John Madden Football (Electronic Arts)

A near-perfect conversion of 1990's 'videogame of the year', with the only tweaks designed to improve on an already classic game. Graphically superb with glorious sound, this looks as good as it plays.

Shadowlands (Domark)

A winner... It's not exactly fast, and it's not the best looking thing around, but a quick play will reveal that it's actually damn absorbing stuff.

Leisure Suit Larry 5 (Sierra)

During Larry's induction into the Bureau, you may laugh as a technician is carried off-screen by a heat-seeking vibrator. Or perhaps you might not. By the time an FBI's gynaecologist started to fit Larry's girlfriend with an in-body tracking device I'd more than had enough.

Harlequin (Gremlin)

The more you play it, the better it gets. Right up there with First Samurai, but perhaps more importantly, right up there with (and beyond) Sonic The Hedgehog.

Storm Master (Silmaris)

Stunning graphics, slick animation and sound effects - it's mesmerising and thoroughly enjoyable to play too. This one really is special.

Black Crypt (Electronic Arts)

A fine Fantasy Role Playing romp which will please both novice and veteran. It may even convert a few cynics.

Abandoned Places (Electronic Zoo)

I would have liked a little more gloss on the graphics and a tad more finesse on the control system, but the D&D enthusiast will find it a reet riveting role.

Big Run (Storm)

Extremely basic gameplay and over-familiar graphics make this pretty dull going.

Indy Heat (Storm)

Not exactly terrible, but a complete waste of money if you're going to be playing it on your own. Even if you're not, Super Off-Road is lots better and available on compilation.

Top Banana (Hex)

Ho hum. Not only is it impossible to see what's going on most of the time (which is probably just as well), but even if you could there wouldn't be much to do. Just collecting, shooting and climbing.

PGA Tour Golf Course Disk (Electronic Arts)

Three new courses for probably the best golfing game ever. You'll know immediately if you want it, in which case you'll have great fun.

Crime City (If...)

Computerised interactive fiction lives or dies on its interface and its storyline, and Crime City's lousy in both respects. Need I say more?

Videokid (Gremlin)

A decent blaster, and one that the younger shoot-'em-up fans out there will probably go gaga (or possibly 'goo goo') for, but the similarity to Mega Twins is a bit cheeky.

Steel Empire (Millennium)

An enjoyable futuristic war game, but a little too thin for comfort. More worlds to conquer and some extra features would have been nice.

Harpoon (With Battleset 2) (Electronic Arts)

Lots of highly detailed boating fun, but too expensive and badly programmed for anyone other than a real enthusiast.

4D Sports Driving (Mindscape)

Hard Drivin' with knobs on. Features galore give a much-needed shot in the arm to a basic (even if graphically impressive) game.

Borobodur (Thalamus)

Big and not-bad graphics (if a bit on the crude side), but when it comes to gameplay Borobodur is hopelessly lost forever in the craplands of mediocrity.

Manix (GBH)

Nicely-presented and well programmed, but the vital spark isn't there, leaving Manix as one of those experiences which just washes right over you without leaving any lasting impression at all.

Soccer Stars (Empire)

Kick Off 2 I'd give 92, MicroProse Soccer's worth 90, Gazza 2 about 35 and Emlyn around 30. Giving an average 61.75.

Resolution 101 (GBH)

Fast and groovy shoot-'em-up with lots of top-quality baddie-battling action, if very little in the way of depth.

Thunder Strike (GBH)

Moderately entertaining blaster that's not as complicated as first impressions might suggest, but unfortunately lack of depth isn't compensated for by excitement. More 'interesting' than anything.

Mindbender (GBH)

Good fun in a 'never really sets your heart aflame with excitement' kind of way, and it'll certainly take you a while to finish all the level. The only doubt is whether your interest will last that long.

Quattro Fighters (Codemasters)

A respectable collection of games, and it's at a truly remarkable price. Something of a bargain.

Future Basketball (Hi-Tec)

Simplistic and perhaps short-lived future sport game with all the features you expect from a future sport (power-ups and violence). It was maybe a bit thin at full-price, but makes a brilliant budget game.

Jupiter's Masterdrive (Action 16)

This is monstrously playable, just as much fun as Super Sprint, Supercars or any of the other games it's based on, and certainly on a par with Codies' games of the same ilk.

Black Hornet (Hi-Tec)

Pretty blaster with gameplay so crushingly tedious that I'll personally buy anyone a pint who can play it ten times in a row without suffering permanent psychological damage.

Mystical (Action 16)

Slick, eye-catching and playable, but also dull, repetitive and highly switch-offable.

Sir Fred (Action 16)

A non-event as far as the Amiga's concerned, but curiously likeable anyway.

Jet Set Willy II (Software Projects)

A better buy than many other ordinary budget games, so you have to say in its field it's something of a success. Worth having, if only as a historical artefact.

Ultimate Golf (GBH)

Not terrible by any means, but not in the same league in gameplay terms as even the aging Leaderboard.