The Simpsons Game

The Simpsons Game is a video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons. Versions are available for the Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. Each version has an exclusive cover art. It is a third-person action game featuring an original storyline written by Tim Long, Matt Selman and Matt Warburton. The plot is self referential in nature, with the family discovering that they are forced to participate in another Simpsons video game. Similar to the show, the game pokes fun at popular culture, other video games and EA, its developer.

Playable Characters

Homer Simpson

Homer can turn into a giant ball to roll over enemies, turn into a gummi version of himself that spits gummi explosives and can make gummi explosions. He also has the power to use energy to do a powerful burp.

Bart Simpson

Bart can transform into the superhero, Bartman. As Bartman he can glide, use a slingshot, and use a grappling hook. He can use energy to make bats attack nearby enemies.

Lisa Simpson

Lisa can use her saxophone to confuse enemies and make them fight each other. At a Buddha port she can summon a giant hand that can pick up objects and attack enemies. She can use energy to spin around to attack nearby enemies.

Marge Simpson

Marge can use a megaphone to make people join her mob. Her mob can attack enemies, repair and build things, and destroy objects. She can use energy to make a powerful burst from her megaphone to attack enemies.

Maggie Simpson

Maggie has no powers, but can be sent through small areas her family can't access.

Other Characters

Other characters can be seen walking around Springfield and can be recruited by Marge.

Episodes(levels)

     Episode #1: The Land of Chocolate

The opening sequence for the tutorial level shows Homer eating parts of the land of chocolate and being confronted by the White Chocolate Rabbit. After eating the white chocolate rabbit Homer wakes up and says he liked having the power to eat everything in sight and turning into a giant ball.

     Episode #2: Bartman Begins

Bart buys Grand Theft Scratchy from SequalStop only to have it confiscated by Marge (she puts it is Homer's underware drawer along with his pellet gun and swimsuit magazines) then when Bart goes in a alley outside he finds the Simpsons Game manual. When Bart trys out his powers(he turns into Bartman), he finds Homer and they go down the man hole near the natural history muesum (Homer was going to shoot rats while reading swimsuit magazines). While underground, they find the school bullies sent by Skinner to steal muesum artifacts. Bart and Homer stop them and the police arrest Skinner

     Episode #3: Around the World in 80 Bites

Using his new powers, Homer competes in a Duff food competition/race with Bart helping him. After going through international foods and defeating a Statue of Liberty made of food, Homer wins and receives the championship belt. The losers must clean the mess left throughout the course.

     Episode #4: Lisa the Tree Hugger

Bart tells Lisa of her new powers and decide to stop Mr. Burns' lumbering company from cutting down trees. After destroying several machines, they save bird-watchers Lenny and Carl stuck under tree iin a conveyer belt. Once destroying the main factory, however, Bart and Lisa accidently laid off hundreds of workers. Mr. Burns decides to have his revenge on Al Gore.

     Episode #5: Mob Rules

Marge watches as Martin Prince carjacks Ned Flanders after purchasing the new video game, Grand Theft Scratchy and decides to protest the video game violence despite Mayor Quimby's taking of bribes. She uses her powers of mob forming to form a group of protesters consisting of Ned, Apu, Moe, and Waylon Smithers. Though the police forces intervene, the mob is able to make it to the town hall to find that the mayor has declared it Itchy and Scratchy Day. Maggie is able to crawl through the ventilation system and watches Quimby take bribes. Maggie turns off the vents forcing the mayor and the video game representative to leave. After seeing the destruction and the mob the video game representative takes back his bribe and Marge is pleased.

     Episode #6: Enter the Cheatrix

After the aliens attack, Bart and lisa go to see Frink.He is kidnapped by an ape,but Lisa uses her new buddha power to send the ape into the goo.

     Episode #7: The Day of the Dolphin

After being zapped by a ray by Kang and Kodos, evil dolphins invaid the pier, Bart and Lisa help the captian defeat all of the dolphins and a few aliens. It apears that when you levitate as Lisa in the last part of the level, the captian says dump the jellyfish in the water, Snorky goes into the water, so like the treehouse of horror episode Snorky is the king dolphin. The level ends with possibly killing snorky and a good end of the level, until Kang and Kodoas are in their space ship waiting for revenge, and egg rolls to be done.

