Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk

There's A School of thought that believes people are only happy when they have more controls to fiddle with than fingers, graphics so realistic that you're tempted to reach into the screen, Al sharper than Einstein and physics that would have Newton throwing his apple around the room with joy. Not us though - we're still firm believers that simple can still mean fun.

Take Rebel Raiders, for example. Yes, the lo-res textures and unvaried locations may, upon first impressions, make you discard the title out of hand. After putting five minutes into the game, you might be disappointed that enemy ships follow predetermined courses and that enemy fighters only fire missiles that require one button press to dodge. You might also chuckle at the unlockable aircraft when you discover that one has a shotgun for a main weapon, or roll your eyes when your aircraft bounces off the ground, taking only negligible damage along the way. And if you're hoping for an amazing story to make up for things, then you're not going to be in luck either.

But, despite all of these things, Rebel Raiders can still be good fun to play, in much the same way as kids amuse themselves by kicking a football up against a wall. While its full-on aerial battles won't have you fearing for your life or remarking on the amazingly realistic qualities, they still provide a whirlwind of action that caters for arcade fighter fans. It'd be too easy to shoot this title down in flames, but despite its flaws, Rebel Raiders serves up some simple but enjoyable entertainment.