Video games

The Simpsons Game

The Simpsons Game is a 3D platformer which was released on multiple systems. The game features a linear playable storyline following all of the members of the family who have been given super powers. The Nintendo DS variant was deveoped separately as a 2D side-scrolling game.

Featuring original cutscenes and voice actors dialogue throughout, the game is one of the better adaptations of the show in video game form, but failed to match the success and popularity of The Simpsons Hit & Run.

A planned sequel to the game in 2011 was shelved.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run

The Simpsons: Hit & Run is arguably the most critically-acclaimed Simpsons video game of all time. Borrowing the successful formula of the Grand Theft Auto series, the game is a mission-based 3D adventure/racing game which largely involves traversing around Springfield in various vehicles to complete the storyline tasks and side quests. The show's writers and cast helped work on the storylines, cut scenes, and voice acting heard throughout the game.

The game also gives players the freedom to expore Springfield and perform acts of violence, which often attracts the attention of the Springfield Police Department.

Fans have called for a sequel/remaster but we're still waiting...

The Simpsons Skateboarding

The Annual Skate Tour has arrived in Springfield, in The Simpsons Skateboarding. The town has gone skate crazy on the half-pipes, ramps and rails. You can choose from various characters. Bart, Homer, Krusty and more.

The game was criticized for its chunky graphics, poorly recorded sound and music, lack of skateboarding tricks, and poor controls whilst the in-game dialogue were mixed.

Here's what one reviewer had to say: "Not fun, not funny. Thus, this game fails on both levels -- Simpsons as well as skateboarding".

The Simpsons: Road Rage

The objective of The Simpsons: Road Rage is to drive around Springfield and pick up passengers to get them to their destination as quickly as possible. This is loosely based on the formula of the game Crazy Taxi, although the similarities were condemned, rather than supported by Sega, who settled a legal case with EA and Radical Entertainment outside of court.

Players can choose from 25 characters to drive around. Replayability is limited, once you've mastered the core gameplay.

The game would later serve as inspiration for The Simpsons: Hit & Run which was known as "Road Rage 2" during development.

Night Of The Living Treehouse Of Horror

This game is a side-scrolling platformer set in the "Treehouse of Horror" universe. Featuring five playable family members across seven different levels, the Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror is loosely based on stories from the television show's Halloween specials.

The Simpsons Wrestling

The Simpsons Wrestling features 20 characters from the show, battling it out in a wrestling ring to become the last player standing.

The game did not receive favourable reviews, due to its poor graphics and unbalanced gameplay.

Simpsons Bowling

Simpsons Bowling is an arcade exclusive, featuring a roster of 9 characters from the show, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. This was planned to get a home console release on Playstation 2 but that idea was shelved.

Virtual Springfield

Before Tapped Out, there was Virtual Springfield, an adventure game that allows players to explore a 3D simulation of Springfield, collecting an entire set of character cards along the way.

The Simpsons Cartoon Studio

The Simpsons Cartoon Studio allowed players to construct their own scene from the show, using backdrops, characters, props, music and other special effects which could then be saved and exported to portable media. The Simpsons cast lended their voice to the game.

Virtual Bart

Virtual Bart contains six levels, all of which include multiple rounds. The levels include Dino Bart, Baby Bart, Pig Bart, and Mount Splashmore. It was generally regarded as one of the better Simpsons video game releases for its time.

Itchy & Scratchy in Miniature Golf Madness

This departure from side-scrolling adventures is one of the most original ideas in any Simpsons video game. Players control Scratchy, who, whilst avoiding the traps and obstacles placed by Itchy, must putt a golf ball into the hole in as few shots as possible. The game features nine holes in total.

Bart And The Beanstalk

In this handheld platformer, players take control of Bart Simpson in a parody of fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. The game takes place over seven frustrating levels - difficult for children to master and poor level design.

Bart's Nightmare

The game creates it's own realism, because after all, it is Bart's Nightmare. But at the same time this means the game takes place in a different world to The Simpsons. Lead bart into one of six doors which feature different gameplay mechanisms, including Bartzilla and Indiana Bart.

Krusty's Super Fun House

Also known as Krusty's Fun House, in this game you play as Krusty, who is leading rats into Bart or Homer's rat-smashing machine using blocks as obsticles. This game was inspired by the classic Lemmings games which involved directing a series of creatures to a finish line without getting hurt.

Bart Vs. The Juggernauts

Another handheld game with Bart at the helm. Bart vs. the Juggernauts sees Bart participating in a gameshow akin to American Gladiators where he must battle the Juggernauts and avoid being eliminated. There are seven events in total.

Bart's House of Weirdness

Bart's House of Weirdness was developed exclusively for the PC. The player controls Bart as he escapes from the Simpsons house after being grounded. He travels around town and into an amusement park. Bart is equipped with various weapons used to fend off enemies.

Bartman Meets Radioactive Man

Bartman Meets Radioactive Man begins with Fallout Boy recruiting Bart to the comic book universe in order to save Radioactive Man. Through four levels, Bartman must defeat enemies and avoid traps to make it to the end of the game. Given at this time, neither Bartman nor Radioactive Man had a prominent role in the show, it was strange that they decided on this storyline.

Bart Simpson's Escape From Camp Deadly

The first of many handheld games starring Bart, this one takes place at 'Camp Deadly', where he must use weapons such as boomerangs, spit wads and cafeteria food to defeat the camp leaders and escape the camp grounds. This is a very frustrating game which often suffers from poor visibility, but I'll always remember getting a kick out of throwing my boomerang at Lisa.

Bart Vs. The World

In Bart vs. The World, Bart traverses the world to take place in a scavenger hunt. Egypt, China, North Pole and Hollywood serve as the backdrop areas to each level, which often feature mini-games such as puzzles, show trivia, and card-matching in order to progress.

The Simpsons (Arcade Game)

The Simpsons Arcade Game allows up to four players to play at one time - commonplace nowadays but mostly an exclusive feature of arcade machines at the time. Following a successful stint at the arcades, the game was ported to Commodore 64 and MS-DOS. The game was also re-released as part of Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network decades later in 2012.

The game begins by none other than Waylon Smithers robbing a jewelry store (the jerk!) and when Maggie lands in posession of the precious diamond, he kidnaps her! The game then becomes a side-scrolling beat-em-up adventure to rescue Maggie from Mr. Burns and Smithers. Despite it's clearly bonkers storyline, the game has aged favourably and ranks up there as one of the better Simpsons games.

Bart Vs. The Space Mutants

And the award for game released on the most platforms goes to... Bart vs. the Space Mutants - the first game built for the home console market. Players will traverse through five levels, controlling Bart, destroying Space Mutants and solving problems to progress.

The game is well-known for its extreme difficulty but many players will have fond memories of the game due to its status as a best-seller in the early 90s.