“Action Man, the greatest hero of them all” is the way he’s usually introduced, but now’s the time to put that to the test. No longer restricted by plastic joints and artificial hips, Action Man is free to set out on his mission to destroy his greatest enemy, Dr. X, and cross swords with many of his other adversaries in ACTION MAN – DESTRUCTION X. 

X has hatched yet another of his devious plots to rule the world but Action Man is determined to stop him, and this means successfully completing around 36 missions packed with danger. These are nicely split between vehicle levels and action, giving players a bit of variety along the way, but in no way can you afford to take a breather. What with remotely controlled dinosaurs and high-speed vehicles there’s just no time for rest…!                          .

Fortunately, this is a game that’s geared towards kids that still enjoy playing with dolls so none of it is really too taxing for players over 7 or 8. For the younger group, however, it’s a good foundation before moving onwards and upwards towards games such as the Tomb Raider series or Syphon Filter. Combat appears mainly to involve running around firing an assortment of weapons at a variety of targets and the driving segments of the game are mostly about speed.  

This isn’t a bad thing – we’ve all got to start somewhere – but for the more discerning or experienced players this one’s a bit too tame. There are a few levels that involve puzzle solving and these come complete with tips on what to do, which removes much of the  . frustration usually associated with conundrums. Graphically the game is quite good and uses a combination of third person and top down viewpoints depending on what mission players are tackling. It’s also a busy game with plenty to keep the youngsters occupied and engrossed. 

In some ways, ACTION MAN – DESTRUCTION X is really an animated incarnation of its plastic counterparts and, as such will have an appeal with the huge Action Man fan club. In reality, perhaps he isn’t the hero he’s made out to be although he should fire the imaginations of schoolboy superheroes everywhere…!