     Episode #8: Shadow of the Colossal Donut

The level starts with the news reporter talking to Bart and Homer, saying "are you nuts!?"Then homer starts talking into the camra before runing of to defeat lard lad.Bart shoots his slingshot at three hatches on lard lad and Bart or Homer has to hop on a hatch and disable his wireing. At the end of the level Homer is kicking lard lad and the aliens are angry.

     Episode #9: Invasion of the Yokel-Snatchers

Bart and Homer go to save the mall and cleatus from aliens. Homer uses his helium power to fly over to every switch,and when you pull them steam comes out that Bartman can fly over. Once you reach the mall you both stand infront of two doors and they open and you get suked into the space ship. Then you save Cleatus.While Cleatus and Bart are fighting the aliens, Homer uses his ball power to damege energy things. Then they find out its sideshow bob.

     Episode #10: Bargain Bin

The Simpson family is confronted by an alien spaceship commanded by Kang and Kodos. After Bart points the easy and repetitive way to his family, the alien duo decides to cover up their weak point, making them indestructible to the family. When they attempt to look up a way to win on the internet, they are sucked into the computer. They discover Will Wright and discover that he is destroying all of the old video games, including an old Simpsons game. After saving the games from destruction by disabling a factory and Will Wright ranting about his jealous enemies at EA, the video game families meet. The older 8-bit family informs the current Simpsons that their game will be destroyed as well in the future, but the Simpsons tell their older selves that their world is already being destroyed. The 8-bit Simpsons tell them that the only way would be to talk to the creator. And to get to him you would need the four key cards found in four other Simpsons video games.

     Episode #11: NeverQuest

The first game, titled NeverQuest, consists of the characters Marge and Homer. As they prepare to enjoy a level without the kids, three hobbits( being Rod Flander, Todd Flanders, and Ralph Wiggum) pass them fleeing from a two-headed Patty and Selma dragon. While Homer battles the dragon with his girth, Marge leads a mob of hobbits to repair the buildings damaged by the dragon. After wounding the dragon enough, it flees to its mountain base. Homer and Marge continue through a magically sealed door by kicking it open. With the help of a mob of hobbits they go through a labyrinth while laying waste to any orcs( Moe Syzlak) or ghost (Otto) in their way. They confront the dragon again and Homer's gummy ability slays Selma and Patty. They find the Selma/Patty key card in the monster's nest and Homer clutches it calling it "His Precious."

     Episode #12: Grand Theft Scratchy

Marge and Lisa are in Grand Theft Scratchy. Seeing all the run-down buildings, cat prostitutes, and constant gunfights, Marge decides to take matters into her own hands and tidy up the place. So, she assembles a mob of dogs to fight off violence and fix the buildings into more kid-friendly ones. Eventually, they cross the bridge to the other island, where Poochy sends suicide-bombing cat hos to destroy the ice cream trucks. But, Lisa fends them off, allowing Marge's mob to go and destroy Poochy's stage. After that, the Senator from "Mob Rules" appears and is pleased to announce an end to video game violence. However, a heart-shaped decoration on the candy shop's sign falls onto her. Marge and Lisa find the Poochy key card in her purse, then slowly back away.

     Episode #13: Medal of Homer

Homer and Bart receive their mission information from Admiral Abe Simpson, then wind up in a small French town. There, they see Uter throw a rock at one house. Almost immediately, 20 white flags pop up in surrender. Admiral Simpson tells Homer and Bart to get those white flags before the French have a chance to kiss German butt. Private C. Montgomery Burns suggests that they take the paintings for "safe-keeping". After Homer and Bart take all the white flags, Admiral Simpson gives word that Private Burns stabbed them in the back and is retreating with the paintings on his own airship carrier. There, Homer and Bart have to reach the top of the carrier where Private Burns is, planting C4 explosives where necessary. Eventually, using Bart's gliding and Homer's helium ability, they reach the top and take Private Burns into custody. As thanks, the mayor of the village rewards Homer with one of their prize paintings--which conveniently has the Private Burns key card!

