BIGBOX THRILLS!

What's the best way to catch up on all the great games that appeared on the Spectrum a while back. One: go out and buy every single one and spend a fortune? Tow: pop around to your mate's house and nick his copies? Or three: take a trip down to your local software shop and snap up one of the great new compilations? Well, one's only for the stupid, two's only for complete basts, so it must be three! NICK ROBERTS gives you the low-down on the current hits in compilation land!

US Gold
£16.32

This compilation is great because of the variety of game styles on offer, each presenting the player with a new challenge. Two of the games, Myth and Vendetta, were CRASH Smashes, so you're definitely getting value for money.

Myth is an arcade adventure game with platform overtones featuring superbly detailed graphics and puzzles that'll have you perplexed for ages. You're faced with such perils as Medusa, Hydra and Thor, the god of thunder. To destroy each one you need to collect the correct weapons, which change from one time zone (level) to the next. Myth is not easily completed but you'll have a good time trying.

I just loved Vendetta when it was first released. Most games of its type have great graphics but are short on gameplay; but that isn't the case here. There's so much in it, you can play for ages and never get fed up. The game is mainly an arcade adventure with objects to find to get you into new locations but there's the added bonus of a car racing level. Once you've found the keys you can jump into the sports car and off you got!

Tusker tackles the arcade adventure style in a different way to the last two games. Instead of each screen being highly detailed and you being able to roam around freely, many of the screens are largely empty and you have to battle through them one at a time. The game uses elements of beat-'em-ups and mixes them with adventure to produce a thoroughly enjoyable game.

The final game in the pack is IK+, a karate beat-'em-up extravaganza. What makes the game stand out from the rest is that there are three men on screen at the same time, a lethal game!

System 3 Pack is an excellent compilation, packed with a good variety of top-notch games.

Vendetta: 23/25
Myth: 20/25
Tusker: 18/25
IK+: 17/25