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This game was to have been called Maniac Miner, so there are no prizes for guessing what it's a copy of. But before you turn the page in righteous indignation just remember that Manic Miner itself is a development of an earlier American game Miner 2049'er.

Frankly, the game idea is so enjoyable, it would be tragic if game-players weren't treated to exciting new versions every so often.

So, a familiar scenario. Twenty different screens of platforms connected by conveyor belts and collapsing floors and populated by nasties (mostly wagons in this version). You, the miner, try to work out a route by which you can collect various objects which will allow you to escape through to the next screen.

The screens in Mineshaft are quite different from those in Manic Miner, but offer the same kind of teasing problems. Which leaps can be safely made? How can you time a run to avoid both running into a wagon and falling through a collapsing floor?

The graphics are nicely done, although there isn't the variety of nasties and colours found in the original - this is probably a consequence of squeezing 20 screens into the Beeb's limited memory, an impressive feat.

But the sound scores a distinct plus. The miner makes a delightful little squeal each time he jumps, and the higher the jump, the higher the squeal. There's also a beautifully sonorous tone when objects are collected, and a reasonable rendering of 'Greensleeves' as the background tune.

On the other hand, the annoyance of losing a life will be compounded by the garish pyrotechnics which appear on the screen, followed by an eyeball-jerking scroll through all the previous screens. The annoyance is only temporary. This Mineshaft looks certain to provide stiff competition for the official Manic Miner due to be released on the BBC very shortly.

Whoever wins the miners' strike, this is one pit which won't be closed for some time.

BBC owners longing to get some cool dust in their lungs are going to love this game. OK, so it's just another platform game but this machine was neglected in the original spate of them.

And there's no reason why the Beeb gamester shouldn't get his fair share of jumping and dodging, is there?

The 20 screens of tough action means there is plenty to keep you plugging away at, and all of them are extremely hard. The monsters are less weird than in some of the previous games, but then who needs mutant loos and Eugene's face gawping at you.

I'm sure some of you are going to be sick of the sight of miners and platforms, but BBC owners frustrated by watching others digging for treasures can now indulge themselves to their heart's content.

Miner-type games are few and far between for the Beeb because of its limited memory.

Despite the memory limitation, Mineshaft is very good - it is very playable and has 20 screens to ensure the midnight oil is burnt.

The graphics are not wildly impressive but the screens are well laid out and a lot of thought is needed to make the higher levels in the time limit on each screen.

There are two games for BBC owners to compare this with. Blagger from Alligata also offers 20 platform screens, but the program contains one or two bugs. I think Mineshaft is marginally better.

The other program is the official Manic Miner from Software Projects. We'll be reviewing it as soon as it's completed.