Konami
The Simpsons Arcade Game
Rating:
5 Stars
The long awaited console port for The Simpsons Arcade Game has finally arrived after 21 years and for just $10, fans can get all they want of America’s favorite yellow family. If you grew up anywhere near an arcade in the 90’s, you’ve probably spent many an allowance on the coin-operated arcade cabinet, hoping that someday you could buy one of those cabinets for yourself. Well, now you can in a sense. That’s because The Simpsons Arcade Game is out now on Xbox Live and the future Sony Entertainment Network. As an added bonus, PlayStation Plus subscribers can get the game free.
This classic side-scrolling beat-‘em-up has Homer, Marge, Lisa, and Bart on a quest to save Maggie who’s been kidnapped by Mr. Smithers and Mr. Burns after a diamond heist gone wrong. The story is a little bizarre, seeing as Mr. Smithers isn’t exactly known for robberies or wearing a cape for that matter, but it’s the Simpsons, so who really cares? This game came out during an era where there wasn’t time to develop a story because you were probably trying to beat the game while your parents finished their dinners. The main users also didn’t have enough quarters to afford enough game time for an in-depth story, so with the likes of Crus’n USA, Galaga, or Pac-Man, players became used to the idea of just simply accepting the story for what it was. This time around it’s not really about the story either but rather the supreme feeling of nostalgia that this game will stir up for repeat players.
The Fun Stuff:
As mentioned, there’s nothing that matches the fond memories The Simpson’s Arcade Game will bring back for those who grew up playing the game. If you can still vividly picture it in your head, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that the game is an almost 100% perfect reproduction of the coin-op classic. The developers for the console port, Backbone Entertainment, did a fantastic job of recreating the game with an attention to detail down to the pixel. Every sound effect and cut-scene is brought back exactly as you’ll remember it, as does the soundtrack which sounds so much better through your TV than it did on the old, run-down arcade cabinet.
The developers also realized the advantages to keeping things simple. You can control your character with either the joystick or d-pad, and use just one button each for jump and attack. If the default button choices (A for jump and X for attack on Xbox or X for jump and Square for attack on PlayStation) don’t feel right for you, you can remap them to suit your taste via the settings menu. Speaking of customization, there are also tons of options for playing the game, including 4 difficulty levels, 4 different game modes, and the possibility for local or online gaming. Of course, you still have the option of choosing between the 4 original characters as well.
Beating the game with each of them unlocks a unique reward as well. They’re not much, but they’re still a nice gesture. Depending on whom your Simpson of choice is, you’ll unlock a sound test, music test, character pictures, or a brief history of the development of the game plus a couple images of promotional art from the original release in 1991. The best item you can unlock is actually the Japanese Rom for their original arcade cabinet.
The Frustrating Stuff:
It’s been sought after for many years, and ironically it’s also one of the most frustrating parts of the game. Not because it was designed poorly or has some sort of flaw, but rather because it brings a startling revelation. The Japanese Rom is actually considerably easier than the American version. The Japanese version adds in multiple weapons such as a nuke and Smither’s bombs. There’s also more food scattered throughout the game including some fruit that randomly pops out of nowhere. Yet the only changes to the gameplay are minor alterations to a couple bosses’ attacks and a slightly different ending, which is really more of a presentation tweak.
The only other complaint will come from diehard fans who will notice the smallest details that are missing, such as damage that came from the first boss belly-flopping to the ground. There’s nothing that truly breaks the game though so the lack of inclusion, although disappointing, is minor and hardly relevant. There’s plenty of accurate game replication and bonus material to keep any fan happy.
Bottom Line:
It may have taken over two decades, but it was well worth the wait. This console port of The Simpsons Arcade Game is exactly what the fans were begging for and a little bit more. Detail was the key, which explains why the quarters modes have exactly 40 credits: 40 quarters = $10, the price of the game. Regardless if you’re an old expert at this classic beat-‘em-up or just a fan of The Simpsons who is new to the experience, it’s one you’re not going to want to miss. This is some of the best arcade gaming out there and an all-around fantastic representation that’s about as close as you can get to the real thing.
The Simpsons Arcade Game was developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by Konami. It was released in North America on Feb. 3, 2012 for Xbox Live Arcade and Feb. 7 for PlayStation 3 with an E10+ rating from the ESRB and an MSRP of $9.99.This review was based on a Xbox 360 version of the game purchased on the release date.
Anthony Ortale writes news and reviews on behalf of Examiner.com. He does so much gaming in his spare time, it’s practically a full time job! If you like what you read here, please subscribe to his articles! You can also follow Tony on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook! If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email Tony any time at ortale.anthony@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you!
