A - Long Term Shelf Life
B - Deserves Another Play
C - Once Should Suffice

The Playstation is not strictly reserved for games. As many of you might know, you can also play your audio CDs on the console. Baby Universe enhances this function at least 30 fold. Having 3-D kaleidoscopes rotate and twirl to the music of your choice might not seem like a big deal, but weighed against the bland function display without Baby Universe, you'll soon agree. Added to these infinitely varied patterns you can also watch waveforms of your music dance in all different shapes and colours. A great party enhancer as well as a tranquil meditator, this one (to use the cliche') is beyond a game.

6 / A
- PB

BATTLE ARENA TOSHINDEN 3

The aftermath of the second Toshinden battle left the Secret Society smashed, the tournament survivors victorious and ready to return home...But the evil ones won't lie down...they're hungry for blood! This spectacular arcade fighting game gives you a wide variety of characters, scenery, weapons, techniques and music. The male and female gender is both well represented with 14 stylish characters each with complete individual looks and personalities. The villains reveal themselves in equal number with some hidden characters popping up as a lethal surprise. Swords, chainsaws, scythes, handguns and magic are some of the weapons at your disposal and hitting the practice mode is handy to familiarize yourself with the character of your choice. Special moves will result in a wide range of devastation at your opponent's peril. The cinematic opening sequence really revs you up to start kicking ass. The smooth graphics and character movement make is that much more of a pleasure. Highly enjoyable, bloodless violence.

4 / A
- PB

BATTLE ARENA TOSHINDEN 3 in Afrikaans
Na Mortal Kombat, Tekken en ander vegspelletjies is dit moeilik vir vervaardigers om iets nuuts uit te bring sonder om dieselfde resep te herhaal. Toshinden 3 is egter opwinding uit die boonste rakke met oor 'n dosyn interessante karakters (beide geslagte), met wapens wat varieer van kettingsae en swaarde tot gewere en spesiale super-wapens. Die grafika en karakters se bewegings is wonderlik met woeste, vinnige aksie. Ouers sal gerus voel deur te weet dat daar geen bloed teenwoordig is nie.

4 / A
- PB

BEATMANIA

Yes, everyone wants to be a DJ. Here you might actually be able to - well in front of your lounge friends anyway… Like Parappa The Rapper, Bust-A-Groove, Vib-Ribbon and other music related games, it relies on your sense of rhythm and swiftness of finger. A wide range of music gets thrown at you: crucial parts run down a sequence line, when they hit the spot, you hit the corresponding keyboard buttons and/or the little scratching turntable! (these are allocated to specific buttons on your PlayStation control -you can customize them for your most user friendly configuration). You get to tackle Practice, Normal and Expert levels with the range of music including Classic Garage, Electro House, Break Beat, Vibe, Acid Jazz and Japanese Bigbeat. Thus, quite a few tastes are catered for. Depending on your success, you get Respect points and praise, or Boo's if you suck! In some countries a special joypad was released with the game - future utilization firmly kept in mind. This pad, roughly a PC keyboard size, has the proper ebony & ivories (well, just about half a dozen anyway) and a movable mini turntable. The ease of use here is far more superior to that of your PS Dual Shock, but, hey, what you gonna do? If you can afford to import one, go right ahead. Obviously nothing stops you from improvising wildly with this little toy and become a Superstar DJ in your own right (or at least your own home). But, it is safe to say that for those of us who aren't fortunate enough to get their hands on this risky bit of marketing, the game will be that less effective.

3 / B
- PB

Hanging around the arcades does diminish your cash flow. Then, it does have the added social factor. Playstation addiction might be a little less social, but once you have the games you want, you can play them as often as you like, any time of day. Link-ups also diminish the anti-social factor, so, what are you waiting for? Blast Radius is a hectic arcade space adventure blast 'em up with 10 sectors each consisting of 4 missions. With up to two players, you can enter this galactic extravaganza as Kayne, the sole survivor of the legendary Wolf Squadron. This destroyed defense group once kept the galactic empire safe from alien attacks. Now you're a mercenary. Working for Vorn, you must fight off Kotan-Kai's fierce, brutal fleets. You're their only hope. Well, with that out of the way, let the destruction begin! A bunch of spaceships are at your disposal (better ones as you progress, naturally), and getting the hang of them can prove tricky. Each destroyed enemy leaves behind a variety of power-ups. The 360 degree space can also be disorientating, but if you keep your eye on the radar (with added depth monitor) you'll be fine - that's if you don't get blown to bits. Hectic weaponry can be picked up, so keep going to ensure the acquisition of some hard core bang-bang. A co-operative mode will prevent your pal from getting bored as you cause havoc together and even better, take him/her on in a death match mode. You might just be creating a new enemy. All in the name of fun, I suppose.

3 / B
- PB

BLASTO

Man, what a game! '50's camp sci-fi meets warped cartoons, slap-dashed with wonderful humour. Our hero, Captain Blasto has to save the day when Bosc the Terrible plans to take over. Hilarious little green aliens get blown to bits by the too-witty-for-his-own-good Blasto who incidentally takes no shit. I mean this guy is so cool, the Phil Hartman voiced lines are reason alone to get it (and will be an endless legacy to this great comedian who was tragically murdered by his lady). Some hectic weaponry can be collected as you wander strange areas, looking for babes to save. I won't even waffle on anymore, just get out there and accuire this gem from your nearest games boutique.

