ATF (Digital Integration)

What's most impressive about this is the construction and animation of the graphics: Digital Integration has found a new way to overcome the graphical limitations of the Spectrum!

Basic Mathematics (Scetlander)

Although the colour and use of graphics is rather uninspiring, the Basic Mathematics suite does act as a very helpful reinforcement aid for the slower learner.

BMX Kidz (Firebird)

The game is great to play. Controls are responsive and the cute graphics are fun to watch.

Boxing Manager (Willysoft UK)

There's certainly as much to this as to Football Manager and it's thoroughly recommended.

Captain America (Go!)

If you want to save America from a slow, agonising end, that's up to you; if you want to do it by playing this game, forget it.

Cell Growth (Scetlander)

Though of rather limited appeal, this is a useful program dealing with a complex topic.

Cycling (Scetlander)

This attractive and useful program makes good use of colour and graphics.

Energy Warrior (M.A.D. X)

A pretty ordinary horizontally-scrolling shoot-'em-up, quite playable but offering nothing original.

Firefly (Special FX)

Virtually overflows with quality, style and sheer excellence.

Football Frenzy (Alternative)

After the visual appeal has worn off, Football Frenzy is revealed as a very repetitive strategy (not really adventure) game.

Garfield: Big, Fat, Hairy Deal (The Edge)

A game full of fun and frolics... There's lots to do and I'm still trying to work out what loads of things can be used for.

Holiday (Scetlander)

The excellent teacher's notes give several ideas for using this package in a holiday project - and I can vouch for its quality.

Housebuilder (Scetlander)

This package is an extremely flexible resource for the teacher, and integrates usefully into an area normally covered in the upper primary.

The Hunt For Red October (Grandslam)

An excellent and atmospheric simulation.

Jet Bike Simulator (Codemasters Plus)

Graphically, this is inconsistent. Using arrows to represent jet bikes just isn't good enough, and the backgrounds range from abysmally indistinct to very pretty.

Kikstart II (Mastertronic)

The presentation of Kikstart II is good, with an excellent title screen, and you soon get used to the slow scrolling.

The Krypton Factor (TV Games)

The point of the TV show has been missed here. The mental test is the same every game which destroys the point... The response test is also soon mastered.

Los Angeles SWAT (Entertainment USA)

The controls are awkward, the gameplay is repetitive and even the sound is a letdown.

Madballs (Ocean)

The major letdown is gameplay. Ultimately therefore Madballs doesn't really deserve all that much attention.

Merlin (Firebird)

Although there are lots of locations to explore, the simple idea doesn't hold long-term rewards - and the minimal instructions don't help much.

Microball (Alternative)

This is reasonable as pinball games go, but they don't go very far - stick with the real thing.

Nigel Mansell's Grand Prix (Martech)

Although the race starts very competitively with cars swarming around, once they've disappeared into the distance, the addictiveness goes right out of the exhaust pipe.

North Star (Gremlin)

There's not much colour, but the screen is quite effective and the gameplay provides a lively all-action arcade adventure with plenty of opportunity for the death and destruction of the alien horde.

P.H.M. Pegasus (Electronic Arts)

PHM Pegasus is the Elite of the seas and a state-of-the-art simulation.

Piggy (Bug Byte)

It seems that no time has been spent on programming graphics, sound and playability... so certainly no time should be spent playing with them.

Platoon (Ocean)

The excitement improves stage by stage and this highly colourful and well-packaged game is almost faultless.

The Raven (8th Day)

An extremely sophisticated adventure... It brings together all the humorous and horrible elements of the 19th century.

Roadwars (Melbourne House)

Although Melbourne House has done an admirable job on the presentation and packaging, this Spectrum conversion falls miserably.

Rollaround (Mastertronic)

If you want more of the Marble Madness format, Rollaround could be what you're looking for.

Rolling Thunder (US Gold)

I'm very impressed with this - but most players will find it very, very hard. It's a simply-laid-out but expansive (especially in the second area) platform shoot-'em-up.

Scumball (Bulldog)

Scumball is a cute little game, with well-drawn graphics and smooth animation, but it lacks that extra boost that holds your attention.

Snapshot (Scetlander)

This imaginative and enjoyable program can help motivate development of a range of skills in the areas of language, environmental studies and maths - highly recommended.

S.T.I. (Bug Byte)

Bug Byte brands this 'such a vulgar, lowclass adventure', but it plainly isn't!

Tetris (Mirrorsoft)

The attraction of Tetris is its simplicity, but that becomes boring after a bit - there's not as much skill involved as you'd expect.