This game is actually way better than the failed Simpsons video games on the NES home consoles such as Bart vs. the World and Bart vs. The Space Mutants. This game is like a beat-em-up mixture of games like Double Dragon, TMNT, Final Fight and Battletoads. But this arcade gets tougher the more you progress.
Plot. In the town of Springfield, Waylon Smithers and his goons are stealing a giant diamond from Springfield Jewelers for the villainous Mr. Burns. Smithers run into Homer Simpson and his family, who are conveniently walking down the street. The encounter knocks the diamond out of Smithers hand, and it is snatched by Maggie who puts it in her mouth (as a replacement to her trademark pacifier), prompting Smithers to kidnap Maggie (rather than just the diamond) and run off. The Simpson family is then determined to get her back, fighting their way through suited goons that work for Burns.
Concept. The Simpsons Arcade Game can be played either solo or cooperatively with two or more players with friends or family members. On the PS3 and Xbox Live, they can play online with three different people as well. Players must go throughout eight stages which are based on the streets of Springfield, Krustyland, the Springfield Discount Graveyard, Moe's Tavern, Springfield Butte, a dream world, the Channel 6 studio, and finally the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. The final stage they face against Smithers and then against the villainous Mr. Burns.
Design.The Simpsons Arcade Game is a beat em up game, similar to Final Fight, but with the graphics resembling the acclaimed cartoon show. Characters and backgrounds are rendered in sprites. Some animation sequences were very well done such as falling into the Springfield Discount Graveyard, the intro, ending, and so on.
Voice Acting. What's incredibly cool of this game is that the voices of the characters can be heard. And the actors who voiced them in the cartoon have lent their voices for the game. The actors as you all know are: Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), and Yeardley Smith (Lisa).
Legacy. The game was increasingly popular that it was played in Arcades. Other Simpson games were in home consoles for the NES, Sega, and on handhelds such as the Game Boy and Game Gear. A Commodore 64, and MS-DOS video game was released. But before all of these games were made, The Simpsons cartoon was premiered on December 17, 1989 on the Fox Network. The cartoon series was so popular that it spawned toys, comic books, until a movie was released in 2007 directed by David Silverman (who directed various epsiodes as well). The cartoon was also released in various parts around the world, even Latin America got into the action. The Simpsons has been a popular cartoon sitcom long before Beavis and Butthead, Daria, South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, and Ugly Americans ever existed. Simpsonmania lives on gamers and gamerettes.
Rantings. Now for one thing I hate about this game is some boss battles like the big Krusty Balloon. As a kid, I would often throw tantrums whenever I got beaten by that boss. I would usually run out of coins since I couldn't get past either the first stage when I was a little kid playing this game at the bowling alley my father used to play in the weekends. Also, this game gets harder and harder the more you progress.
Good Aspects. This game has moderately high replay value, and the good thing about playing this either on Xbox or PS3 is that you don't need coins. It is very enjoyable playing it with friends, family and other people as well. To tell the truth I liked this game more than the crappy ones for the NES such as Bart vs. Space Mutants and Bart vs. The World, which I agreed with the Angry Video Game Nerd, they sucked so bad that pisses you off to your very core.
Overall. The Simpsons Arcade Game's final score I give is a 7 out of 10.
God Bless and Play Hard Gamers!