Atten-hun!! Konami's arcade hit gets converted to the CPC by Manchester's finest, the boys at Ocean. Chin up and Chest out as you're going back to school. Military school! Not you're average sports simulation game but we've had so many of them and most of them were pretty much similar. Summer Games, Winter Games, World Games, California Games. Ladies and gentlemen, we need something new! So in Oceans latest outing, you're a nobody, you must learn to establish respect and in the combat school, nobody takes a crap until the drill instructors say so! Eight gruelling events await you, so if you think you're much of a man, then put yourself to the test and put on the iron mans boots and prove it! Can Ocean make the grade with this one or will they take their walk down washout lane? The tape is loading up as I write this up, oh wait a minute, It's done.!

Hit the bullseye with the firing range.

Now I pay a visit back to tapeland, Combat school faces a high demand for the games graphics and sound which leaves us with a bad multiloader. Main game taking about six minutes to load while each level takes about one minute each. Shouldn't be too bad on disk though. The graphics are pretty close to flawless. With a separate in-game tune for each level. So astethically pleasing is one golden star to its credit. But as an arcade conversion in itself, how does it fare? I'm glad to say Ocean have done well with this one. Everything is all there and all works well and plays well. But it has its one and only pitfall which is it's control system. Yes folks, it's one of those "waggle the joystick 'til your arm drops off" games unfortunately. So eat your weetabix and invest in a solid joystick because for this one, you're going to need it! Especially on the Iron man race which you have to waggle up and down to run whilst using left and right to avoid the rocks etc...

Controls don't always make a huge impact on a game. But it does in the case of Combat School. Don't even attempt to consider using the keyboard for this one as it's next to near impossible. It will result in hair pulling out of sheer frustration if you try it. And this is what can let the game down very badly which is a shame but the arcade was controlled in the exact same way so we can't throw all the blame of that one on the heads of Ocean Software really. But no CPC joystick can last this kind of punishment and it's a little unfair to expect it as well. The Daley Thompson series already gave joysticks a hard time as it was. Combat School is no doubt playable and looks great but the control method will try the patience os a saint! Nice try Ocean, but I think it's time for them to get down and give me fifty!

THE END RESULT:
Graphics and Sounds stand out from the crowd.
Varied events to keep you at it.
A Bit too difficult?
Awkward control on both joysticks and keys.
THE BOTTOM LINE: 79%