Simpsons Game, The

Armchair Empire

Its gameplay isn’t any more innovative than the average action title, and the camera is as ridiculously dysfunctional as the Simpsons family, but the stellar story more than atones for it, as The Simpsons Game is the best Simpsons game to date, bringing Springfield and its denizens to life as never before.

PGNx Media

The Simpsons Game is a must-have for Simpsons fans. If you don’t like the license, though, the game probably won’t do much for you since the underlying gameplay isn’t anything special.

Gaming Age

All in all if you are a fan of the show, past or present, you must pick this one up. You know who you are, especially if you've bought all the DVD's, saw the movie opening weekend, or even did the Simpsonizeme campaign online to make yourself a Simpsons character, this game has you written all over it.

Team Xbox

Although The Simpsons Game isn't a particularly special or innovative platformer, the writing, self-deprecating humor, and in-jokes make up for many of its shortcomings. This is one of the best Simpsons video games yet, mainly due to the fact that it takes so much inspiration from the show itself.

Play.tm

EA's adventure through Springfield always manages to coax a giggle - in no small part due to the characters all arriving accompanied by their real-world voice actors - and successfully scores full-blown laughter on several occasions.

XboxAddict

Bottom line is like I mentioned at the start, if you like The Simpsons and don't hate platformers then you will enjoy this game. The humour that is all throughout this game is well worth a play through.

AceGamez

Yes, the gameplay often involves derivative platform jumping, simple puzzles and basic fighting - and apparently the camera can be a bit of a nuisance - but the variety of game-parodying levels on offer, the authentic graphics, the wonderful voice acting and the diverse soundtrack help it rise above mediocrity to become greater than the sum of its parts.

MEGamers

Simpsons fans will enjoy it because of how well it portrays their all time favorite show and how it turns Springfield into a virtually alive city with style. Gamers on the other hand will be enjoying the level design and the well done graphics engine. Both crowds however are going to be disappointed with the depth of the game overall, and might not even complete the game due to its repetitive nature.

Xbox World Australia

The Simpsons Game is easily the family's best outing yet: genuinely clever and with a devilish ability to spot gaming's weak spots and exploit them for massive laughs, it's the kind of game that will appeal to fans and gamers of all ages.

MS Xbox World

It may not be perfect, but The Simpsons Game is bold enough and packs enough gags to have you rolling along the floor either as Homer, or yourself as you constantly can’t believe the superb visuals and cut scenes. It doesn’t hold too much replay value unless you like collecting every item available, but it does enough to be easily the best Simpsons game I have ever played.

GameTrailers

If nothing else, this playful romp packs enough in-jokes for both Simpsons fans and gamers in general that it’s definitely worth playing through at least once.

Planet Xbox 360

The hilarity is outstanding, and because every effort was made to ensure each episode stands on its own, the humor does not get stale.

Console Monster

The Simpsons Game will instantly appeal to fans of the series and typically a younger generation of gamers, due to the often easy gameplay. However there are enough jokes thrown in there and fantastic game parodies that only a seasoned gamer or adult would appreciate.

Worth Playing

Hours of pure, smart fun for me. I haven't laughed out loud at a game in a while (where it was meant to be funny), and I would certainly recommend at least spending some spare weekend time on it.

Gamer 2.0

In the end, what you are presented with is a very solid Simpsons title. Its humor, as stated, goes beyond just pleasing regular and hardcore Simpsons fans. So aside from the camera, the game is just find-diddly-ine to go on out and pick up.

DailyGame

Easily the best use of a licensed property, but by parodying old gameplay mechanics, the game reinforces just how tired we've gotten of the same elements that the game itself relies upon.

Pelit (Finland)

Seems to have it all: funny characters, stylish graphics and superb production values. It's a shame, that it lacks the challenge and depth of other titles in the genre. Despite that, The Simpsons will certainly appeal to the younger players and make this a good gateway game. [Nov 2007]

IGN

Had it offered online cooperative play, or local co-op play that was actually as much fun as the single-player game (if not more so) then the score would definitely be higher, but as it stands The Simpsons is a enjoyable, though very short, single-player game that both hardcore and casual Simpsons fans will love.

Cheat Code Central

Simply put, this is the Simpsons Game fans have been waiting for. Even with its faults, I would dare say that no one will complain too much, mainly due to being doubled over from laughing so much.

GamePro

All in all, The Simpsons Game is a good effort but there are some glaring flaws that hold it back. [Dec 2007, p.129]

Play Magazine

Untimately, though, The Simpsons lives and dies on the strength of its gameplay and here it doesn't particularly shine. [Nov 2007, p.64]

Official Xbox Magazine

The Simpsons Game is wittty and well-written, and it intelligently plays into the nerdy sensibilities of gamers; really, only the by-the-numbers gameplay sometimes comes up short. [Holiday 2007, p.68]

Jolt Online Gaming UK

For the two or three evenings that this will last you, there’s enough going on to keep you pushing forward to the end.

ZTGameDomain

An amazing fan-service production wrapped around a mediocre platformer.

Kombo

It is easy to tell that the developers had fun making The Simpsons. The humor and satire is on a level video games rarely achieve. This game can be safely recommended to gamers longing for such a quality.

Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

The way it makes fun of the videogame culture is pure Simpsons genius, but the gameplay gets in the way of all the fun. Fans will still have their Simpsons fix, but the marriage between two different mediums (the TV show and the videogame) doesn’t work out very well. [Nov 2007]

NZGamer

You’re not going to find an incredible game here but what you do get is slickly presented game with a whole lot of laughs along the way.

