City (Terminal)

I've always found the desire for micro-board games somewhat curious but this attempt works surprisingly well. Compelling stuff.

Pi-Balled (Automata)

Quality arcade thrills. Hardly an original concept I know, but certainly entertaining.

Fireball (Starpath Corp)

The smart audio visuals and competitive price make Fireball a notable entry in the fave old game stakes.

Space Island (Terminal)

An exceptionally tedious game. Progress is slow and the graphic display barely warrants a mention.

Las Vegas (Temptation)

The game is a doddle to play and the visuals are quite neat, with the computer speedily unveiling your hand as you bravely twist.

Microbot (Softek)

Your little micro surgeon can only trundle about in first gear and consequently the ensuing bug-battles are somewhat unexciting.

Kamikaze (A 'n F)

Graphics are average and sound is poor but the action is reasonably fast, even on the slowest of the two speeds.

Castle Adventure (Virgin)

This is one quest most definitely not worth girding your loins for. The whole thing is exceptionally tedious.

Eight Ball (Microdeal)

Most of the usual Pool rules apply and I dare say regular players will find this a welcome supplement to their usual fix.

UXB (Virgin)

Almost every move I made resulted in a loud raspberry which rather symbolically denoted my premature end. Still, for those of a methodical (not to mention suicidal) nature this might well provide amusement.

Devil Assault (Microdeal)

Devil Assault is a feast of a game for those with an itchy trigger-finger. It's superbly executed and breathtakingly smooth.

Dr. Franky And The Monster (Virgin)

Sparse sound and detailed, if rather familiar, graphics makes this scientific version of Kong an amusing if unremarkable proposition.

Di-Lithium Lift (Hewson)

Addictive in a pointless way. Piffling sound and a hall of fame are minor extras.

Suicide Mission (Starpath Corp)

Purists may well blanch, but I rather prefer this 'medical' Asteroids to the official Atari conversion. There's no garish colours to contend with... just very heavy action.

Popeye (Parker Bros.)

It's colourful and fast. It's highly addictive. It's a great game. Don't pass it up.

Eskimo Eddie (Ocean)

A perky use of the computer's limited sound, and a general attention to detail hallmark the craftsmanship by which Ocean has commendably stuck by, and it must be admitted that this is the best Pengo version around.

Skull (Games Machine)

A very credible first effort from Games Machine and, hopefully, a mark of the standard we can expect from future releases.

Pi-Eyed (Automata)

A pub crawl without end. It certainly isn't much fun to play and is rather unresponsive on the keyboard.

Frogger (Parker Bros)

Game action is great. The Colecovision version of Frogger takes the trophy.

3D Death Chase (Micromega)

Absolutely outstanding... One of the few programs to translate arcade fury directly to the Spectrum.

Tutankham (Parker Bros.)

The Coleco edition wins hands down for graphics, sound and action. The playfield is superbly detailed and the creatures look real mean.

Forty-Niner (Software Farm)

All the elements of the game are rendered in detailed, recognisable shapes and move in relatively smooth, flicker-free action.

BBC Music Synthesizer (Bug-Byte)

I think you'd have to know a bit about computers - typing in numbers - and a bit about music as well to get much out of this utility.

Ultisynth (Quicksilva)

Music Editor (System Software)

It's certainly the best music program for the BBC, and the BBC is the best micro for this sort of thing.

It's Only Rock 'N Roll (K-Tel)

I like the pace of this - it moves fast enough to keep you interested. And it's not too easy either.

BBC Music Processor (Quicksilva)

A good bit of programming but I think you have to be able to play to make it work for you. It's harder than a piano keyboard.