Acheton (Topologika)

There's a hell of a lot of gameplay here - over 140K's worth - so if you don't insist on the latest state-of-the-art fancy adventure, then Acheton is good value for money.

Ballbreaker II (CRL)

A 3D-variant of a game that worked a hell of a lot better with just the two dimensions.

Beyond The Ice Palace (Elite)

A rather super chunky scrolling platforms and ladders game. Great fun to play, but becomes 'blinkin' difficult too soon.

Bionic Commando (Go!)

An excellent conversion of the Capcom coin-op, which "out-Karnov's" even Karnov. Colourful, fast and fab.

Buggy Boy (Elite)

Fast, rough but nothing startlingly new. There's not much variation between tracks, and it's a bit scruffy in appearance, but what it lacks in refinement it makes up for with speed and action-packed-ness.

Crosswize (Firebird)

Super-duper graphics, arcade-style difficulty, and faultless programming make this game a classic on a par with Zynaps.

Cyberknights (CRL)

A lousy shoot 'em up-platform that lets you design your own Cyber-wotsit, but you'll probably bin this one long before.

Denizen (Players)

I'd only buy this if I were a mad mapper, or perhaps just mad. It's slow and quite unresponsive and the repetitive action drastically reduces the lasting appeal.

Earthlight (Firebird)

A neat scroller that's a cut above the rest. Most stimulating, thank you

Fairly Difficult Mission (Zodiac)

The whole thing's a send-up of adventures where the heroes have funny names, there's an obligatory quest, an obligatory maze and an obligatory glowing portal.

Freedom Fighter (The Powerhouse)

Freedom Fighter is so bad that I doubt even the most warped of shoot am up addicts will like it. Avoid this like the plague.

Frontline (Zeppelin Games)

A very professionally presented game, from the neat front end to the smooth eight way scrolling. Oodles of great graphics, loads of massacre-able soldiers, tanks and pillboxes to be blasted and acres of landscape to be mapped.

MASK III: VENOM Strikes Back (Gremlin)

Like Exolon, it's one of those games where you get ever-so-slightly further each time you play so you won't get fed up with it too quickly.

Muggins The Spaceman (Silverbird)

Hardened arcade-adventure fans might like Muggins, but I found it had little appeal. The whole game is let down by some atrocious graphics.

Ninja Scooter Simulator (Firebird)

The graphics and presentation are first class and it's both very playable and pretty addictive.

Pogostick Olympics (Firebird)

The presentation of Pogostick Olympics is excellent, but the game itself is boring and unplayable. If you like waggling your joystick, you might like this, but I didn't find it that much fun.

Prowler (Mastertronic)

A very dull game. I think that it tries to be a simulation with arcade elements, or perhaps an arcade game with simulation elements, but it fails to be any good in either category.

The Race Against Time (Codemasters)

A more-than-competent arcade adventure with varied backdrops - buy it and do some good while you play.

Sabotage (Zeppelin Games)

As scrolling shoot-'em-ups go, Sabotage isn't bad, but I can think of many better games, even at this low price.

Shanghai Karate (Players)

Very unresponsive. There are many combat games which are ten times as good as this one.

Soldier Of Light (Ace)

A disappointing coin-op conversion from The Edge and, with this soldier, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Starring Charlie Chaplin (US Gold)

This gets full marks for originality, and high marks for the graphics (which really have a nice 'twenties' feel), but there's not enough interaction needed to make this a playable game.

3D Stock Car Championship (Firebird)

Clever and realistic racing - instead of just finishing the race faster than the computer drones, you can, and must, use some tactics to win.

Street Fighter (Go!)

A first-class beat 'em up, with loadsa action and totally faithful to the original.

Target: Renegade (Ocean)

The greatest beat-'em-up to date? Yep. Graphically yum-yum, deliciously playable, succulently addictive - a game connoisseur's delight.

Time and Magik (Mandarin)

Three games - all worth getting, even if you've already got one or two of them in their earlier versions. Magic!

Time Flies (Firebird)

The game is uninteresting, unaddictive and totally unplayable. Don't buy it.