Dominator (System 3) (Spectrum 48K/128K)

If you're a hardened shoot-'em-up veteran, Dominator is a game to scour the shelves for.

3D Pool (Firebird) (Commodore 64)

Innovative, unusual and very, very playable.

Run The Gauntlet (Ocean) (Spectrum 48K/128K)

Ocean have certainly done a great job bringing Run The Gauntlet to our screens, and any sports sim fan after an action-packed game should definitely look this up.

The Running Man (Grandslam) (Amiga 500)

Considering the potential of the film licence, it's a shame Grand Slam hasn't made more of this. As it stands, it's a barely average beat-'em-up with a brilliant front end.

Dragonscape (Software Horizons) (Atari ST)

Good graphics, and there are eight artefacts to collect and place in their proper place... Shame about the small size of the scroll window though.

Typhoon Thompson (Broderbund) (Amiga 500)

Not a complex game yet one of the best games I've seen recently... There's even an afterblur effect to make the movement seem more fluid. Sound too is beautifully orchestrated.

Pacland (Grandslam) (Spectrum 48K/128K)

An above average conversion on the Spectrum and one I'd come back to again.

Scorpion (Digital Magic) (Amiga 500)

This is a competently executed game, let down by some easily corrected errors, and suffers from not enough outside criticism before release.

Gary Lineker's Hot-Shots (Gremlin Graphics) (Spectrum 48K/128K)

If you enjoy getting pasted at football, this is the one for you. Otherwise, it's really nothing special.

Road Blasters (U. S. Gold) (Amiga 500)

A bit too easy, but if you're in the market for a good ST shoot-'em-up, motor on down to the software shop and check this out.

Super Trux (Elite) (Commodore 64/128)

The sense of speed is good, and the difficulty sufficient to keep you at it but it doesn't let you get away with much either.

Prison (Chrysalis) (Amiga 500)

The graphics are crystal clear, and the main character's movement works perfectly against the intricate backgrounds creating a believable atmosphere.

Wanderer (Elite) (Spectrum 48K)

I didn't like Wanderer much. There just isn't anything in the game to keep you coming back for more.

Rockstar Ate My Hamster (Codemasters Gold) (Spectrum 48K/128K)

Easily Codemasters' best yet... Fun, but due to the small number of options, a little short lived.

Kings Quest IV (Sierra) (Amiga 500)

Surely the most advanced animated adventure yet from Sierra.

Space Quest II (Sierra) (Amiga 500)

An interesting and exciting adventure... However, there is a frailty to this Amiga release, which has the propensity to lock up without warning when your character attempts to cross certain screen boundaries.

California Games (Sega) (Sega Master System (EU Version))

The best Sega game to date, combining six superb games, stunning graphics and animation, and a variety of excellent tunes and sound effects. The events are all highly playable, and had me glued to the Sega for hours.

Motor Roader (NEC) (PC Engine (EU Version)/TurboGrafix-16 (US Version))

Speed fiends are recommended to take Moto Roader for a test drive. in the multi-player mode, you'll soon find out who your friends really are!!

Altered Beast (Sega) (Sega Master System (EU Version))

I love arcade Altered Beast, but found this conversion a great disappointment.

Time Soldiers (Sega) (Sega Master System (EU Version))

A very competent piece of programming... Two player mode is particularly good.

Vigilante (Sega) (Sega Master System (EU Version))

Fans of arcade violence should enjoy Vigilante - but I don't think it'll appeal to anyone else.