     Episode #14: Big Super Happy Fun Fun Game

Homer and Lisa appear in a Japanese landscape. Behind them appears Mr. Dirt (AKA Milhouse, only bigger and he looks almost like Katamari Damacy's King of All Cosmos). Lisa once again refuses to be his queen, resulting in him complaining on what more he has to do to win her over, leaving. So, Homer and Lisa reach the village, where blue sumos (appearing like Comic Book Guy) emerge from the filthy water. Lisa uses the Hand of Buddha to place the three lanterns back in their slots around the well. From it appears Mr. Sparkle, who tells of the disrespectful energy company seeking to take over the land. To restore harmony, Homer and Lisa have to find the three Sparklemon in the three corners of the earth. Crossing a field of lava to the Well of Fire, Homer and Lisa battle Jimbo's rat-like Sparklemon. Homer finishes it off with the "wonderful magical animal" (a pig, which becomes bacon, ham, and pork). After that, Mr. Sparkle converts the Sparklemon into its container. Then, Homer and Lisa go to the Well of Ice, where they defeat Ralph's Squirtle-like Sparklemon. Then, riding an airship into the sky, they enter the Well of Air, defeating Sherri and Terri's unicorn Sparklemon. After that, they restore the Sparklemon to the village's well, freeing Mr. Sparkle from Mr. Dirt's banishment. As he leaves, Mr. Sparkle cleans the place and turns Mr. Dirt into the ever-pathetic Milhouse, who surrenders his Mr. Dirt key card. As Homer and Lisa leave, the three Sparklemon beat up Milhouse.

     Episode #15: Five Characters in Search of an Author

Using the key cards, the Simpsons gain access to the Creator's mansion. The 8-bit Simpsons can't believe, however, that they made it this far and only got 4 points (referring to the key cards, which they thought was the Simpsons' score). Anyway, inside the mansion, Homer and Bart start things off by peeing in the Creator's yard. Meanwhile, the Creator, AKA Matt Groening, sees the two delinquents in the act and sends out the attack force--after correcting his secretary that it's pronounced "gray-ning", not "groaning". Eventually, Homer and Bart made it to Groening's private chambers, where he has them battle Benders and Dr. Zoidbergs summoned through quick sketches. However, Homer uses his ball form to roll up a slope and break the catwalk that Groening stood upon. After that, Homer and Bart start kicking him. Lisa asks why he betrayed his own creations. Groening pretends to be sorry, shortly before hitting the Game Engine's self-destruct button. He escapes in his helicopter, but before leaving, he writes his signature in midair.

     Episode #16: Game Over

The characters from the games escape from their crumbling worlds. The Simpsons and all the characters escape through the only portal that held--the Springfield portal. Safe in the Simpson's house, Bart points out that the aliens are still attacking. Lisa then decides to go to the one authority higher than Matt Groening--God. She uses her Hand of Buddha to construct a tower, which the Simpsons use to reach Heaven. Before Homer and Bart can get through the gate with Marge and Lisa, William Shakespeare closes them off. For no reason, he starts attacking using exploding Yorick skulls. After Homer and Bart defeat him, Bart and Lisa explore Heaven. There, they encounter powered-up enemies (only with halos over their heads), including aliens, loggers, and dolphins. Eventually, they build another Skybuck's, and from the other one comes Benjamin Franklin, who attacks them using lightning from his key. After they defeat him, they proceed up the stairway... They then see God playing a video game. They demand that he end the madness, but instead, he attacks Bart in a Dance Dance Revelations battle to "Rock You Like A Hurricane". Bart has to defeat his Praystation, Xodus Box, and his two i Ams by stepping on the arrows in the right time to destroy the enemies and keep them from hurting his life bar. After Bart eliminates God's four consoles, he threatens to drop God's memory card if he doesn't help them and explain everything. Since he's at the final boss of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and can't bear to start over again, God concedes. He explains that the Simpsons are just video game characters designed by computer nerds in cubicles to be controlled by other computer nerds in their bedrooms. It appears that God has become immersed in playing a game called "The Planet Earth", in which The Simpson Game is just a mini-game of. God then explains that he accidentally dropped the game manual down to Earth. After God agrees to fix Springfield and all the other games, give video game characters better working conditions, let the Simpsons keep their powers, and supposedly granting Homer three wishes, Lisa asks him if he wonders if he's a video game character, too. While God claims how dumb that sounds, the camera shows that Ralph Wiggum was playing the game. Then, he notices the player and tells his daddy that people are looking at him.

