Billy-Bob

About

Billy-Bob is a side-scrolling platformer where you navigate treacherous desert prison levels to rescue a captured companion. You dodge arrows shot from the sides jump over bottomless pits and time climbs on ledges carefully since spears and bricks drop unpredictably from above. The A button lets you fire occasional shots but most of the game hinges on precise movement and reaction. Each level feels like a gauntlet of shifting dangers with narrow pathways and sudden traps. The game has a stark atmospheric quality to its pixelated deserts and claustrophobic cellblocks which one player noted as a standout trait. Its 1991 release placed it in the final wave of NES titles and it remains a lesser known entry in the Action 52 compilation. The climbing mechanics in particular demand rhythm and timing that separate it from simpler platformers though the single vote for atmospheric vibe suggests its charms might be niche.

Storyline

Marylou has disappeared. The bad guys have her, Billy-bob is stuck in jall and must find his way out from deep within this prison in the desert by traversing all of the levels and rescuing Marylou.