Aliens have set up space stations which are currently orbiting around Earth, and you must destroy all of them on each round. Just make sure you don't crash into the mines and rocks, and watch out for the waves of aliens which appear when you hear the alarm that signifies 'condition red'; they approach very fast, and you should try to guide them towards hazards which they will hopefully crash into. You'll lose lives frequently, but there are lots more to pick up, as well as extra fuel and bombs, and better ammunition. The graphics are detailed, albeit very blue, and a suitably space-themed tune plays throughout. However, it's not a very sophisticated shoot-'em-up, although it is worth playing if you want a quick blast at something.

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Also re-released by Alternative Software as Soccer Boss, this early football management game lets you take charge of one of eighty football clubs as you battle your way up from the 4th Division. As manager, you get to invest in the peculiarly run transfer market – the better the player's form, the more expensive he is. You can also sell your stars, but with a limited number of names out there, it won't be long until you see them back on the market! Your players are also multi-talented, capable of playing anywhere on the pitch and in any formation (with the exception of your goalkeepers). All in all, this is a straightforward management game that's fun in the short term, but loses appeal the longer you play.

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Rockford the ant has to collect some diamonds scattered throughout a maze. He can dig through the earth, but this may release one or more boulders, and if he doesn't get out of the way, Rockford will be a dead ant. Later on, you'll also encounter a few enemies. This is one of the all-time classic games, and the graphics stay true to the original. However, while the first three levels are OK, things suddenly become really tricky on the fourth level, which I don't like. Still, you can have fun designing your own levels with the construction kit.

See also: Boulder Dash III, Rockford.

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For some reason, Boulder Dash II was never officially released for the CPC, but fans of the original game can enjoy a new set of sixteen caves filled with boulders, diamonds and all sorts of other nasties. This time, Rockford has donned a space suit, and while the enemy creatures may have new names, they perform the same functions as other nasties in the previous games – for example, fireflies are replaced by mouths, and butterflies are replaced by eyes. Fortunately, the option to select which cave to start on is still there and is very welcome, as the game is extremely difficult; in fact, I would say that several caves are impossible to complete, thanks to those mouths!

See also: Boulder Dash, Rockford.

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Another Boulder Dash clone arrives for your entertainment on the CPC. With this one you get 72 rooms to complete that are split into nine areas of eight single screens. Pressing any number from 1 to 9 will open up one of these areas. There's no treasure to collect or any monsters to avoid, just rocks to skip around. The rocks and scenery are varied and colourful, though, adding more interest. The controls are responsive – an important requirement in a game like this one. There's also an editor that allows you to alter each screen. Bouldeur is surpringly addictive and begs you to have just one more try.

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Oh my God! AMTIX! gave this game 91%? Why??? Anyway, in this game, you play a tennis ball who is constantly bouncing up the screen, and you have to move him around between bounces so he lands on nice stuff like grass, and avoids bad stuff like spikes. And that's about it, really! This game has many levels, but I only ever get to level 2, before I turn it off through sheer frustration. The graphics are pretty abysmal, especially if you have a green monitor (is that grass or spikes? Oh, spikes. I'm dead...) , the difficulty is absurd, but to its credit, it has a nice little ditty of a theme song, and – though I hate to say it – it is strangely addictive. Also, you've got to love Bounder himself. He's a cute little guy!

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The sequel to Miner 2049er (which wasn't released on the CPC) involves Bounty Bob on a mission to claim the rights to 25 newly discovered mines. To do this, Bob must walk over every platform and carry out carefully timed jumps to reach the others. Objects are scattered around that aid Bob. Collecting one allows Bob to stamp on the nasties that live in the mines. There are also slides, tubes and cannons that propel you to hard-to-reach platforms, but a careful plan is needed if you wish to complete a screen. Average graphics that work, all running at a comfortable speed, and adequate sound effects. It looks easy, but to win this challenge, you will need to use your brain.

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Four outlaws – Jack Nickalot, Charles Bronkon, Clint Westwood and Kodak – are on the loose, and you're out to capture them, dead or alive. There's a bounty on each of these criminals' heads! Each level consists of three parts. In the first part, you're on foot, shooting Indians, cowboys and Mexican bandits. In the second part, you're on horseback trying to stop a train carrying the outlaw, and if you succeed, you go on to the third part – a one-on-one shoot-out between you and the outlaw. The graphics are colourful and well drawn, and the music is good as well. Unfortunately it's quite difficult; you can't fire horizontally, and the enemy characters have an annoying habit of walking straight into you, which loses you one of your three lives – and you should have more than that.

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The car you're driving in this game isn't any ordinary car – not only is it equipped with bullets, but it can also fly. Speeding along the highway, you must dodge or shoot your opponents who are driving towards you; they must have no fear! The highway weaves in and out and branches into two at certain points. The graphics are OK, although I don't like the tune that plays on the menu. Your opponents are far too difficult to miss, and shooting them often has no effect.

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Can you guide Brainache (otherwise known as Private Harry Jones) through the Stella mines to retrieve his mining equipment and the Anatese diamond and bring them back to the spaceship one at a time? It's going to be a perilous mission, since the mine is full of deadly plants and creatures. This is a dull game which only has one level. The graphics are poor and there is a lot of flicker, and the scrolling between screens is slow as well, but the worst thing about the game is that the mutated insects that you will encounter are very difficult to both shoot and avoid, and it's very frustrating indeed. The music on the menu is the only worthy aspect of this mediocre game.

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