annoying delays and certain screens where lives are lost in a similar fashion to the infamous Jet Set Willy bug.

Spiky Harold has a re-define keys option which is rare on the C64 but nevertheless a good one. The graphics themselves are average but functional. While Harold is well animated and looks cute with his spines quivering as he walks, the nasties are monochrome, dull and unimaginative. The backdrops are also pretty unimaginative but at least they're colourful.

The sonics are by somebody calling himself Bogg(?) and his music neatly lives up to his name. While the title music can only be described as weird, the in-game music made me thankful that there's a volume control on my television. It's a really ear-grating version of something classical and I can honestly say that it made me feel sick.

Considering the price Spiky Harold is not that bad, it's just that the slow, repetitive gameplay and dire music detract a lot from what could have been a good game. Still, at £1.99, you could do worse and fans of the genre suffering from the distinct current lack of dedicated platform games should take a look.