Night Strike gives those of you who dream of being heroes a chance to act out your fantasies. It immediately elevates you to commander status and puts you in charge of defending a helpless city from a night invasion of killer planes. The city is under bomb attack and only you can save it with the help of a very reliable tank.

If you love the old tank-versus-plane motif of video games then this game will enthrall you. Detailed graphics are used throughout the game and the animation of the tank onto the center of the screen is incredibly well done. You can see the movement of the caterpillar treads underneath the tank and also hear it.

The tank can only be moved horizontally and the cannon on it aimed at different angles to shoot the attacking planes. The play mechanics become complicated by the fact that you can shoot bullets, missiles and flares plus move the cannon and tank - all with the joystick. Awkward patterns must be memorized to accomplish just about any action. However, once you've mastered them, you should never again have trouble shooting the slowly fading flares or missiles.

The sound effects are not unique or new, yet they do sound like what they're supposed to and therefore enhance the game action. For example, when the planes are attacking you hear many consecutive explosions, as if a city were really being bombed. Another sound effect that really adds to the action is the whiz of the missiles that the tank shoots. The bullet volleys are also accompanied by appropriate sounds.

Everything considered, Night Strike succeeds in revamping and improving a traditional game theme.