The Simpsons Arcade Game Review: Finally, It’s About Time!

Pros:
It’s The Simpsons!
Multiplayer is a blast.

Cons:
Game really looks dated
Short Game

First we had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Then it was X-Men. Now the game that fans have been anxiously awaiting for years has finally arrived. No, it’s not Sunset Riders. It’s The Simpsons! The old school arcade classic from the ’90s has finally arrived on XBLA and PSN. The big question on everyone’s mind would be if it’s worth the nostalgic trip down memory lane. That answer is a resounding “Yes!”

The Simpsons arcade game has the fearless family from Springfield out to save Maggie from the evil Mr. Burns and his ass-kissing assistant Smithers. In a way, The Simpsons arcade game feels just like an episode of the popular Fox television show that’s been on for what feels like an eternity (you would think he creators would be out of ideas by now). Just like the Ninja Turtles and X-Men before it, I would spend countless amounts of quarters in the arcade just to beat the game. Now that it’s downloadable I don’t have to worry about shitty joysticks and the nasty gum on the arcade cabinet.

Now for those of you who have never played before (where have you been, under a rock) you get to play as the brawling Homer, vacuum cleaning Marge, skateboarding Bart, or jump roping Lisa and beat up various grunt characters all throughout Springfield including Moe’s Tavern and even the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. You’ll also encounter some of the popular characters from the show going through their daily routine, or they might even help you out with an item or two.

What made The Simpsons arcade game so unique was not only the television show style, but how you battled your enemies. This is not just your standard side scrolling brawler. You could throw signs, cans, bowling balls, animals, and even use a slingshot, bit even these things were not the highlight of the game. It was the team up moves that allow you to work together with a friend and hack away at enemies making for some hilarious and memorable moments.

While the arcade game was filled with some great fun, I always wondered how it would translate to home versions. Well I’m here to tell you that it may look old and dated, but it still plays great. You can choose what version of the game you wish to play (USA or Japan) and also choose the graphics (crisp or smooth). There’s even a really cool option to make it look like your playing on a “Simpsonized” arcade cabinet. In other words it’s just another way to say “Simpsons did it!” I honestly really like all the cool combinations to help spice up what ends up being a pretty short game clocking in at around 25-35 minutes.

So is The Simpsons arcade really worth your hard earned ten dollars? Well one way to sum it up is to consider how much of a fan you are. Simpsons fans will call this an instant buy. Brawler fans will jump right in as well. For everyone else, well don’t be so damn cheap and get the game, or just like Bart says “eat my shorts!”