Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1991)

Release Date: December 31, 1991
Developer: Al Baker & Associates

The Lynx title based on the Keanu Reeves/Alex Winter film franchise actually takes place after the second film, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. Out for revenge after being humiliated by the high-school duo, Death kidnaps their "medieval babe" girlfriends from the first film, and drags them throughout history. Luckily, the girls are able to leave behind pages of the band's latest song as a trail for Bill and Ted to follow. Playing as either Bill or Ted (with a friend able to take control of the other character over ComLynx), the player must search historical periods in an overhead perspective and collect enough musical notes to open travel to a new area. Along the way, they can encounter historical figures who will offer assistance in return for a favor. Bad guys do populate the levels, but can be pacified with a rippin' guitar solo. If Bill or Ted are defeated, they simply reappear back at the last checkpoint. Other items can be found and collected in an inventory. The Lynx title makes use of the series' interesting take on the time continuum, allowing the player to leave items for themselves in the past to collect and use in the future. Likewise, if the player happens upon a sudden fortuitous item that "they" left, they must remember to go and leave the item in the past themselves to avoid creating a time paradox. This quirky view of time forms the basis of many of the game's puzzles. A password system is constantly updated (viewable at the pause screen) to save the player's progress.