Bill and Ted are two surfer-speaking 1980s high school dudes from San Dimas, California. After the events of the film Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, they seem free to build the band that will one day unite Earth’s people and bring about world peace. Except… Rufus returns from the future with a warning that someone has warped the time continuum by kidnapping historical figures and stranding them in the wrong time period (…sooo, basically what Bill and Ted did in the first film?) It’s up to the boys to sort out the mess.
The player controls either Bill or Ted, who have split up to tackle the quest (allowing each to leave items to assist the other). Each “mission” begins by consulting a phone book of historical figures, and spotting the page whose number has changed (a second number, flashing in red). The player dials that number, and guides the phone booth through the circuits of time. Rufus could only lend a payphone, so players will need to plot out the shortest path to their destination, while avoiding any hazards. Each change in direction costs one coin.
Once in the target time period, the player controls Bill or Ted through an isometric view as they search for the displaced historical figure. The player must stick to a defined path to avoid falling, and must be cautious of the locals. Some will offer clues or helpful items, while others demand a coin if bumped into. Other locals will actively chase Bill and Ted and throw them in jail, where they must use a skeleton key (if they have one) to escape. Players can find and collect coins for the phone booth, keys for the jail, and distractions (like pudding or tape players) to throw off any pursuers.
The player must also locate an item of “historical bait,” appropriate to the target, to get them to follow. Once the historical dude has been baited and bagged, the player switches to the other member of the titular duo to rescue a new historical celebrity. The process repeats until time is corrected.
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