HAVE YOU GOT THE COMPILATIONS?

There's a compilation to suit almost every taste these days, from Rainbird's Silicon Dreams collection of early Level 9 adventures to Durell's excellent set of simulations and shoot 'em ups, Big 4. Compilations are big bucks - which is why every company and its dog seems to have one out at the moment. So which is the best bargain? Here's a brief guide to some of the latest releases, in what's likely to become a semi-regular feature. Although we've referred to the original reviews (the dates in brackets are the issues they first appeared in), we've judged the games by today's standards and some of the marks may be a smidgin different. So leave off with the Trainspotter letters, eh, guys? We know what we're doing. I think!

Beau-Jolly
£6.95

What, Wizard's Lair again? Bubble Bus' old Atic Atac clone is now looking very elderly indeed (May '85). but that hasn't stopped Beau Jolly disinterring it for their Division 2 compilation. The real peach here is Starstrike II (June '86), a much neglected Star Wars-inspired shoot 'em up with superb solid modelled vector graphics. When you consider that the whole package retails for just £6.95, you can see we're talking Serious Bargain here. You also get Global's Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (June '86), a Sweevo-type arcade adventure. Mantronix (July '86) from Probe, a very dull 3D chaseabout rather like Ultimate's recent games, and 2112 AD (March '86), Design Design's early icon driven quest through a computerised future. An interesting and unusual package.

Label: Beau Jolly
Price: £6.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon

Now moving, rather splendidly I thought, to my next film Revenge of the Return of Beau Jolly Compilation Strikes Back, and Rather Disappointing it is Too - that quite remarkable follow up to Rather Disappointing it is 1."

Five Computer Hits is yet another of those seemingly endless Beau Jolly compilations. There are, as the title suggests, five games, but did anyone actually say that they were games that you wanted to play? Wizards Lair is a bad rehash of Atic Atac, 2112AD is far too slow to be enjoyable, Matronix is pointless and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is another run-of-the-mill filmation game. Starstrike II is its only redeeming feature and even that's a little slow.

My advice? Try bouncing bricks off your head it's far more fun.