NOT ALL THAT HAS COLOUR, GLITTERS.

In their haste to get Spectrum software on the market, it appears that some companies have simply decided to recycle their ZX81 stuff, adding a few little squeaks from the sound, and an INK or PAPER or three. Phil Garratt takes a close look at some of the material available, and notes that among the dross, gold still shines.

"Quest" is a non-graphics adventure game with random locations and monsters. It is played in real-time, so if you stop to think you will be pounced on by a gargoyle or vampire. The delay loops for the command entry have been poorly programmed, so the timing of key presses is critical. I found nearly all of my commands being ignored until I inserted an extra pause statement. This relentless and repetitive game left me rather frustrated.

In "Reverse", nine random digits have to be juggled into order. It appears to have been included to make up the numbers, and certainly isn't of commercial quality.

"Startrek" is a version of the classic galactic war game. The short range scan gives a graphic display, but for some reason user defined graphics have not been used for the Enterprise, Klingons or starbases. Phasers still shoot at Klingons after they have been destroyed with Proton (sic!) torpedoes, so you can end up with minus 1 Klingons on the long-range scan. Perhaps they are anti-matter Klingons! A very limited version of the game.

All four programs make little or no use of the extra graphics and sound facilities on the Spectrum, and show signs of being hastily put together. Serious Software? - they must be joking.

"Spectrum Games" is £6.95 from Serious Software, 7 Woodside Road, Bickley, Bromley, Kent BR1 2ES.