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In the last issue of CRASH we reviewed a boxing game from Alligata called Knockout. Well in this issue we have two more, Rocco (originally released under the title Rocky), which owes its origins to a team of Spanish programmers, and Elite 's Frank Bruno's Boxing. There must be something of a trend under way.

The graphical presentation of the fighters is very important in this type of game. In Rocco you view the action from a point behind your fighter who appears to be a good deal shorter than your opponent. Both figures are solid and shaded. As a fighter, you have four basic moves available: a left and right head punch, and a left and right block. Every time you land a punch on your opponent you can see his head reel with the blow and his energy bar diminish a touch. A fighter is knocked out when his energy bar reaches zilch. The winner of a round is the first boxer to drop his opponent thrice. Each time one of the fighters is knocked out he will get up again (unless it was his third fall) and continue the fight with a re-charged energy bar the other fighter continues with his energy at the level it was when he laid the other guy out.

In effect, this means that a boxer who has just been knocked out has the advantage over his opponent. Once you've won your first round you'll have had a taste of what is to follow, but to achieve ultimate victory you must defeat all four fighters. Each one is harder to beat than the one before.

At the start of each new fight you are presented with a picture and the weight of your opponent displayed in a box under his energy bar. The graphical figure in the ring does not change in appearance from fight to fight. When you lose against any one of the fighters then the game is over. No score is given, so if you find you have a score to settle, you must start from the beginning.

Control keys: 1-5/6-0 left/right punch, Q-T/I-P left/right block
Joystick: Kempston
Keyboard play: better than joystick
Use of colour: very little
Graphics: solid, detailed and pleasing
Sound: a sort of squidgy sound for punches and a good bell sound
Skill levels: four
Lives: three
Screens: N/A

'Rocco is the second boxing game I have seen this month. Looking at this one in isolation I think the graphics are very appealing. However, I think it lacks playability not only because the opposing character never changes, but also, on account of the limited number of moves available, it all became so repetitive. On it's own an original game but compared with Frank Bruno I don't think there is as much of a game here.

'At first sight l must say the graphics in this game won me over. They are very good indeed. The figures are large, detailed, and move well. But the game itself I am not so keen on. The actual game it is far too limiting. It's a shame that despite the other four contenders being gradually better they each take on the appearance of a black-eyed Spaniard! The movements available in a fight are just too limited, especially when you took at other fighting games, Way of the Exploding Fist on the CBM for example, and realise just how involved you can become. One more point:. I don't recommend the use of a joystick with this game, it's just too tempting to sit there and wiggle it about'

'Yet another boxing game. We seem to be inundated with them here at CRASH at the moment, and I don't think any of them are particularly good. The novelty of them wears off after a few goes and you are left with nice graphics and a pretty boring game. Anyway, back to reviewing Rocco. At first sight this boxing game seems to be reasonably good. It has fair graphics and even a bit of sound every time you get belted, but after a few goes it turns into a 'slugging match' with no other option. All you can do is hit the bloke in front of you in the face with either your left or right fist. When you have beaten your first opponent, you are presented with a different picture at the bottom of the screen but the actual character you're fighting doesn't change at all, which I think is a bit of a cop out.'