A few arcades in the country still possess original working machines with the game Toppler on them. It involves, quite simply, shooting at plastic ducks, cuddly rabbits, etc in a simulation of a fairground or carnival shooting stall. You know, the sort where the sights are always fixed?

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The game never caught on in the arcades and is unlikely to catch on here as it is too simple. After the first fifty games (it sounds like a lot but isn't when you think about it!) it is easy to get through the first screen perfectly and all that awaits you is a series of similar screens.

An attempt to build the interest in the game is the inclusion of a "Bonus Game With Tommy Tank" (Tommy Tank???!). This is pointless, contains very little skill and is phenomenally boring to play. If a writer intends to include a bonus game, they should at least have the sense to make it good fun!

The game also has a bug. Although the bullet count starts at 45 the last bullet is only allowed to travel one line up the screen before the game ends (Surely if would not have taken a major program restructure to decrement the count when the bullet leaves the screen or impacts with an object?).

The game, for all my snide comments, is still a good game and well written, but my dirty mind couldn't help but wish that the programmer's name was Andrew as it would have added a certain something to the title screen. Still, I suppose I'll just have to go on taking the pills.

The game incorporates the now famous Black, Green or Buff (Grrr) colour selection but, as usual, looks best in black.

If you liked it in the arcades you won't be disappointed with this version, even if the proportional movement is initially difficult to handle, Me, I'd be pressed to say I liked potting ducks.