Mastertronic
£1.99

A Ticket To Ride might get some people nostalgic for the swinging '60's and other Beatles' hits. 'We can work it out' might be your cry as you grapple with this icon driven graphic adventure. But there's no real connection with the mop headed Fab Four as Mastertronic slings you into the future and your struggle to escape the Federation Outpost Selexia Central.

The aim of the game is to make your way to the outpost's docking bay with 2048 credits, a ticket for the ship, a permit and passport. If you don't make it in time, tough titanium, 'cos those Federation meanies are about to close the whole planet down. So as well as moving with speed, be prepared to wheel and deal - there are a few intergalactic sharks out there ready to make a killing.

Selexia Central (much like Finchley Central) is a maze of walkways linked with lifts. Most have a specific purpose, with something to explore - supplies, security, equipment. But do you have the time (or the credits?) to bother? The 16 icons variously allow you to enter doors, negotiate the lifts, sell, inspect, blow up or buy objects - even get character references on the shop owners.

Elsewhere on screen is a clock telling you how much game time has elapsed, your vigour quotient (pepped up by eating which I always forget to do), your score and how much nosh you have left. There's also an inventory of your objects. It's good to see the whole screen involved in game info. Perhaps I'm being mean to a cheapo but more effort seems to have been put into making the thing look good rather than in the nuts and bolts of a good maze or rattling pace. As my old mate Milligan says, A bird in the Strand is worth two in Shepherd's Bush, so if you really want a good graphic adventure it's got to be worth paying the extra for.

Mastertronic
£1.99

The outpost of Selexia Central is about to be abandoned. All the Federation resources and services will be shut down in twenty-four hours. If you wish to leave (and the alternative is being marooned for eternity) you must make your way to the docking bay. You must produce a passport, a shuttle ticket, 2048 credits and a resettlement permit before you will be allowed to board.

Ticket to Ride is an icon driven graphic adventure. You must find your way around the complex, buying and selling items in order to make money and also trading various items using a link terminal. Moving round the outpost (either joystick or keyboard may be used) takes some getting used to. You can only move left and right across the screen changing directions only at specified junctions. The screen informs you whether you are on a N/S or E/W pathway. Drawing a map is essential if you are to find your way about. Fortunately, all the streets are numbered to offer you some assistance. Incidentally, the screen display for the streets is some of the most garish that I've come across. Whilst most of the streets are just walkways, many contain shops or lifts that can be entered.

Pressing the fire button allows you to access the bank of sixteen icons at the top of the screen. Amongst the commands are buy and sell objects, select items from inventories and enter and leave buildings. You can carry up to three items at once and if you enter a store there is a list of three items that the store keeper is interested in buying or selling. You can ask for information about a particular trader as well as examining any items that you purchase. All the time this is happening, time is ticking away. So too is your energy which can only be replenished by eating. The bottom third of the screen displays all your current statistics.

Once you get used to the dreadful screen display and using the icons, Ticket to Ride proves to be a highly original and challenging game and at the price who's worrying about what it looks like.