ACE (Cascade)

If you want a realistic combat simulation, forget it - you'll learn more from the movies. If you want a high-speed shoot 'em up with planes, go get it - it's ace!

The Boggit (CRL)

The usual humour is packed in, such as the response to GET ALL or the input of four-letter words (and you can safely BREAK WIND in this one, if you choose).

Captain Slog (Alpha Omega)

Unfortunately for Alpha-Omega, the gameplay is now very old hat and leaves this reviewer with an attention span of approximately 2.5 minutes.

Colossus Chess 4 (CDS)

Colossus is impressive in its options and should please anybody who's looking for some hard core pawn action, but if you want a prettier, albeit less demanding game, you may do better elsewhere.

Con-Quest (Mastertronic Added Dimension)

This isn't an arcade adventure as you might think. It's a straight shoot-'em-up. So leave your brain in the drawer and get blasting.

Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee! (Sparklers)

As an arcade adventure, Making Whoopee is a right little cracker, and deserves to bubble right to the top of the charts.

Fairlight 128K (The Edge)

If you don't already own this or you've worn the original out, go for the revised version but remember that Fairlight II is coming soon, which is actually being designed with the bigger Spectrum in mind.

Ghostbusters (Activision)

A fun game combining strategy with simple but novel arcade interludes. However, it does suffer from some graphical shortcomings and may not be all that addictive.

Heartland (Odin)

It won't knock your sockets off but it's a fine game that lets you ease yourself into it until you're ready to take on the real challenge.

The Hulk (Americana)

Not the greatest of games... You're often expected to respond to 'What shall I do?' without having the least idea of where you are or what objects there are.

Hunchback: The Adventure (Ocean)

A tedious game... give me the arcade version any day. My Spectrum has done nothing to deserve being treated so badly.

I.C.U.P.S. (Thor)

Not the world's greatest game... Four parts of a bomb are scattered around the play area and you must steal them from their protective domes and then use the bomb to blow up the station you're in.

Jasper! (£2.99 Classics)

The graphics aren't brill but they set the scene admirably - just look at the way the panther walks. In the words of the dirty rat himself, it's top of the world Ma!

Kentilla (Mastertronic)

The fate of the world lies in your hands and time is short. So too are the location descriptions, while the graphics are definitely from the minimalist school of art.

Lap Of The Gods (Mastertronic)

Quite simply excellent. Good use of sound, colour and graphics all combine to produce one of Mastertronic's best games this summer. Don't pass a software shop without letting this one fall into your lap.

Mermaid Madness (Electric Dreams)

This is about as exciting as an electric eel with dud batteries. Sudden death has seldom come more suddenly than when you collide with the denizens of the deep.

Mindstone (The Edge)

Mindstone is a fairly average adventure style game with a few interesting features like optical icon control. Nothing to write home about.

Murder Hunt (Bodkin)

One description also tells you that you see a lake to the west, but take the south-east exit and there you are by the lake, west taking you up a hill. Too many of the dreaded sudden death routines as well.

Pool (£2.99 Classics)

One for the Steve "Interesting" Davises of the world to cut their cues on. Younger ones might get more enthusiastic about chalking their tips over this one!

Psi Chess (The Edge)

In all honesty, I can't comment on how expertly Psi Chess plays compared with its competitors in the computer chess championship, but I'd guess that the memory required for graphics could've taken the edge off some of its strategies.

Pusher (Paradise)

Pusher has followed the rocket-building ethic too closely and has become another aborted mission. As far as I'm concerned, it can push off.

Rescue On Fractalus! (Activision)

A different angle on shoot 'em ups then, but bugged by the Spectral graphics, which make it look like you're flying through a page of Teletext.

Sbugetti Junction (Bug Byte)

A simple, well-execute idea. You can also choose whether you want to play the British or European versions of the game. (In the European version the cars drive on the wrong side of the road, some even drive backwards which makes for interesting game play).

Scuba Dive (£2.99 Classics)

The only thing this game really lacks is Jacqueline Bissett's wet T-shirt from The Deep.

Spellbound 128K (Mastertronic Added Dimension)

Spellbound is now a blippin' brilliant game, if it wasn't before, deserving a place in every big Speccer's collection.

Stainless Steel (Mikro-Gen)

If you like shooty games, this is as good a game as any I suppose. In originality of gameplay, this ranks alongside most of the best budget games. Which would be fine if it was a budget game. But it isn't.

Star Firebirds (Firebird)

I strongly advise you to buy this game. I like to play Invaders - always have done, and always will - so getting into a new version that you can play without embarrassment is a breath of fresh air.

3D Starstrike (£2.99 Classics)

If you bought Starstrike II, but missed this first one, I advise you to patch this gap in your education. Put it alongside anything new, and it stands up like a trooper.

Time Of The End (Mandarin)

As you make your way up to and hopefully across the Cara River, you'll encounter quaintly named creatures like the Urga-Mauls, Quargs and Cavezats, most of which will gladly attack you soon as look at you.

TimeTrax (Argus Press)

Okay, the concept's a bit on the laughable side, so flippin' what! I think it's a good game, and anyone who says it isn't is lookin' for a rune up their nostril.

The Trap Door (Piranha)

Don't be put off by the naff packaging - this is one of the best arcade games ever on the Spectrum.

Tujad (Ariolasoft)

You'll have seen plenty of alternatives to this and Tujad brings nothing new to the market but on the other hand it brings nothing bad either.

Xarq (Electric Dreams)

In all, Xarq is quite an interesting game that's hindered by insensitive controls and the over-exuberance of the defences early on in the game.