Plot

Bart Simpson, after acquiring a copy of "Grand Theft Scratchy" video game and then having it confiscated by Marge almost immediately, is hit upon the head from unknown by a copy of "The Simpsons Game" game manual. Reading through the manual, he discovers that he and the rest of his family members have special powers; Bart uses his "Bartman" powers to stop Jimbo Jones, Kearney and Dolph from stealing from the Natural History Museum, Homer uses his ability to become a huge ball (the Homer Ball) to win an eating contest, Lisa uses her powers of meditation to stop a deforestation project Bart helps, and Marge with her powers to influence crowds to stop the release of "Grand Theft Scratchy" in Springfield. However, Kang and Kodos launch an alien attack upon Springfield, and Bart and Lisa, realizing their powers are not strong enough to defeat the aliens, visit Professor Frink who presently is in the "game engine", a factory-like realm where video games are made. Prof. Frink gives them "The Simpsons Game" player's guide to better understand how to use their powers, and the Simpsons family rally again to stop the alien invasion, including a takeover by dolphins and an attack by a giant Lard Lad statue. However, the alien attack persists, and in order to find out more, the family turns to the Internet to discover more about the powers they have in the game, but are accidentally sent back to the game engine.

There, they discover game designer Will Wright, destroying copies of The Simpsons: Escape from Krusty Island purely on the basis that the game is dated and no-one is playing it anymore. The family manages to save their 8-bit predecessors, who tell them that as they too are just characters in a video game, they are also doomed to become obsolete when the next "Simpsons" game comes out, and that the only way to prevent this is to talk to The Creator himself. To get to The Creator, the Simpsons collect four key cards in four separate "Simpsons" video games currently in development: "Grand Theft Scratchy", "Big Super Happy Fun Fun Game", "Medal of Homer" and "Neverquest", and proceed to The Creator's home, which turns out to be Matt Groening. Groening refuses to help the family, and escapes after distracting the family with copies of Bender and Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama. Returning to their Springfield, the family realizes they have one last resort, God himself, but upon finding Him, they discover that He is actually playing a giant video game, of which "The Simpsons Game" was just a mini-game of, and had accidentally dropped the manual, leading to the events at the start of the game. God promises to restore Springfield and the obsolete games back to normal when Bart threatens to destroy his saved game memory card so He can go back to playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Before the Simpsons depart, Lisa asks God if He ever considered Himself as part of a video game - the game then is shown with Ralph Wiggum playing it, and Ralph then breaks the fourth wall by tapping on the screen and calling to his father that people are watching him.

Gameplay

Players are able to control four of the five members of the family, each with their own unique abilities. Maggie is, in effect, an extension of Marge, briefly being playable in air ducts and other small spaces. Two different family members are playable on each level, aside from The Land of Chocolate tutorial where only Homer is playable, and the final level, which allows all of the family members to be used on the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game contains 16 levels, known as episodes. Each episode requires specific skills related to the characters in that episode. For example, in Episode 4: Lisa the Tree Hugger, you are required to use Lisa's Hand of Buddha skill to move large objects, and Bart's slingshot skill to shutdown numerous machines. Unique enemies are featured in all episodes with the exception of the final level, in which the enemies are "recycled" with different colors.

Several after-episode challenges exist. These include finding all the collectibles for each character, finding all the videogame cliches, completing the episode under a certain amount of time, not dying once, and in the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, completing a certain task related to the episode's plot in a time trial. While the game for each system includes two episodes set in Springfield a Springfield hub is also included that can be explored freely without any goals, and contains additional collectibles and cliches. These two versions also have extra mini-games, including parodies of Joust, Pokémon and Space Invaders. All versions have mini-game parodies based on Gauntlet, Missile Command, Dancing games and Frogger. Each family member has their own abilities, with the 360 and PS3 versions having a few more and a character-unique power-up. Bart is similar to a traditional platform character, with slingshot, grapple and cape to glide, the ability to use ziplines and a power-up that turns him into a RoboCop-esque RoboBart, with invulnerability and lasers that can go through glass and destroy enemies and obstacles in one hit. Homer's abilities mirror Katamari Damacy, as he turns into a giant ball to eat food and burst through obstacles and enemies, and he can also burp, inhale helium and turn into Gummi Homer, enabling him to shoot candy projectiles at enemies. His power-up is a spicy Guatemalan chili that transforms him into an invincible ball of lava. Marge has similar functions to Pikmin, recruiting a mob she can use to destroy, repair and build parts of the environment, and to attack enemies. She can also use a megaphone as a weapon to blow back and sometimes kill adversaries, Maggie, inside a carrier on Marge's back, can be deployed into small areas for certain objectives and her power-up is Marge Cop, giving her strength and invincibility, and arming her mob with rocks. Lisa has a saxophone, that can both stun and kill enemies, and her main power is using Hand of Buddha ports to move objects across the landscape, and to flick and smash enemies, and send lightning bolts to the ground, and turn enemies into ice-cubes. Her power-up is Clobber Girl, giving her super-strength and invincibility.

