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Hud, hud, hud - and the American Football games continue to appear in the wake of the sport's new-found popularity. This version comes from American house Imagic but fails to measure up to Ocean's home-based effort.

The problem with Touchdown is that it goes for a more graphical representation a la Ten Yard Fight. That makes the figures very small and antlike. When they rush together, the result is a blue-black splurge on the screen. A blot on Ariolasoft's copybook, you might say.

The game though isn't all bad. Options allow you to play another opponent, the computer or even watch the computer play itself. The computer is something of an expert so you're better off playing a mate. Quarter lengths are optional from five to fifteen minutes and all relevant information is displayed on the top of the screen unfussily.

Each side picks its formation for offense and defense. Depending on your choice, the teams line up in the appropriate positions. This is where the game gets complicated because it helps to know your possible positions and what they're for. I don't know them all, so I tended to work a bit blindly. The instructions do give some help.

The game starts in earnest when you snap back the ball. The rest of the players begin to move of their own accord. You control the quarterback, likewise your opponent.

Passing is not at all easy, and the direction of the throw depends upon your team's attacking formation. Tackling is easier because most of the work is done for you. When playing defence you're best off keeping the man under control hanging back waiting to make an intercept.

Touchdown isn't as nice on the eye as Super Bowl, but it is a bit less exacting and more immediately playable. The arcade approach should appeal to those lazy types out there - I could myself among them - who aren't keen on reading masses of pages of instructions and want to get straight into the game. This could work against it in the long term though. You might not want to come back to it repeatedly.