GRAPHICS SOUND CONTROL FRUSTRATION FUN FACTOR OVERALL

NES 1 Player Action I'm assuming the story behind this game is Konami didn't have a game out at the time to compete with other recent NES releases, so they threw together a game as fast as they could and put it on the market. The gimmick behind this game is that it is three games in one. They have beat ‘em up parts, driving parts, and Zapper parts. None of them are that great, and could have been done much better, but I'll get into that later. Let’s start with this game’s plot. You play as Billy and must save your girlfriend from some evil guy by traveling through the swamps of Louisiana. Sound familiar? *cough* Crocodile Dundee *cough* Graphics: The graphics aren't any spectacular feat that only Konami could pull off. They kind of did a half-ass job, and cut corners as much as they possibly could. For example, the game is chalk full of flicker. Now Konami could have fixed this in about 2 days, but instead they left it in and threw in more scenery to try and cover it up. They could have spent a little more time on the character animations as well. All in all, Billy only has about 6 animations, which might be more than most games, but since the game is in a sort of 3D perspective it could have been better. These problems really aren't that bad at all, and the games graphics really aren't that bad. Sound: The music in this game is decent. It fits in pretty well with the rest of the game, and helps add to the swamp-like effect. It’s nothing that will get stuck or in head, or that's even noticeable while you're playing the game, but somehow it still remains decent. The sound effects aren't too shabby either. It has some talking and some grunts and groans thrown in here and there. Really, the sound is one of the most satisfying parts of the game (which really isn't saying much). Gameplay: Like I have already mentioned, the game is divided into three different modes. None of them are really groundbreaking, but they sort of get the job done. Beat ‘Em up - This mode is the one you will probably be playing in the most. It is VERY difficult to move around in, and has a ton of flicker. This part of the game is extremely boring because the enemies have the same amount of moves as you, AND they can move faster. You can never really find a sure fire pattern to beat the enemies all of the time. This is the mode you will probably be dying in the most, too. Driving - Although more fun than the beat ‘em up mode, this mode isn't much better. You better hope that you have an NES Advantage controller to get past this part, because otherwise your fingers will hurt like hell. You mainly just drive this car up a road and avoid rocks while occasionally shooting at the enemy. It's a little more fun than it sounds, but not much. Shooting - This part is actually done very well, and provides the most fun out of the whole entire game (besides releasing your anger on it...but I'll get into that later). It can be played with or without a Zapper, but playing with the Zapper is a lot more fun. There are only two of these levels so enjoy them as long as you can. And that about sums up all the modes. When they're all put together, the gimmick kind of wears of and the game seems a lot less innovative. As for the control, I think this game pretty much coined the term Nintendo thumb. It doesn't stick or anything, it’s just that Billy moves very slowly when he should be moving a little faster. I think if a rabid crocodile were chasing me, I would get my ass out of that swamp as fast as I could. Frustration: This game is one of the most frustrating games on the NES. Mainly because dying doesn't have to do with how well you play, but with how well the game seems to be working out for you. Billy is constantly dying, and there is almost nothing you can do about it. I actually had to buy another copy of this game because I smashed my other one into a million pieces (I still regret that I bought another copy). Sadly, that's where the most fun can be found in this game, and will probably keep you busy for up to 10 minutes. ......BOTTOM LINE: Bayou Billy really could have been a great game if Konami had spent a little more time on it. Don't get me wrong, Bayou Billy is a decent game, but it's kind of like a hangover that just won't go away. Maybe taking Advil before you play the game could clear up some painful memories that you would soon experience. -lynx561