Producer: Arcade, 48K
£5.50

Another game which sounds unlikely as a galaxian type contender, but then, we couldn't quite figure what the title had to do with the game. But it is a good game anyway. Nice packaging as usual from Arcade and reflected in the graphics. Avoid the falling objects which change characteristic by level or shoot them for points. Tyres (?!) form up like thunderclouds and fall on you, a wretched dog keeps stealing your points. Avoid him by using the wrap-around screen, 25 levels. Joystick: Kempston and AGF or Protek. Good value.

Producer: Arcade, 48K
£5.50

Another game which sounds unlikely as a galaxian type contender, but then, we couldn't quite figure what the title had to do with the game. But it is a good game anyway. Nice packaging as usual from Arcade and reflected in the graphics. Avoid the falling objects which change characteristic by level or shoot them for points. Tyres (?!) form up like thunderclouds and fall on you, a wretched dog keeps stealing your points. Avoid him by using the wrap-around screen, 25 levels. Joystick: Kempston and AGF or Protek. Good value.

Producer: Arcade, 48K
£5.50

Another game which sounds unlikely as a galaxian type contender, but then, we couldn't quite figure what the title had to do with the game. But it is a good game anyway. Nice packaging as usual from Arcade and reflected in the graphics. Avoid the falling objects which change characteristic by level or shoot them for points. Tyres (?!) form up like thunderclouds and fall on you, a wretched dog keeps stealing your points. Avoid him by using the wrap-around screen, 25 levels. Joystick: Kempston and AGF or Protek. Good value.

Memory Required: 48K
RRP: £5.50

Chuck, they know what yer doing and they're out to get ya!' She means the Mob, and they're after the secrets of the safe - so are you. From the cover you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a 1940s Chicago adventure, but actually it's an arcade game, where you run back and forth shooting at various things such as 'lips', things on legs firing lasers, little men, arrows, bomb-dropping helicopters, aricraft etc. Eventually you enter 'dagger alley' where men throw daggers at you. At level 25 you get a chance to open the safe. Additional hazards include indestructible falling tyres and a canine point-thief. Keyboard layout is quite good but I thought the man moves slowly. Also I think I spotted a bug in the scoring which sometimes gave me F lives and SSS points.

CHRIS PASSEY

Despite its name and scenario, this is definitely a galaxian variant, and a rich one too. Dodging the tyres which gather in rows and fall on you gets to be difficult when at the same time you're avoiding the other objects and the little dog that pops up now and again and steals points from you. Fortunately its a wrap around screen, otherwise it would all be impossible! Arcade seem to design games that look easy at first, but being so long tend to wear you down until you start making mistakes. I liked the way that towards the end of each screen the aliens get less and so it all speeds up enormously. Good spread of joystick options. Perhaps its only fair to point out that with 48K in play it has an obvious advantage over the other games in this bunch.

LLOYD MANGRAM

DETECTIVE STORY WILL LEAVE YOU GUESSING

In the Detective for the 48K Spectrum, you must imagine you are a private eye who is trying to get through Dagger Alley to steal secrets from a mysterious safe. The game has 25 levels and if you reach the final level, which the insert warns is unlikely, you have 10 guesses at the combination of the safe.

The game starts with the detective being pelted by unexplained objects which could be bells or possible cups; you score points by shooting at them but are threatened with extinction by old car tyres which gather together and drop on you if you do not move out of the way. The detective moves left and right along the bottom of the screen and if he disappears off one side he will reappear from the other.

The action is fast and even the first level is difficult but there is no explanation, either on the tape or on the cassette insert, as to what is happening, which detracts considerably from the interest of the game. Unless you are already firmly addicted to zapping anything in sight, this it unlikely to convert you. The Detective is produced by Arcade Software, Technology House, 32 Chislehurst Road, Orpingion, Kent BR6 0DG. It costs £5.50.