Review: The Simpsons Game (Wii)

Simpsons games have a history of mediocrity. The longest running cartoon series understandably has a few videogame spins-offs, trying to cash in on its success. Whilst other Simpsons games have covered a variety of genres, the latest offering tries to parody videogaming in general. With the script written by the show’s writers, and the actors on board to do the voices, it should be the ultimate Simpsons game. Springfield comes to life in glorious 3D, and the game is laced with Simpson’s humour. It has everything a Simpsons fan could want, except for one thing important thing: fun.

The Simpsons Game is set up to be an interactive episode. There’s a story that runs through the game, featuring everyone’s favourite family, and in between each level you are treated to a short cartoon that progresses the plot. It’s a genuinely funny game as a result, and if you’re a fan of the humour in the cartoons, parts of this game will have you laughing out loud. All the characters make an appearance, and there are continual references to events that have happened in the 19 seasons of Simpson episodes. The game tries to place you in the cartoon, and the programme’s graphical style is maintained, with bright, vibrant colours, and a distinct hand-drawn feel. It can get too much at times, however, and the cell shaded action isn’t easy on the eyes after prolonged periods of time.

The game takes place over 16 levels, each with a different setting. Whilst some are considerable shorter than others, completing them all will keep you occupied for a decent amount of time. Whilst The Simpsons Game is a 3D platformer, it attempts to poke fun at all videogame genres. As a result, each level is a parody on a particular videogame. Some are obvious, like the level “Medal of Homer” which is set in war-torn France, and “NeverQuest”, which is their take on fantasy games. Other references are more subtle, and one notable example appears in the level “Lisa the Tree Hugger”, in which you have to cross a river in a nod to the arcade classic Frogger. Whilst the environments add some variety to the game, the basic gameplay is the same. In each level you can control two members of the Simpson family, and have the ability to switch between them at the touch of a button. Each member has a different skill and you have to utilise these to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles to reach the end of the level, whilst fighting off enemy goons that try and stop you. Lisa, for example, has the power to lift heavy objects, and move them around the game area. Bart can glide across large gaps, and Homer can transform into a huge ball. The puzzle elements do add something to the game, but they are never too complex and as the game continually gives you prompts about which character to use, and where, it removes any challenge they might have posed.

Whilst The Simpsons Game has a solid concept, all the effort put into this, and its presentation is undone by the game’s mechanics. The controls are terrible, with imprecise movement, light jumps, and tacked-on, unresponsive motion controls. It’s a simple system where you move with the analogue stick, and jump and attack with the Wii Remote buttons, but the degrees of movement feel restricted and attacking appears random. Each character has a special attack that is activated by waving the Nunchuk and Wii Remote, but it hardly ever works and so the game becomes a boring task of button mashing. You can apparently perform combo attacks, but as there’s a slight delay from pressing the button to the attack happening, they’re difficulty to time. The game’s biggest flaw, however, is the camera angle, which is one of the worst Gamestyle has ever encountered. There are countless times where you will miss jumps and fall to an untimely death simply because you were unable to see part of a platform. You can move the camera with the D-Pad on the Wii Remote, but it often resets itself at the most inconvenient times, causing you to walk off a ledge, or into certain death. The camera also means that attacking is confusing, and objects continually block your view. Whilst the level design is reasonable, your progress with be halted by your inability to judge distances, or simply look around. The game soon becomes frustrating, and frankly unplayable. Matters aren’t helped by the repetitive voiceovers in each level. Sure, it’s funny to hear Smithers commenting on how glistening sweaty workmen look, but when you hear it for the twentieth time, having failed to jump over a small chasm after your fifteenth attempt, it’s enough to make you take the disc out of the Wii and smash it into very small pieces. There are some horrible glitches in the levels too, and Gamestlye spent a good five minutes trying to free Homer from Bumblebee Man, as their bodies became fused together during an attack. It’s as though all the effort went into the game’s presentation without a thought on how it plays. This shouldn’t really be surprising, however, as it is common practice for franchise games.

It really is a shame because The Simpsons Game deserves to be the homage to the series that it should be. It may have all the wit and style of the series, and Simpsons fans will no doubt love picking out all the references. With no effort put into caring about how the game plays, however, it means that you might not be able to actually play the game enough to get them all. There is a co-op mode, and if you can come to terms with the awful camera and shoddy controls there’s enough in the game to keep you occupied, with hidden collectibles, mini-games, and unlockable content. Gamestyle would recommend The Simpsons Game for true fans, but unfortunately no amount of Simpsons references can make playing this game enjoyable.

Rating: 4 / 10

Words by Chris Thornton