The blurb on the original box to this game goes on for ages about some galactic war a few generations from now, but to tell you the truth it's all pretty irrelevant. So I'll spare you most of it apart from the fact that you're at space shool and to make your grades, you have to pass each test with flying colours.

But this is like one of those infamous American High Schools where intelligence takes second place to being able to throw a football a couple of hundred feet; if you're good at sports then they'll fix your academic grades for you.

The school is split in two, each part at a separate location. At the junior school you simple build up your speed and stamina to an acceptable level. Until you have completed all the tasks in the first section you can't move on to the exciting stuff, like weapons training - it's a bit like being kept down a grade. Each game is simply a test of hand eye coordination using different controls every time to get through a number of assault courses.

All the games are controlled via the joystick; your best bet is to experiment and you'll soon get the hang of the jumping and ducking.

The main stumbling block to success is a clock in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. It counts down while you're playing and halts when you pause the game or die, whichever comes first.

But if that clock hits zero you've had it, kaput, it's back to kindergarten and egg and spoon races for this recruit. So get started on that training now.

LEVEL 2 - This one's a test of balance. Move your joystick from side-to-side in order to keep the green bar from turning completely red.

LEVEL 3 - Hurdles. You'll run automaticaly, just Fire to jump over the obstacles. The longer you hold down the Fire button, the further your recruit will jump.

LEVEL 4 - This is another test of balance. Keep the bar in the centre the same as in level two but this time you have to duck under and leap over baddies that come at you from all sides.

LEVEL 5 - The death slide! (Sounds nasty huh?) Hit fire to lift your legs to avoid breaking you kneecaps on the obstacles.

LEVEL 6 - Get to the other side as fast as poss'. Hit Fire to jump and thump a dangling switch that turns on the next platform along. Pull down to duck.

LEVEL 7 - Get to the end of this hazardous tunnel. Fire to duck for a moment to avoid small flying things. Pulling down will make your recruit lie on the floor.

LEVEL 8 - Upsidey-downy monkey bars. Waggle like mad to start with, then, when the bar hits the red section, hit Fire to move on one rung of the ladder. Then waggle, then Fire, waggle then Fire...