Ace 2088 (Cascade)

The graphics are all very nice to look at but there is one glaringly huge and infernally annoying problem; the game is terribly boring!

Advanced Soccer Simulator (Mastertronic Added Dimension)

All-in-all, a well-above average management sim, with the added bonus of a multi-player option.

Barry McGuigan's World Championship Boxing (Mastertronic Plus)

For bored boxing fanatics only.

BMX Simulator 2 (Codemasters)

For BMX fans with lots of patience only.

Butcher Hill (Gremlin Graphics)

If you don't mind bad presentation, and you've got an infinite supply of Pro-Plus to keep you awake, you might find yourself actually getting something out of this.

The Games: Summer Edition (Epyx)

A really pleasurable game, well worth the asking price - though much better on disk, without the multi-load hassle.

Gunrunner (Rack-It)

A mediocre shoot-'em-up which may provide a couple of hours entertainment, but will soon end up gathering dust on the software shell.

Heartbroken (Atlantis)

Graphically bit of a mixed bag... The colourful backgrounds are quite nice, but the character sprites hobble around like miniature Quasimodos and ruin the whole scene.

Heavy On The Magick (Rebound)

The denizens of the dungeon attack without mercy, and for the first few games I doubt that you will get very far.

How To Be A Complete Bastard (Ricochet)

Quite a childish game. Graphically it's no great shaker; a bunch of stick-men wander aimlessly around simplistic backgrounds.

Immortality Rules OK (Wildfire Publishing)

The numerous pictures are fine and the text often witty.

Infiltrator (Kixx)

Frustration caused me to give up playing long before I got anywhere near the second level.

Into The Eagle's Nest (Players)

Great fun to play and fantastic value at just two quid.

Lightmare (Scott Johnston)

I wasn't too impressed with this.

Manic Miner (Mastertronic Added Dimension)

The graphics are sharp and attractive, the in-game tune attractive and playability as addictive as it is frustrating.

Mindtrap (Mastertronic)

Very addictive and well worth buying.

Plasma Ball (Atlantis)

Will keep you occupied for a fair while, if you don't first throw the computer out of the window in frustration.

The Real Ghostbusters (Activision)

A spectacular blast... Since the levels are all quite different there's a real incentive to see what the next one's like.

Rebel Star 2 (Silverbird)

This is a game to appeal not only to strategists, but also fans of the Alien movies and in fact anyone who enjoys a really good - and very tense - game.

Renegade III: The Final Chapter (Imagine)

Worth a bash (or a kick, indeed!), and definitely worthy of consideration if you haven't got both the others!

Repton Mania (Superior)

Both games could definitely have been better presented and the graphics and sound leave much to be desired.

Rygar (Kixx)

Graphics look rather simplistic: the hero looks more like a seven stone weakling than a Schwarzenegger-type action man.

The Sacred Armour Of Antiriad (Silverbird)

The background graphics are good and the quest to first activate your snazzy suit is compelling.

Sanxion: The Spectrum Remix (Thalamus)

A good value shoot-'em-up.

Shanghai Warriors (Players)

A good game, but a bit too easy with no end-of-level monsters for just three levels.

Skate Or Die (Electronic Arts)

Unattractive, unaddictive and uninspiring.

Soccer Q (Cult)

I suppose the idea of asking trivia questions instead of viewing porky sprites wobbling around a pitch isn't a bad one I suppose.

Space Detective 2: Home Run (Armageddon And Cream)

Despite some flaws, there are plenty of puzzles to solve, and completion is a challenge.

Spy Hunter (Kixx)

May look a little dated in the graphical department, but the pulse-racing playability has remained.

Stormlord (Hewson)

The sort of game we used to expect from Ultimate, and makes as good use of the Spectrum as can be imagined.

Street Gang Football (Codemasters)

Graphically the game is good with the back streets looking really dark and dingy, and the players out to cause some damage on their way to the opposition's goal.

Super Cycle (Kixx)

A fairly nice looking game, spoilt by being too easy with lousy collision detection.

Super Nudge 2000 (Mastertronic)

A good way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, but after a while I think that this will be relegated to the software cupboard.

Tank Attack (CDS)

A relatively simple a game it may be, but Tank Attack is still worth consideration - provided of course you've got at least one other person around to play it!

Battle-Tank Simulator (Zeppelin)

A good way to reminisce, but I wouldn't advise you to part with your dosh unless you really love this type of game.

Technician Ted (Rack-It)

An attractive and compelling game this is an essential purchase for platform-and-ladders fans, and well worth a look even from people who normally hate the game-style.

Tempest (Ricochet)

The coin-op version is one of my all-time favourite games, and still worth a few ten pees if you can find it. Its simple playability has certainly been preserved on the Spectrum.

Tetris (Mastertronic)

Will keep the old grey matter ticking over for a few months.

Trantor (Kixx)

Gameplay is tough but not impressive... The denizens attack you a bit too mercilessly for my liking and this left me with a vague 'why bother?' sort of feeling.

Vigilante (US Gold)

Vigilante is a jolly good biff; value for your dosh if you didn't buy Renegade. If you did, then it might not be such a wise investment, but still well worth thinking about.

Vindicators (Domark)

As a full price game it is extremely poor value for money. It's very easy to play; one game can last for ages; so the addictivity is a tiny insignificant speck of nothingness. A definite no-no.