Videogames are often accused of being bad for children, but one California-based firm specialises in making games which aim to improve the health of children aged eight to 15.
Click Health developed Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus, and Packy and Marlon to help children with asthma or diabetes to take care of themselves. Another game - Rex Ronan, illustrates the detrimental effects of smoking by taking players on a microscopic journey through a smoker's body.
Bronkie, a dinosaur suffering from asthma, is the hero of a treasure hunt game. As he sets out for the search, multiple-choice questions pop up on the screen to test the player's knowledge of how to prevent asthma attacks. Players must also avoid making Bronkie come into contact with asthma triggers, such as furry animals, pollen, smoke or dust.
Packy and Marlon features two diabetic elephants strolling through the jungle. They must survive by picking the right foods, regularly checking their blood glucose level and taking insulin shots when needed.
Packy and Marlon and Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus run on the Super Nintendo console and PC CD-Rom, while Rex Ronan is only available on the Nintendo. The Super Nintendo versions are unlikely to work on machines bought in Ireland, but the PC games should run perfectly well. There are no European distributors, though the games can be purchased directly from Click Health (www.clickhealth.com)for $70 plus shipping.
X-Wing Alliance, PC CDRom, £34.99
X-WING Alliance is the fourth Star Wars combat sim from Lucas Arts and, with the advent of the new movie, it is likely to be the last one based on the "old" Star Wars films. X-Wing, Tie Fighter and X-Wing v Tie Fighter were both critical and commercial successes and, while it's not perfect, X-Wing Alliance should keep most players happy.
The 50-mission story is the heart of the game. The conflict between the rebels and the alliance draws more and more people into the battle, so even small families such as your own (the Azzameens) are forced to bear arms. Trying to run a trading business means battling against rival families, organised crime and crooked imperial-backed conglomerates.
At the outset, your only role will be as a cargo pilot for the family's business, but there is good money in doing illegal runs for the rebel alliance and you will soon join them in the heat of battle. The conclusion sees you in the Millennium Falcon, the fastest ship in the galaxy, flying against the Imperial fleet in the battle of Endor. Completing missions one after the other can make the game feel very linear but the Quick Skirmish mode should keep the yawns away. Here the player designs the mission - choosing things such as the number of ships, types of ships, targets, and a time limit. It's a great feature and nice even just for creating a few experimental scenarios. The audio is excellent and the graphics are good, without being jaw dropping (a 3D accelerator is highly recommended). Those familiar with other X-Wing titles will find themselves in very familiar territory while novices have a great chance to feel the force.
[Req: Pentium II 200/32MB/Win 9x/Joystick]
Rollcage, PlayStation, £29.99
Racing cars that have wheels twice the size of their bodies might not sound like much fun - but Rollcage is a little different from your average motor sim. "Wipeout on wheels" is one way of describing it, but even in Wipe- out, it wasn't possible to drive sideways - or upside down. Rollcage has the same futuristic setting though, with neon lights and thumping music, but it is incredibly fast. Such is the speed of these cars that the only way to be successful is to know what lies ahead. There is the usual repertoire of modes including two-player. There are weapons to pick up and the tracks are laden with "speed strips" for even greater speed. The cars are indestructible and can even bring buildings down if (and when) they crash into them.
It's extremely hard to become proficient at Rollcage - it's just too speedy, but if you like something a lot more hectic and fastpaced than your average racer, Rollcage should give you the rush you need.
games@irish-times.com