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The first thing likely to catch your eye with this game is the packaging. Not only do you get a cassette, but also a plastic surfboard which sits on top of your Spectrum and acts as a keyboard overlay.

Surf Champ is as you might expect, a surfing simulation game. You start off getting weather details and must then enter details of your height, weight, choice and size of board etc, before deciding whether you want to practice or enter the competition. You can then paddle out to sea before turning and catching a wave and performing assorted tricks as you are swept back to land. That at least is the theory of it.

The main problem with this game is that it is highly unplayable. The surfboard keeps slipping off its keys and it is very easy to knock it when you are paddling out (this is done by pressing other keys on either side of the surfboard). Once the surfboard is displaced, it is practically impossible to get things sorted out.

There are other problems too. Unless you are familiar with the sport, the terms and the slang associated with it are meaningless. There is an information program on the other side of the tape (Please, New Concepts, if you are going to do this, then label the sides of the cassette differently!) but, even after reading these, I was little the wiser. This is unfortunate because you need certain information to help you get through the extremely user-unfriendly menu system at the start.

There are two graphical screens. A rather ordinary one of the beach with the waves coming in and a better one of you on your board on a wave if you manage to catch one. There is no sound worth mentioning.

I cannot recommend Surf Champ as the overlay makes it largely unplayable! If New Concepts could improve that and tidy up a few other presentation problems, then it could have some appeal, but not at the moment I'm afraid.