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Sooner or later you'll find an old popular game re-released at a budget price. Switch Blade is one of those games that wasn't very good to begin with and isn't any better on budget. The flimsy plot about entering an underground city, collecting the parts of the Fireblade and killing a nasty called Havok is simply an excuse for a scrolling platform game. Sections of the maze are revealed as you visit them but unvisited areas remain invisible. Leverls are connected to each other via ladders.

Monsters are in abundance and you can dispatch them with a quick kick or punch. Weapons are available too. They vary in power and effectiveness from the eponymous switchblade to the Fireblade itself - the ultimate weapon and the only thing that can defeat Havok.

Unfortunately the game isn't engaging enough to hold you to the end. The graphics are small and not very well animated, and while the backgrounds are functional, they're not spectacular. Control is awkward - the power of your attack is controlled by the length of time you hold down the Fire button. This isn't very useful - especially when a monster is nearby. There are no surprises either - just tedious plodding through familiar territory. In two words, extremely average. It'll sell like mad.