In a world where quests get more epic, sports get faster and control methods get ever more complicated, sometimes it's nice to go old school. Sometimes it's nice to use a controller and one button and to aim for nothing more than a high score. When that times comes, when you've had enough of a stressful, over-demanding gaming world, Super Bread Box is what you need.

Converted from the similarly named Vlambeer PC and multi-platform hit Super Crate Box, this Commodore 64 version features six levels to battle across... three of which are exclusive to this version! Take that: PC, Mac, Apple and Sony!

Super Bread Box has a simple objective: get the highest score you can on each of its six levels. Unusually though, you don't get this score by blowing away the enemies which stream constantly from the top of the screen. You don't get a single point for any of them. Instead, your score is accumulated by picking up the weapons crates that appear randomly on the screen. Every crate is worth one point and yields a new (and occasionally inventive) way of disposing of the overwhelming array of enemy critters. Unlock the next level by picking up a defined number of crates.

Naturally, some weapons may not fit with your playing style, so if you do pick up the mines or the disc gun then it's in your best interests to move onto the next crate as soon as possible. And there's the rub... move too quickly and you're sure to blunder into trouble, and it's game over. Hesitate with an ineffective weapon and you're sure to run slap into trouble, and it's game over. Best keep moving in that case... those crates aren't going to fall into your lap!

Oh, one more thing. A high-score game is nothing without a high-score table - Super Bread Box lets the whole world know who's best by giving you an online high score table! Enter your code on the website and if you're good enough, your name will be displayed for all to see. That's quite an ego boost... expect to see Jaz on there any time now!

This doesn't hang about! Hit start and hit the ground running, jumping, shooting and dying... lots and lots of dying as you undertake the simple task of collecting ten boxes to unlock the next level amid a relentless horde of enemies. But they're only half the problem.

The minigun recoil is awesome when you let rip and I probably killed myself more with the disc gun than I killed anything else! Some weapons you really learn to hate. The game's playability and addictiveness is immense. Some levels I was stuck on for ages, but this is so compulsive and quick-paced that death is not a problem - hit start and you're instantly back in the mayhem.

I love insta-start games like this. There's a tremendous sense of achievement on conquering a level, but I'm not sure the lure of unlockable objects is enough to keep me going after the last level is done. Nevertheless, with no lag in its momentum, Super Bread Box is really fun to play.

Blam blam jump crap okay next go! Which just about sums up the nature of Super Bread Box's gameplay in succinct sound bites. It doesn't matter how many critters you kill, the score is all about those damn crates and receiving another weapon. The constant performance improvements and achievements to unlock further content works well and does not unduly frustrate as the unlocks come at relatively regular intervals, especially the new weapons you may then have to adapt to on the fly. Hello disc launcher!

Having said that, the one-hit nature of the gameplay means a single mistake triggers game over, which can annoy to the point of frustration. However, the game is so beautifully addictive and cute that you don't mind pressing Fire and immediately jumping into another attempt. And with a bucketful of weapons and a variety of levels, it will take quite a while to become bored.

This is sheer genius from Paul Koller, retaining the dizzying pace and explosive gameplay of the original Super Crate Box app by Vlambeer. Cramming in the multiple levels and different weapons (including the brilliant flamethrower and devastating bazooka) took some technical wizardry, and it won't take long for addiction to set in.

As new stuff unlocks, new strategies and techniques emerge. Blowing away the cute enemies is immensely satisfying, but the real aim is to collect those crates - and then upload your scores (via a code) to the web site, which keeps a running total of crates collected and player high scores. Made before more recent EPROM cartridges, it is slightly awkward having to save game data to disk. But it looks, sounds and plays so well, I'm craving another go as I type this review.

Presentation 86%
One-button restart, save progress to disk, online high score tables.

Graphics 75%
Nothing flashy but full of colour and no slowdown.

Sound 82%
Pumping soundtracks encourage the action.

Hookability 94%
The addiction of unlocking stuff gets you started...

Lastability 84%
...the addiction of beating your high score keeps you going.

Overall 87%
Another superb demake arrives on the Commodore.