Four major CPC game releases from last year are brought together by Ocean, with pleasing results.

Game compilations in the past have been very much take it or leave it affairs. Often half the games included as part of a compilation are cheap and cheerful, hence their appearance. With this new release from Ocean, things are looking up. Called quite simply The Biz, this compilation contains four of the best selling CPC games from 1989. The four games are Batman: The Caped Crusader, R-Type, Operation Wolf and Double Dragon.

In Batman, you must take the role of the wearer of the most famous leotard in the world. There are two plots the game where you as Batman are matched up against your arch-enemies, the fiendish Penguin and the sadistic Joker. In the Penguin plot, subtitled 'a bird in the hand', the Penguin has just been released from prison and goes back to his Mansion where he sets up an umbrella production factory. Of course, this is only a smokescreen for the Penguin's main objective, which is a plan to take over the world by using robotic penguins. You have to find the Penguin's master control computer, close down his operation and prevent the world from getting with Arctic four.

The second game plot, which involves the Joker, is called 'a fete worse than death'. Alas, poor Robin has disappeared and the only clue Batman can find is a single card which features the sign of the Joker. At first glance the card does not reveal too much, but further examination on the batcomputer reveals a mystic message. You must find out what this message is all about, find where Robin is, rescue him, defeat the Joker and return Gotham City back to normality. Phew!

R-Type is a CPC conversion of the excellent IREM Corporation arcade game, which in itself is a wonderful horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up. There are a number of levels to play in and you will only proceed to the next level once you have completed the previous one. In R-Type, there is a lot to shoot on the screen and there is also much for you to collect, with added weapons for each jewel you manage to save. The game plays fast and requires quick thinking. Graphics again are good and so are the sound effects, unfortunately there was not any theme music before, during or even after the game. Nonetheless, R-Type is all good stuff.

Operation Wolf, is a vertically scrolling Commando-style game, as I'm sure you know. Rather than controlling all aspects of your macho character, you control just the weapons and must aim them at your enemy who will be shooting at you from the screen. You are parachuted in to hostile territory where the enemy is holding captives which need to be rescued. There are six levels to Operation Wolf each one harder than the last. If it's shoot-'em-up action you are after, then Operation Wolf will get you endless hours of mindless violence. Great fun all the same though, with great graphics, fast action and atmospheric sounds.

The last game in the compilation is Double Dragon which also happens to be the weakest. Double Dragon is a standard run-of-the-mill martial arts style game which involves a lot of kicking and punching.

Sadly for a martial arts game, Double Dragon is very slow which spoils what otherwise could have been good fun.

So there you have it. Three very good games and one average one, but together they represent excellent value for money.