Billy Frontier

Billy Frontier goes where no iPhone game has gone before: the intergalactic wild west. Yes sir, this digital hootenanny opens a new frontier with its quirky style and quick-fire gameplay. Playing as titular gunslinger Billy Frontier, it's your job to deal with the alien riff-raff.

Four modes - Shootout, Duel, Stampede, and Target Practice - go down at two locations, a ravaged frontier town and mucky green swamp. You're free to play any stage right from the start, so there's no mandatory slogging through some lame level just to get to the good stuff. And while each mode offers its own special thrills, there are definite favourites.

Shootouts top our most wanted list. These on-rails shooter stages have you playing as Billy in the first-person, moseying through the town and adjacent swamp to shoot any alien that looks at him the wrong way. Tapping the screen fires your six-shooter. Left and right arrows near the bottom of the screen allow you to move the camera, although your position is fixed. Once you've shot every enemy in one spot, you move forward to the next location.

Since bullets are a limited resource, shootouts have a bit of a tactical tinge. The level ends the moment you run out of ammunition; as such, you can't madly fire at anything that moves. Quick, precise aiming gets the job done and preserves your cache. Destroying barrels frequently uncovers extra bullets or a health pack, so you're not completely hung out to dry.

You get the same feeling playing through the two shootout stages as you do those western-themed carnival shooting galleries. It's plain, silly fun. That's exactly why we enjoy Target Practice mode too: because it taps into that same sensation. As in Shootouts you control Billy in the first-person, although here his view is cemented in place. Your goal is to bang up aliens and items for points before the clock ticks down. Instant kill TNT barrels and inebriating liquour bottles that shake the screen are thrown into the mix, making it a bit of a challenge to score.

The other two modes, Duel and Stampede, venture into different gameplay territory. Duels involve tapping out random patterns consisting of circles and triangles via on-screen buttons. As the pattern flashes on the screen, you have to type in the combination to build up Billy's shot. Tense music adds to the pressure, as if there wasn't enough already with all the hasty button pressing. It's entertaining, but once you've survived a few duels you'll largely be over it.

Stampedes see Billy running for dear life as a herd of hybrid kangaroo-bulls rush toward him. Like a race in reverse, you tilt your iPhone from side to side to guide Billy as he rushes toward the screen. Tapping the screen allows you to jump and you can pick up hot red peppers for a speed boost. The reverse camera angle is awkward, and it can cause a bit of tripping up initially.

No question about it, Billy Frontier is a great-looking game and takes on a hilariously unique style. The wild-west-meets-space-invaders charm is undeniable, even if it is short-lived. You'll enjoy every single minute playing through the game's eight short levels, but once you've pistol whipped through them that's it. No hidden levels, bonuses, or online features to extend play - once you've shot 'em all dead the game is over. A high scores list encourages additional play, but if these scores were tracked online it would provide a more compelling reason to revisit.

While it could stand to be longer, Billy Frontier still has what it takes to be a barn burner of an iPhone game. Great humor and fun gameplay is all you need to win the west by our account.