Reversi is a fascinating game, simple to learn, difficult to master, and able to deliver hours of strategic entertainment if you can find the right opponent.

If no-one around you is quite as keen on the game as you are, though, then you'll need to find a Reversi program that can give you a challenging match. And 3D Reversi Deluxe is the ideal candidate.

Install this program, for instance, and you won't just get the usual "Easy", "Medium", "Hard" skill levels. Instead it provides 24 different opponents, each with their individual abilities, and personalised with real names and (poorly drawn) pictures. The result gives you plenty to explore, and playing is a more involving experience than many similar programs.

And how well do the computer opponents play? We'd rate ourselves as a little above average at Reversi, but by no means experts, so started with difficulty level 10/ 24. Or, with 3D Reversi Deluxe's more human arrangement, an Italian player, "Massimo De Monaco". And it proved to be a good choice. The program's artificial intelligence is by no means perfect, but it didn't make the blindingly stupid errors we've seen elsewhere, and so to win at this level we had to concentrate.

Over time victory did become easier as we learned what the program was likely to do, but there are many other levels of difficulty to explore. 3D Reversi Deluxe also supports many different game formats - straight singles, ladder, a league, even multiplayer with other human opponents over the network - so on balance you're likely to find many entertaining challenges here.

Exactly how impressed you'll be with the visual presentation is another matter. The 3D boards look good in stills, but we found them often distracting to play. Though not as big a distraction as the extremely annoying music that's permanently playing in the background. Fortunately this can quickly be turned off in an extensive Options dialog, so we'd recommend you explore that first, and customise the program to suit your needs.