RETRO -Beavis and Butt-Head are the world’s two biggest idiots, who not only conquering MTV right now but are also preparing for an invasion to our PC. Their primary weapon is their charm and their unbelievable intelligence. The games based off of the franchise have been pretty basic: smash the screen of the computer, spit on the bystanders from a top… Their second game takes place in a university dorm, at first, they do not want to go or do anything (what else they want to do besides watching TV), but then they find the reason: WOMEN!

How can these two knuckleheads be the protagonist of an adventure game, a genre that usually requires brains? In 1995 the first game – even though the world was in a Beavis and Butt-Head crazy- pretty much went down the gutter real quickly, mostly because it was not successful, and it had a bunch of dexterity parts (plus it was also one of the first Windows 95 game). Their future games were pretty much fake games where the objective – even for a Butt-Head game – was utterly stupid. Before Beavis and Butt-Head finally disappeared into the void regarding PC games, luckily one final game appeared that is, this time, a real challenge!

Umm… Butt-Head, aren’t we like that .. um… Larry dude?

Who would not remember the computer gaming world’s biggest anti-womanizer Leisure Suit, Larry? Those who followed his adventure will probably notice the similarities between B&B do U and Larry’s incompetence. Although in the TV series Butt-Heads are actively interested in the opposing sex, they are not as vehement as Larry, and as in this game. The objective is not to get the most women in the game, but the gameplay is similar: use the most idiotic items to produce the weirdest events, so that our heroes can get into the University party in the end, as according to them, hopefully, a lot of “chicks” will be present.

“-You guys are also from the orientation program? – Uhm.. no? We are like… Uhm… Americans?”

Our heroes to get to the evening party – will have to get through an orientation program. The program has a bunch of different seminars, in which we will have to complete different tasks: put together a human in the biology class, play the violin in the music class, draw a bowl of fruits in art class, and milk the cow, gather eggs on a farm. If all of the tasks are completed, the index will be signed by our teacher and Beavis and Butt-Head can go to the party.

Of course, our heroes mess it up at first, so since they lack the actual skill to complete the tasks, they have to use a bunch of tricks – in any order of sequence. The game is very similar to Larry’s seventh game where we had to run around on a boat with our hero, while here we can complete any of the tasks in our order.

“Uhm… excuse me but could you please shut up?”

The game does not keep the original graphical style of the cartoon, that is why it looks so simple compared to a Grim Fandago, Sanatarium or even to a Monkey Island 3. Regardless of this Beavis and Butt-Head do U has the best graphics: its style is reminiscent of Space Quest 6. Those who did not like the series will probably not enjoy the 2D backgrounds, the simple characters, and last but not least Butt-Head’s ugly face, who looks like has C-vitamin deficiency.

The voice acting for the two characters are done by Mike Judge. We can also here the usual quips in this game that are from the series – those who enjoy Judge’s humour will have a blast, but those who do not will probably not like the two characters suddenly.

“I am Cornholio! I need tp for my bonghole!”

I was a real fan of the old TV series, and when they MTV was dropped from my cable package I was disappointed that I could not see Beavis anymore. I slowly forgot about them, but when they suddenly reappeared years alter I did not really care that much about them.

I think especially the computer games lost me: they were lazy, and poorly designed, and were not too good, or even intelligent: just like Beavis and Butt-Head. I thought that with these games instead of pleasing the fans, they were let down, which is a shame since a lot of people enjoyed the TV series.

This is why I was sceptical of the new adventure game thinking it will be just like the previous badly made ones. Luckily I was surprised: regardless that the story, puzzles, and humour do not compete with the other high-end adventure games such as Curse of Monkey Island, or Grim Fandango, they were able to go beyond the usual Leisure Suit Larry adventure games, and Mike Judge’s game was better.

So for the Butt-Head fans, this is a must-have, and those who have barely heard of them should try out this game so that they could try to get them their epic night with women.

-BadSector- (1999)

Publisher: GT Interactive Software Corp.

Developer: The Illusions Gaming Company

Genres: adventure

Publication: 1999