Computers: Intergalactic Ninja who's nobody's Zool: Holiday time means some serious gaming for 11-year-olds. Sam Willmott reports

ZOOL is an intergalactic ninja of the Nth Dimension. There he was on his way home after some heavy-duty ninja-ing, when he noticed a strange planet ahead.

He decided to investigate. As he got closer, a strange power took over his ship. It began to spin wildly and lost control. He landed on the planet and, thinking it was all very strange, decided to look around.

As he climbed out of the ship, he found himself in a place where sweets grew everywhere. They don't call it Sweet World for nothing.

Before he can return home to the Nth Dimension, he must complete the challenge which he has been set - to travel through six worlds, each one consisting of three levels, collecting points and bonuses along the way.

These six worlds are:

Sweet World

Music World

Fruit World

Tool World

Toy World

Funfair World.

The bad guys are a real pain and there are lots of them, but they are easily got rid of by either jumping on them or using your ninja magic which allows you to shoot out fireballs.

The music is great and you can choose what sort of music you want on the option screen. There is a choice which includes rock, rave or funk or you can choose to have just the sound effects.

The graphics are brilliant on Zool. The colours are very bright and very sharp.

You can have five 'continues' - lives at each level before going back a level.

The option screen allows you to select how hard the levels are, what sort of music you want or whether just to have effects, the 'inertia' option, which means Zool will either skid to a halt or stop straight away, how many continues you will be allowed and the speed of Zool.

The game is brill and definitely worth a look - you can play on keyboard or joystick.

I give it 90 out of 100.

Warning: the game includes advertising for sweets.

Vital statistics

ZOOL

COMPUTER GAME

System: Acorn A3000

(Available on other formats)

Publisher: Gremlin Graphics

Availability: Retailers, mail order

List Price: pounds 25.99