5 / B
- PB

When you launch into this intricate game, relax, take your time and don't rush it, as you'll need your wits about you to focus on every little bit of detail on screen. This sequel to the successful original has the American tourist George Stobbart again involved in a mysterious plot. This time you need to assist and guide him into finding his girlfriend who had been kidnapped by bad bastards. As you're further entwined in a dark Mayan legend which spells certain doom for all, you'll get the knack and feel your detective impulses throbbing. As you progress through the abundant scenes of houses, harbours, temples etc. in a variety of global locations, you need to inspect absolutely everything, as it could either be a clue, or be collected for later use to get out of a tight spot - and there are many of them. Whereas the PC version has better handling with a mouse, your Playstation control can be sped up to avoid falling asleep when you try to check out something. In effect you are in control of the outcome of this little animated movie (more so than above) and it can lead to hard core frustration if you're stumped - as I was in only the second section where you need to get out of the front door without a key ! It can get engrossing as well as a total piss off, but that's all part of the fun. Each player will have a different reaction to this game, depending on your preference, of course. Not for the hyper-active. But, give it a whirl and see how far you get. Memory card essential.

3 / C
- PB

A BUG'S LIFE ACTIVITY CENTER

Many of you have kids and unfortunately have to scoot over for them sometimes. That'll be the case with this one. Unless the youngsters haven't seen A Bug's Life yet (yeah, right!), it might not have as much significance, but will keep them occupied and entertained for hours, none the less. Besides fun, it is also educational. The point and click function isn't hard at all and many places, things, insect characters, games and activities are there to be explored. The interactivity is basic but effective. You can check out the city, the council chamber, the spiral root, the bug bar & grill, ant island, the flea circus and so forth. There are also board games, puppet shows to create, digging to find stuff, bugs telling jokes, little scenes playing themselves out and items to collect on your way. A lot of fun for younger players and those older ones who feel age has no meaning.

3 / B
- PB

BUSHIDO BLADE At first glance this one to one fighting game seems like it's the Tekken formula all over. Not quite, my friends. What sets this game apart from all the other (exciting and boring) games available out there, is the code of honour and serious dramatization with realistic consequences and no ludicrous lazerpowers or anything too supernatural. In battle it's not simply a case of wild button pushing to get rid of the other guy whatever the cost may be. You are penalized for fighting dirty, eg. chopping someone from behind or kicking them when they're down. Various modes can be played: besides beating up a friend in a two player mode, you can also pick a practice round (with a choice of locations) where you fight with wooden weapons - they are lethal none the less. There is a story mode, which plays out extremely realistically with emotion and atmosphere deeply imbedded in everything from the movements of the characters to the unraveling of the mystery. Obviously you have a number of levels and characters to weed out - but, when you don't stick to the rules, your game is ended with a reprimanding Confucious-type adage of cowardice ! This can get friggin' frustrating, but makes you return that much more determined. There is also a Slash Mode where you need to wipe out a total of 100 fighters, one at a time! What makes it worse is if you get killed after doing, say, 39 of the other guys, you're reverted back to 30 when you decide to have a rematch! This is the same with every multiple of 10. So, eventually you end up killing probably 200-400 enemies as the difficulty escalates with their improved skill for each set of 10 fighters! Here you just want to say, "screw this honourable shit!" and whack those bastards! There are no power or time meters in Bushido Blade and you can be dispatched with a single blow, as is to be expected in real life. Besides kicking, you don't rely on fists or any other bare handed antics. Your weapons are more effective and there is a whole range to choose from. From Katana's and Rapiers to Broadswords and Hammers. Each weapon has its own advantages and drawbacks and some statistics like weight and length is given - the effect is evident in battle. Picking the right character (male or female) to suit you is also important. Throughout the game's progression you get bandages if any injuries are sustained. You're also a bit weaker, giving them the edge. Your opponents like slashing you in the legs which forces you onto one knee and thus making you more vulnerable. Depending on your character, you can throw weapons like shurikens (ninja-type metal stars) at your enemy. Making a habit of blocking will be to your advantage, as one slash can have you drop to the ground with a spurt of red. Of course, the same treatment is dealt to those who dare to take you on. One little problem you must try and avoid is fighting near walls or any kind of vertical border, as your weapon tends to knock against them, throwing you back without an effective blow. The game has excellent detail, though. Besides the already mentioned human emotions, characteristics, mannerisms and injuries, there are such subtleties as footprints in the sand on the beach scenes, which slowly fade. Or day & night modes and the ability to run anywhere on the screen in stead of constantly facing off with your assailant. I'm not too sure if this actually counts against you, acting like a wussy, but your opponents do likewise and sometimes even attack you from behind! The traditional music with some updated modern angles is a superb choice as it sets the mood of this serious but exciting play. It's quite a fresh change from what we've grown accustomed to.

5 / A
- PB

The Tiny Toons have got their own game! This groovy little game is filled with point & click wackiness to be discovered as you take Buster up the crazy beanstalk to find key parts (clues leading you there) in sequence. With a bunch of classic fairy tales incorporated, it's great stuff for younger players. Loony obstacles can hold you back a little (what's a cartoon without a falling anvil!), while most of the objects and characters you click have totally mad results. Fine amusement.

4 / C
- PB