Populous II (Electronic Arts)

An action game for strategy fans, a strategy game for arcade junkies, and, until Populous III comes along, unmissable.

First Samurai (Image Works)

A brilliant game... It excels in almost every area, but the presentation in particular is really something special.

Super Space Invaders (Domark)

It's Space Invaders, it's got knobs on but it's far too slow and, to tell the truth, not worth the bother. A real shame.

Captain Planet (Mindscape)

I so much wanted Captain Planet to be a cracker... but really it isn't. Keen environmentalists can ignore graphical deficiencies... but unplayability can't be forgiven.

Microprose Golf (Microprose)

The first time you see this, your jaw will drop! It's also pretty easy to get into, and the wealth of different games you can play should ensure lasting appeal for months and months.

Flight Of The Intruder (Spectrum Holobyte/Mirrorsoft)

Not the most accomplished flight sim, but atmospheric as anything. And you can link two computers so one of you can fly an Intruder, the other his wingman in a Phantom. Great stuff.

Heimdall (Core Design)

An excellent looking product. Core are proved the best at taking an involved and complex game-type and making a faster-moving, more user friendly and lovely looking, erm, thingie, out of it.

Alien Breed (Team 17)

Outstanding graphics and sound... One of the most atmospheric games ever.

Rugby: The World Cup (Domark)

Sports fans should definitely be adding this to their shopping lists, whilst mainstream gamers might well be tempted too - they'll be missing out on something if they aren't.

Knights Of The Sky (Microprose)

Immensely playable and atmospheric, making you wonder whether 90 years of progress have all been worthwhile. You've really got to try it to see the attraction.

Fate: Gates Of Dawn (Rainbow Arts)

Another fantasy RPG, but one with enough attractive features (and unbelievably horny women) to raise it above the mire. Enjoyable for fans.

Under Pressure (Electronic Zoo)

There's no getting away from the fact that this game is dreadful, and the main reason for that is that there is no actual game in here.

Shadow Sorcerer (US Gold)

For a game which is aimed at the masses, Shadow Sorcerer just has far too many hardcore D&D-head traits in there.

Football Director II: Revamped (D&H Games)

A disappointing affair which doesn't really offer anything new. Fans of the genre will not be impressed, and everybody else will need little warning to stay away.

Pegasus (Gremlin)

Pegasus is primarily a right-to-left scrolling back through five distinct lands, each ten levels in length. Nothing outstanding really.

Baby Jo (Loriciel)

Endearing, full of odd comic touches, and distinctively French - but not really much of a game. For shame.

Thunderjaws (Domark)

A dreadful conversion of what was only an average coin-op in the first place...! Completely awful in almost every way.

Builderland (Loriciel)

A fairly interesting Lemmings clone, but so cheaply put together as to be almost embarrassing.

Napoleon I (Internecine)

A dream come true for Napoleonic war fans, and a complete irrelevance for everyone else. I tried hard to get interested in it. I really did.

Volfied (Empire)

An arcade perfect conversion of Taito's updated Qix. It's a bit limited but what it does, it does almost perfectly. Hence this is a game that's hard to criticize.

Deluxe Strip Poker II (CDS)

This is just dreadful and even cheap-thrill seekers will find this sad and witless. If you want women, spend the price of the game on porn mags instead.

Booly (Loriciel)

A dull looking, but in actual fact reasonably diverting, second division puzzler. Not good or bad, just okay.

Covert Action (Microprose)

Surprisingly entertaining, varied and pacy spy sim, spoiled to an extent by some slight programming and design sloppiness. Master the controls and get used to the disk accessing, though, and you'll find yourself having a groovy time.

Batman The Movie (The Hit Squad)

Effective, if ever-so-slightly-dated looking movie thing... There are a few weeks of solid entertainment in here.

Mean Machine (Codemasters)

Lots of fun at first, but far too limited to be of lasting value.

Dragon Ninja (The Hit Squad)

If it worked, this would be a tolerable enough potboiler, but it doesn't and that's that. It's literally unplayable past level one.

Sky High Stuntman (Codemasters)

As good a vertical blaster as I've seen this year at any price, Sky High Stuntman is an essential buy for zap fans.

Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo (Hi-Tec)

All the best elements of The Blues Brothers, First Samurai, Chuck Rock, Magic Pockets and half-a-dozen console classics thrown together to make a joyful and magnificently entertaining game.

Heroes Of The Lance (Kixx)

If you like D&D-style games, you'll get lost for hours in this.

Wacky Races (Hi-Tec)

Humorous and addictive in a cheap and cheerful kind of way.

Titanic Blinky (Zeppelin Games)

The lack of instructions is a real shame. This looks like it might be a fun cutie in the Dizzy mould, with big, cheerful graphics and lots of tricky puzzles, but I can't really tell.

Manic Miner (Software Projects)

Two perceptibly different games for a tenner, both of them fab.

Turrican (Kixx)

A massive blast frenzy that lacks character badly, but still manages to provide that all-important adrenalin surge. For a while at least.