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For better or worse, animated family The Simpsons have graced primetime TV and the pop culture landscape for decades. And like the series itself, the myriad of video games it’s spawned includes some glorious highs and some disastrous lows. Fortunately, the one we’re looking at today is far more than a quick cash-grab or awkwardly loose tie-in. Simply called The Simpsons Game, it was released by EA in 2007 for PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, and Wii as well as portable versions for PSP and Nintendo DS.
Soon after the game begins, an instruction manual for The Simpsons Game falls from the sky in front of Bart – yes, a manual for this very game. This opens things up for a fully enjoyable and self aware game that never strays far from that Simpsons feel. Set largely inside an open world Springfield, the show’s signature look is brought to life with a 3D approximation of the series’ famous 2D animation cartoon style. It sounds strange, and it is. But it works pretty well! With the exception of some rough edges (literally) and a few character models that don’t quite translate well to 3D, it’s easy to lose yourself in the well crafted cartoon world, just as its creators intended. Gameplay varies depending on the mission, but mostly falls within 3D platforming territory. The main playable characters are Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa – each can be upgraded and has a unique ability. Additionally, Marge can send Maggie into tight spots in order to complete a task or collect items. The game will often require the player to switch between characters in order to solve environmental puzzles. Although the controls are mostly easy to maneuver, some aspects have aged poorly or are just flat out frustrating – most notably the camera controls. It’s something that I never quite got used to but managed to make work for a full playthrough.
In a typical Simpsons fashion, writers squandered no opportunity to take jabs at company behind its production – in this case EA. It’s also rich with parodies of other video games, down to their characters and even gameplay elements at times. Achievements are earned in the form of “Video Game Cliches” which are pointed out by an annoyed Comic Book Guy, the beloved recurring character from the television series. And of course, it wouldn’t be a fully “Simpsons” experience without a celebrity guest appearance. Players who make it far enough into the campaign are treated to a cameo by none other than Will Wright, creator of The Sims and Sim City.
Beating the game (or at least rolling credits) was not overly difficult, and the humorous twist ending made me appreciate the roughly eight hour journey even more. If you’re a Simpsons fan, it’s a no-brainer – play this game! But I think almost any gamer will appreciate The Simpsons Game to a degree, even if only to see how it gently pokes fun at the video game landscape.