GamingTrend

This game is fan service in its most pure form. It is a shame that the camera is, as Mr. Sparkle would say “Most-ah Disrespectful-ooh” to the polish present in much of the rest of the game.

Game Informer

For all of its self-referential humor and nods to gaming classics (there are brief segments mimicking the likes of Frogger, Space Invaders, and Wolfenstein 3D), the process of actually playing The Simpsons Game is unfortunately average. The chuckles along the way make it worth the trouble for fans, but if you don’t know Arman Tamzarian from Disco Stu, most of the game’s redeeming elements will fall on deaf, bored ears.

GameZone

While the majority of the gameplay is pretty shallow, depending on repetitive jumping puzzles and weak combat, the two-character mechanic works well and collecting the unlockables throughout is very fun and engaging. The camera can be a pain.

Gamers' Temple

On the one hand, The Simpsons Game will keep you playing through to the end just to see how the story unfolds and so that you can see what the writers skewer next. On the other, the game makes you suffer for its art with its generic and somewhat frustrating platform gameplay mechanics.

X360 Magazine UK

Probably the funniest game on the 360 and one that's guaranteed to get - and keep - you in high spirits. It's just a shame it can get quite repetitive. [Issue 26, p.76]

1UP

While the action can be uneven -- though never bad -- creativity and charm carry the game to a higher level. The humor will get you through the slow levels, the authentic voices and writing will satisfy your fanatcism, and the cameos... will keep you entertained.

GameTap

Ultimately, it’s all pretty basic stuff. There’s nothing particularly fancy about the actual game mechanics and it’s somewhat odd that The Simpsons Game makes fun of various videogame clichés (such as not being able to swim, using levers or pads on the ground to open doors) and then turns around and uses them about a dozen or so times.

GameSpy

Sure, there are a few problems, but it's worth, say, dealing with the busted camera to see which videogame the writers are going to parody next.

GameDaily

The bothersome camera often gets stuck, thus obscuring your vision and two-player split screen messes with the game's speed, but the exclusive clips and humorous presentation make this a must play, especially for diehard Simpsons fans.

GameSpot

The gameplay might not be anything special, but The Simpsons Game delivers more than enough laughs to make it worth a look.

Boomtown

I enjoyed it as a mindless entertainment that kept me going through each level by incentivising the cinematics.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

We'd happily plough through the whole thing just to hear the jokes and see the characters again. [Christmas 2007, p.102]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Hysterical as Simpsons is, it's hard to appreciate the humor when you're busy fighting with an annoying camera and unreliable controls. [Dec 2007, p.108]

GameShark

Repetitive puzzles and poor camera control will have you cursing as often as you are laughing.

PALGN

Simpsons fans will probably be a lot more forgiving of the faults with the game though, as they will be laughing their way through the frustration.

360 Gamer Magazine UK

Capturing the feel, if sometimes not quite the look, of the universally loved animation, The Simpsons Game displays momentary glimpses of ‘the game that got away’ before falling back on tried and tested design and easy laughs to carry it through. It’s a generic romp, albeit one guaranteed to tickle you on at least a few occasions.

Eurogamer

The developers deserve a lot of credit for getting all the best Simpsons people involved with the game. For me though, the humour can only carry it so far. If you want a videogame platformer to make you and a friend laugh, you'd be better off playing Lego Star Wars. If you want to enjoy The Simpsons, you're better off buying one of the box-sets.

G4 TV

If you’re just a casual viewer or not a fan at all, then there’s nothing in the game to warrant your cash. On the other hand, if you are a Simpsons devotee, then the pitch-perfect humor, writing, and look of this game will more than make it worth putting up with the standard gameplay mechanics.

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

The trouble is, while their numerous parodies of classic games are often missile-guided barbs that'll nuke your funny bone, they're surrounded by an absolute shatfest in gameplay terms that, stripped of its Grade A license and related idiosyncrasies, would normally be taken outside, beaten with a stick, strung up and strangled until dead.

VideoGamer

The camera is a nightmare, often getting stuck behind some invisible barrier or randomly switching to new and more disorienting angles. The collision detection's had a nervous breakdown, the puzzles are as laborious as a two-hour queue in the freezing cold and the combat has about as much depth as the shallow end at your local swimming pool.

Edge Magazine

Much of the drive spurring players onwards to completion depends on the game’s cutscenes, and in this respect it’s a backwards step, relying on the crutch of a strong licence to hide fundamental shortcomings. [Christmas 2007, p.92]

Game Revolution

The Simpsons Game may just be the funniest video game ever, but funny is not the same as fun,and it's just not a very good game. I found myself wanting to finish the game just for the humor, even though I was screaming at the TV after falling down the 10,000th pit or when the camera showing me the wall again while i get killed.

NTSC-uk

Add to that the fact that each level also has a set number of collectables and the overall result would require someone with the talent of being able to reduce their body state to near-hibernation in order not to die from the boredom of it all.

Video Game Talk

While playing through the game was actually quite enjoyable thanks to the humor aspect, the gameplay itself is very uninspired and quite frankly a little dull.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

It's blunt, dumb, ridiculous, and almost never funny. Never mind that this action platformer is buggy, dull, and handles like wet cardboard, or that the faces look like they were drawn on an Etch-A-Sketch. A weak game could pass, if only it had some good laughs.