This is essentially a cut-down budget version of Codemasters' earlier full-price release Jet Bike Simulator. There are still two difficulty levels, but now there is only one set of courses in each difficulty level (lakes for the easy level, and docks for the hard level). The only other differences are that the digitised speech has been re-recorded using a female voice, and the order of the courses on the hard difficulty level has been re-arranged. Everything else about the game remains identical to Jet Bike Simulator, which means that while the lakes courses are quite enjoyable to play, completing just the first of the eight docks courses within the strict time limit and avoiding finishing last is a real challenge. It's better to play Jet Bike Simulator instead.

See also: Jet Bike Simulator.

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This is supposed to be the sequel to Super Sprint, but in reality it's just a re-released version with a built-in track editor. Other than that, there is literally no difference between the two games at all – at least, there were no differences that I could detect. OK, you can design your own tracks, and there are no on-track hazards such as oil slicks, but the game is still as boring as its predecessor and the graphics and sound effects are exactly the same.

See also: Super Sprint.

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This adaptation of Roald Dahl's much-loved children's book is very poor indeed. There are two sub-games and a platform game which can only be played properly if you complete both the sub-games first. In the first sub-game, you must guide Augustus Gloop through a network of pipes. As you walk left and right, the pipes re-arrange themselves. It's confusing and very difficult indeed. You play Violet Beauregarde in the second sub-game. You carry a board in front of you and must guide the blueberries into the hole so that the juice can be extracted from them. The main game is a standard platform game in which you collect Willy Wonka tokens. This is also very difficult. The graphics are crude and blocky and the gameplay is totally uninspiring.

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It came to Charly in a dream – a cave filled with blue diamonds. And the way to find that cave – to first find seven magical flowers. And so Charly's journey begins. And what an epic journey it is! Swimming the Bay of Bengal, meeting belly dancers in the desert, trudging through the Arctic, negotiating treacherous jumps in the Andes, all the while changing your outfit to whatever best suits the environment – for example, you can't swim in your hiking gear, but at the same time, you can't jump in your swimming trunks. This game is beautiful, colourful and has a great tune playing throughout. It's great fun, though it's hampered by the high difficulty level and the annoying way you are sent back to the start whenever you lose a life!

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Chase HQ
(Ocean, 1989)

You're an American police cop with an ultra-fast sports car, and have to chase criminals in it and arrest them by ramming their car – although this isn't something I would want to do to a car as expensive as that! You're also racing against the clock, and Nancy, your boss, is not someone you want to mess with. This is a truly great game with some very good graphics, and it's fast as well! The sound isn't too good – engine noises and not that much else – but if you have 128K, then you'll be treated to some stunning digitised speech. This is definitely a game that is not to be missed.

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9

In the Badajoz jungle lives Cheril, who one day decides to go to the city. The problem is that before leaving the jungle, Cheril needs to collect food for the journey: thirteen giant nuts! This is a pure arcade adventure where you need to open doors, find items in order to advance, explore the map and avoid enemies of the wilderness. The game opens with an atmospheric tune, which plays throughout the game and is really nice. The graphics are well drawn in a Japanese cartoon fashion, and they are colourful too. The gameplay is enjoyable, while the difficulty level is correctly set and the game itself is rather big. The grab factor is high. Taken as a whole, it is a game that retro gamers definitely need to have a look at.

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The Chessmaster series of games, with its image of a wise man with a long hair and beard looking thoughtfully at a chessboard, has been going strong since the first release in 1986, which was adapted for the Amstrad CPC several years later. It isn't called "the finest chess program in the world" for nothing; I'm a novice at chess, and even on the lowest of the eight skill levels available, the computer always beats me, but if you're an experienced player, you'll obviously want to play a challenging opponent. I also think the 3D view of the board is ugly and the pieces are difficult to distinguish – but most chess players will probably stick to the default 2D view anyway.

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7

The White Knight was taking a walk in the forest with the beautiful princess when they are ambushed by demons, who steal the Knight's sword, shield and helmet and capture the princess, taking her away to the castle. Playing the White Knight, you must rescue her – but first you'll have to get your horse back, and then travel through the dangerous marsh to collect your belongings in the correct order. Once you're safely on the other side, you must then work out how to enter the castle while dodging the cannonballs being fired at you. The princess is being held behind one of the many doors inside the castle – but which one? This is a delightful little game at first, with excellent animation, although you may want to turn the sound down! However, it's much too easy to complete; must people should be able to do this after a few attempts.

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Hit the road in a classic 1959 Chevy car as you drive across America to reach your girlfriend. The game consists of four stages, each divided into four sections. You're racing against the clock, and the other drivers on the road don't make life easy. As you progress to the next section, the sky changes colour and your time is extended, and at the end of each stage, it's time to rest and relax. There are also 'auto centres' on each stage where you can upgrade your car. The graphics are marvellous and really colourful, and you can even choose the colour and model of your own car. The music at the start of the game isn't that good, but the game is great fun to play and the difficulty level is just right.

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8

Armed with a Thompson machine gun, you play the main role in a gangster movie that takes place in the streets of Chicago. Each time you're killed, a spectator leaves his seat. When you run out of lives, the cinema is empty and the game ends. Despite an original starting point, Chicago's 30 (which was released outside Spain as Chicago 30's) is far from being a good game. The graphics and the music are not bad, and the scrolling is decent, but rather than being a difficult game, it just happens to be boring and frustrating.

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