CONSOLE REVIEW; Masters of Teras Kasi (Virgin Interactive) PlayStation

Since the release of Street Fighter, the godfather of all fighting games, many titles have attempted to jump on the bandwagon, particularly through the introduction of 3D. The latest addition is LucasArt's Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi.

There are few surprises in the format, with the usual two-player mode, as well as team, survival and practice options. However, from the moment you see the big blue letters appear on the screen proclaiming the words "Long ago in a galaxy far, far away..." you know this game is going to be something special. And so it is. The 3D graphics are some of the best you'll see on the PlayStation, and are achieved without sacrificing the speed of the game. But what most players will really appreciate is how remarkably faithful it is to the films. John Williams's orchestral soundtrack has been lifted straight from the silver screen and the bouts take place in various locations featured in the Star Wars saga.

Most of the stars of the trilogy are here: Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and even Boba Fett are among the eight combatants. All the characters have their own weapons and an array of special moves which can only be executed if you build up a sufficient quantity of the "Force". R2D2 and C3PO are conspicuous by their absence in battle, although they do have a cameo role in the background.

If the game has a flaw, it's that the special moves are too difficult to pull off, but any fan of Star Wars will be hooked.

On release, pounds 39.99