Magnum P.I.

Anyone old enough to remember the '80s has got to have some fond memories of Magnum P.I. Played by Tom Selleck, his moustache, and an impressive collection of Hawaiian shirts, Thomas Magnum was a private investigator, hired to track down criminal sorts. He even managed to find time to score with more lovelies than James Bond. Essentially, with his toned physique, beachfront mansion and a fridge constantly filled with beer, he'd probably still be an inspiration to men today. Although he'd probably have to let the moustache have its own career first.

With so many fans from yesteryear, it's likely Magnum P.I. the game will score itself a lot of nostalgia-driven downloads without even trying. Which is lucky, because this game doesn't really try too hard. Still, on the plus side, the experience it offers is perfect for a game based on an '80s detective show because it's such a retro slice of gaming action.

See, Magnum himself runs automatically and all you actually have to do is hit the jump or slide button to avoid obstacles in his path. This simple game mechanic, its reliance on perfectly-timed leaps and its ruthlessly tough nature is reminiscent of many games of old. As a result, Magnum P.I. could have offered an enjoyable challenge, but only if its controls were tighter. As it is, you can't rely on them to always do what's asked and that's the title's biggest failing.

There's others, though. The game's learning curve is already tough, even without these control issues. Indeed, even the initial two training levels are a battle, but they're nothing compared to the tightly packed jumps and precision slides called for in the later stages.

At least levels are of an achievable length. Although some sections easily call for 20 attempts, the finishing line is never too far away once you've got past them. And because it's so tough and levels need to be played, memorised and mastered, the game's 20 levels prove long-lasting – and there's a lot of satisfaction to be gained from getting through each one. Once you've dealt with the frustration aspect.

Visually, Magnum P.I. looks the part. The side-scrolling scenery moves quickly and there's plenty of detail, as well as a range of environments to dash through. At the start of each level, the scene's set for your mission in a short intro sequence, although it normally entails chasing down a criminal. The levels then take place in locations such as a warehouse (where you're leaping over crates and ducking under dangerous steam) and a beachfront with rocks to dive over. It's nice to see Magnum himself dressing for each occasion, and his character looks good in a comical way.

As well as just getting to the end of a level, you can also go for the collectable money and team rings to make the already tough challenge even tougher, as well as earning extra lives for your additional effort. There are normally two routes through a level, a higher and lower one, with the higher alternative being the tougher course.

Overall, the simple run-and-duck gameplay is completely addictive when it works but painfully frustrating when it calls for just a little too much split-second accuracy or when the controls seem to freeze up. Using keys is unquestionably more accurate than resorting to a thumbstick, which (depending on the handset you're using) seems too spongy to keep up with the game's quick-reaction requirements.

So, it's a decent title to pick up and play thanks to its short bursts of precision skill and old-skool flavour. But Magnum doesn't prove to be quite the unstoppable, smooth action hero in game form. Instead, he's unwieldy and prone to falling on his face more times in the space of a few minutes than you'd imagine possible. Not so aspirational now, eh boys?