OLD GAME IS RE-VITALISED

Noughts And Crosses is better-played on a piece of paper and not with a computer. Artic Computing has realised that and gone one better than the usual three-by-three board in 3D Quadracube for the 16K Spectrum.

The game has a four-by-four board but it is also has four slices, or levels, on which to play. The slices are displayed in high-resolution during play and as each block is filled by a player's piece it is coloured either blue or red instead of the usual noughts and crosses. That is something you cannot do on paper.

The program gives the option of playing with the Spectrum as a partner or with another human. The computer is difficult to beat as it has a better memory for numbers and can cope better with the extra dimension. Our best score was a thrashing in 17 moves and the worst was another thrashing in seven moves.

3D Quadracube has more of a hold on the player than simple noughts and crosses or connect four. It is an irritating game as you start by knowing that the computer has a better chance of winning than any player. That does not detract from the game, however, as it makes it all the more challenging.

3D Quadracube can be obtained from Artic Computing, 396 James Reckkit Avenue, Hull, N. Humberside HU8 0JA. It costs £4.95.