Blue Thunder (Richard Wilcox) (Spectrum 48K)

Just as you think you've cracked it - boom! Even hardened arcaders should love it!

Bed Bugs (Optima) (BBC Model B)

Good colour, fast action, new ideas and realistic sound mean a good value game which I fully intend to master soon.

3D Star Trek (Stainless) (TI99/4A)

3D Star Trek is very slow but is quite enjoyable and makes good use of TI graphics.

Flying Feathers (Bubble Bus) (Commodore 64)

A very pleasant game for hunting, shooting, fishing types and prospective game wardens.

Plumb Crazy (Terminal) (Commodore 64)

Options, levels, method of scoring and bonus points are pitched about right, so interest is maintained and you're inclined to have "just one more go".

North Sea Oil (Shards) (Dragon 32)

As a role-playing game, this is quite simple and it can become a little boring after a time.

Hicksted (Cases) (Spectrum 48K)

Controls seem difficult, even for fast fingers.

Mystery Of The Java Star (Shards) (Dragon 32/64 or Tandy Color 32/64)

Another excellent multi-part adventure from Shards.

The Cricklewood Incident (Salamander) (Dragon 32)

The insert containing the instructions is not very helpful. It is up to you to discover, if you can, exactly what is possible.

Diamond Quest (Cases) (Spectrum 48K)

Bugs and loading difficulties aside, this adventure is written on an insultingly low level.

Red Riding Hood (Five Ways/Arrow) (Spectrum 48K)

Sound and graphics are of such high standard that the child's attention is kept and it is drawn on to the next activity.

Physics 1 (NWBC) (Dragon 32/64)

On the whole, the questions are quite well designed.

Mister Mac's Day (Five Ways/Arrow) (Spectrum 48K)

To understand the digital watch, the child keys in the correct time - pity there is no facility to go backwards.

Decimals (Chalksoft) (BBC Model B)

A program that succeeds in its aim.

Hansel And Gretel (Five Ways/Arrow) (Spectrum 48K)

Spelling uses the hangman technique, with Daddy chopping a tree when letters are correct.

Five Little Ducks (Five Ways/Arrow) (Spectrum 48K)

The program cannot be fooled by keying in the wrong number - too many cause the extra ducks to fly away and too few cause the task to restart.

Wordmaker/Listmaker (IMS) (Spectrum 48K)

The child cursor moves the first vowel 'a' into position, and then moves the alphabet.

The Enormous Turnip (Five Ways/Arrow) (Spectrum 48K)

Correct responses cause the turnip to be pushed towards the pot, to fall in after five correct.

Alphabet (Opal Soft) (BBC Model B)

It may not be the cheapest program, and its scope is undeniably limited, but programmer D. J. Millidge has done a first-class job.

Optics (Compusoft) (BBC Model B)

Why write a book and then show it on the screen? That is all this set of programs has really achieved.

Datext (Optima) (BBC Model B)

Reasonable value. Should be considered if you need dynamic displays.

Keys (Compusoft) (BBC Model B)

Useful and good value - once debugged.

Shaper (Shards) (Dragon 32)

The sound effects are excellent and you can get some pleasure out of just listening to them and playing about with the variables.

Toolkit (IMS) (Spectrum 16K/48K)

My old debugged and reliable test program did the most amazing things... A block delete on four lines vanished the whole program!

Toolkit (IMS) (Oric 48K)

The serious Basic programmer should definitely have something like Toolkit available, and the additional range in-program commands is very attractive.

Marklist (Optima) (BBC B/B+/Master 128)

The program has a great deal to offer but could have been so much better if extended.

HMS Home Accounts (Harris McCutcheon Systems) (BBC Model B)

The package is over-priced. I realise professional software costs much more, but this is the home market after all.

Micro-Prolog (Sinclair Research) (Spectrum 48K)

An excellent implementation for the Spectrum and with excellent manuals.

Dynamic Graphics (Procom) (Spectrum 48K)

Tape 2 contains an excellent Etch-a-Sketch screen designed with window and re-scaling... it is still sold by, Campbell Systems as Drawmaster. Not revealing this mars a superb package.

Scope (ISP) (Spectrum 48K)

ISP considers publication of programs using Scope or licences for their use. Even nicer if sprites were included but, nevertheless, very useful.

Tarot Card (English) (Atari 400)

This game, with nice graphics, could be of interest for those who find the occult fascinating. Other lusters after the unknown may wish to continue on their way.

Avenger (Voyager) (Dragon 32)

There are nine levels of difficulty which determine the number of lives you begin with.

Centipoid Plus 3 (Orwin) (Spectrum 48K)

In today's highly competitive software market, these games represent a very amateurish offering.

Jungle Adventure (Cases) (Spectrum 48K)

Nice graphics but impossible time for memorising, when necessary, to note positions of animals you have objects for, to increase your score.

Armada (Unknown) (TI99/4A)

There is little point in two people competing, since it may be the computer that decides the winner, not necessarily skill.

Moon Buggy (Visions) (Spectrum 48K)

A good quality game for those not tired of space invaders.

Bumping Buggies (Bubble Bus) (Commodore 64)

If you like race games, this represents the latest and most up to date version.

Chinese Juggler (Ocean) (Commodore 64)

Difficult at higher levels, it is also very satisfying when you get all plates up and spinning.

Nomad (Stainless) (TI99/4A)

Although described as for more advanced players, I found it did not sustain my interest for long.

Asteroid Miner (Optima) (BBC Model B)

A rather full and unimaginative offering with very little to recommend it.