Simpsons Game, The
© 2007 Electronic Arts, Inc.
Easy to play, and packed with crass jokes and video game industry insider humor, The Simpsons Game just might be one of the best RPGs (role playing games) ever made. Just be warned that just about every possible ESRB content descriptor applies to the content, with gender and ethnic stereotyping on par with a typical Simpsons TV episode. The drop-in, drop-out feature means that two players can work together to team up on the challenges, making the game a social experience. You start in the Land of Chocolate, where you steer Homer around in an effort to eat everything. This part of the game uses traditional video game controls, and such features as a power burp to melt enemies to the ground. The next fifteen levels are parodies on video game history, with titles like Shadow the Colossal Donut, Grand Theft Scratchy, Medal of Homer, and a parody on Japanese games called "Big Super Happy Fun Fun Game." The final chapter is called "Five Characters in Search of an Author" which leads up to Simpson's creator Matt Groening's house, where you battle the evil lawyers. At any time, you can switch between one of five Simpsons characters, each with his or her own attributes. The game is easy to play, and there's plenty of coaching for novice players. While there's a bit of logic and problem solving in this game, it has far more entertainment value, and it is one of the first ever attempts to parody the video game industry, making it a one-of-a-kind. Prices are $60 for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, $50 for the Wii, $40 for the PS2 and PSP, and $30 for the DS version. We tested the PS3 and the Xbox 360 versions.
$60, Xbox 360*, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP
Teaches: logic, video game history
CTR Rating: 95%