Bill Killem mashes endless running and platforming into chaotic brilliance

Bill Killem is having a bad day. His movie is just about to premiere, letting the world know he's the best action star in the world, when disaster strikes. Aliens attack, destroying his event and inspiring Bill to do what Bill does best; killing aliens... and dying. A lot.

Taking the furious fun of endless runner games and mixing it with a classic pixelated platforming title like Contra, Bill Killem is a furious burst of addictive classic gaming -- think Duke Nukem with Flappy Bird's endless cycle of death. Players control Bill as he runs through various industrial city hells capes and can make him run, jump, and shoot using the familiar NES-like A and B buttons.

Bill blasts through levels as fast as possible, blowing up enemies and explosive barrels along the way. Despite the waves of aliens that attack you from every direction, your greatest enemy is time. From the second you start playing, a clock begins counting down. Once it hits zero, the aliens unleash a massive death ray which will kill you almost instantly. The only way to beat the beam is to collect clock power-ups which put off your certain doom for another few seconds.

Along Bill's journey of vengeance, he collects coins for unleashing death on his otherworldly enemies. When death finally comes calling, users can use these coins to continue playing from where they just died. The first time you resurrect yourself isn't that expensive, but every time you come back after that takes more coins. Players can also use these coins to buy new power-ups and costumes.

Here's where I'd normally talk about the drawbacks of freemium gaming but, while Bill Killem features in-app purchases and the ability to pay actual money for a stronger character, it isn't necessary. At no point during my play through did I pay extra money to make Bill stronger and I was still able to gain enough coins to try all the power-ups. There's a wide range of weapons from blasters to lasers to flamethrowers, along with jetpacks, speed boots, and item magnets.

Players are also given missions to complete, like "survive for 50 feet" or "destroy X barrels". These missions add an extra addictive component to an already blisteringly fun game. If you miss the glory days of Commander Keen or Duke Nukem but wish they'd always been more of an ADHD freakout, Bill Killem is just the title for you. For the low, low cost of zero dollars you can enjoy one of the most fun action titles available on iOS. If you truly enjoy yourself, maybe consider buying a power-up. The developers deserve a little of your hard-earned scratch for making this game.