Development

EA revealed the game on May 2, 2007 with a countdown timer in a parody of Rockstar Games' countdown to Grand Theft Auto IV in April 2007, with only the number "XXII" on the page (referring to the fact that it is the 22nd video game in the Simpsons franchise).[3] The game was officially unveiled at The Simpsons 400th episode party at 20th Century Fox studios on May 8, 2007.[4] Image:Simpsons game screenshot.png

Earlier, several sources had reported apparent plans that a game directly based on The Simpsons Movie was to be released as a tie-in, due to EA's handling of other licensed film tie-ins and after the game with the current title was found on a retailer product listing.[5][6] The official site is featured as the viral site of a game named "Grand Theft Scratchy: Blood Island" , the same game which Marge is trying to boycott in the game's plot. It has four trailers, one with "Grand Theft Scratchy" based on Grand Theft Auto, one with "Medal of Homer", a parody of the Medal of Honor games, "Big Super Happy Fun Fun", a parody of Japanese culture and anime, which includes Milhouse with two tubes coming out of the sides from his head (a reference to Katamari Damacy, and "Neverquest" a parody of Everquest, Legend of Zelda, and Lord of the Rings.

This game features cel-shaded graphics, in contrast with the "solid 3D" rendering used in the previous three The Simpsons games released (The Simpsons Road Rage, Simpsons Skateboarding and The Simpsons Hit & Run).The PS3 and Xbox 360 version uses a "flattening" technique to render true 2D graphics, instead of the traditional 3D cel shading method, and the DS is a 2.5D platformer. Many cutscenes feature the 2D style, shown like a normal Simpsons episode. The Nintendo DS version includes a special game titled "Pet Homer" which parodies Nintendogs. The DS version also utilizes FMV.

Enemies

The first enemies are many chocolate and a white chocolate bunny. Then, for about the rest of the game your enemies are security guards that are look alikes of Wiseguy and some look alike guards of Sideshow Mel. Also, In level two you must slingshot a target and make the sieling trample on Dolph, beat up Kearney, and scare Jimbo off a UFO.

Cultural references

The Game Engine

One of the video game posters say Snore which is a reference to Spore.
One of the video game posters say Sitar Hero which is a reference to Guitar Hero.
If you walk into one of the elevators Sherry and Terry say come and play which is a reference to the Shining.
One of the posters say Need for Sexy which is a reference to Need for Speed.
One of the posters say Mege Moleman which is a possible reference to Megaman.

The Land of Chocolate

When talking to the white rabbit Homer starts talking about Alice in Wonderland.

Bartman Begins

The name Bartman Begins is a reference to Batman Begins.

Around the World in 80 Bites

The name Around the World in 80 Bites is a reference to Around the World in 80 Days.
When lining up for the race Comic Book Guy says with great hunger comes great responsibility this is a reference to when Peter Parker's aunt says with great power comes great responsibilty.
This level makes references to many different countries.

Enter the Cheatrix

The name Enter the Cheatrix is a reference to Enter the Matrix.
The boss at the end of the level is Donkey Kong.
There are many posters of EA in this level.
All of the portal pipe are a reference to the ones in the Mario games.

Bargain Bin

All of the green diamonds are a reference to the plumbobs in the sims and sims 2.
Will Wright makes references of EA.

NeverQuest

The name NeverQuest is a referennce to the online game EverQuest.
When Homer gets the keycard he says my precious which is a reference to Smeegal from Lord of the Rings.

Grand Theft Scracthy

The name Grand Theft Scratchy is a reference to the video game Grand Theft Auto.
While orderinng the dogs to rebuild the homes Marge says Extreme Makeover Marge edition which is a reference to the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Medal of Homer

The name Medal of Homer is a reference to the real life video game Medal of Honour.

Big Super Happy Fun Fun Game

One of the clichee's makes a reference to Dungeons and Dragons.
The level makes some references to Pokemon.

Game Over

Skybucks is a reference to Starbucks.
You have to battle Benjamen Franklin

External links