Starsky and Hutch

GRAPHICS

In-game graphics are a little too blocky to appear particularly striking at first glance. There are plenty of explosions and vehicles which litter the screen to make for an exciting experience, but the graphics are merely average. To make up for the shoddy visuals there are special events in the game. When a special event occurs the game slows down and gamers can witness the red tomato glide over jumps, through explosions or even view a criminal coming into focus.

Despite the lack of eye candy in game, Starsky and Hutch has beautiful hand drawn cartoon cut scenes telling the story like a comic book. This helps the game flow from level to level filling in bits of information that gamers would not know from simply playing the game. To enhance the experience further the comic strip is narrated by Huggy Bear. This may not mean much to people unfamiliar with the series but for those that are they will understand that this helps make the experience a lot more authentic.

Sadly Starsky and Hutch isn't the best looking game in the world but there are various trademarks of the series such as areas like Bay City being based on actual episodes from the series, the sporty red tomato vehicle, and of course Starsky and Hutch themselves.

12/20

SOUND

The music complementing the game is taken from the original series. The theme tune is present when the game starts and all background music has been used in the series or is based on tunes from the series. Aside from the narrating courtesy of Huggy Bear there are also scenes where Starsky and Hutch will converse with each other. Unfortunately voice acting has not been done by the original duo, David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser, but this doesn't detract from the experience as Starsky and Hutch utter familiar lines to each other. As expected vehicles rev, and break when needed and there is the piercing sound of bullets as the gamer attempts to fight crime. There is certainly nothing to fault with the sound effects in the game, although big fans of the series may be slightlthat there is this thing called common sense, which should be the rule for all law. Sadly, in the lunacy of the modern, politically correct era, this doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

Probably some will say I am some right wing fascist with outdated views advocating violence. Maybe they are right and I just need to see my therapist and a good lawyer to take court proceedings against my parents!

n If smacking works why do you keep on having to do it?, asks Sharon Copsey, NSPCC policy adviser.

Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs any of us is likely to do.

Any parent who has had to deal with a child throwing a tantrum in a supermarket will know how hard it can be.

So how do you get children to behave without resorting to smacking?

In such a stressful situation hitting might seem like a quick solution but it doesn't work.

Instead, it teaches children that their tantrum got your attention and the likelihood is that they'll repeat that behaviour again. It also teaches them that bigger people can hit little people and that hitting is an acceptable way of getting what you want.

Hitting creates a no-win situation. Children don't learn to change their behaviour and can end up feeling hurt and angry. Research has found that parents who've physically punished their children feel guilty and upset afterwards (79 per cent). So where does that leave parents?

The NSPCC is an advocate of "positive discipline", encouraging children to behave without the need to resort to punishment that hurts or humiliates.

It works by placing the emphasis on the child's good behaviour, praising the behaviour that you want and ignoring the minor naughty behaviour that you don't.

Giving children praise when they behave well builds on their wish to please you and they soon learn that good behaviour gets them the attention they want.

The legal defence of 'reasonable chastisement' which dates back to 1860 sanctions the physical punishment of children.

On Monday, the House of Lords voted against legal reform which would have given children the same protection from assault as adults already enjoy. Instead, Peers voted in favour of a second proposal that removes the defence in relation to certain offences, but fails to give children equal protection from assault under the law.

NSPCC director and chief executive Mary Marsh said: "The fact is that this amendment will not fully protect children. It still sends out a dangerous and misleading message that violence towards children is safe and acceptable."

Abolition

She continued: "Complete abolition of the 'reasonable chastisement' defence law is the only credible way forward. Half-hearted law reform, which defines an acceptable threshold of violence towards children, won't work. Nor will it be acceptable."

Eleven countries, including Sweden, already give children equal protection from assault in the home. In these countries the ban on physical punishment has not led to widespread prosecutions of parents for 'trivial' incidents of assault.

If you do smack, then the next time you are close to the edge, please try taking a step back and think rationally about whether you really want to hit your child. If they are putting themselves in danger try to control yourself and calmly remove them from the situation.

You will feel much better for it, and so will your child.