The Simpsons Game
| The Simpsons Game | |
|---|---|
| File:Simpsons game cover.jpg The Simpsons Game cover art | |
| Developer(s) | EA Redwood Shores |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Series | The Simpsons |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable |
| Release |  November 1, 2007
 November 1, 2007[1] |
| Genre(s) | Action/Adventure/Platformer/ |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Co-operative multiplayer |
The Simpsons Game is an upcoming video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS.
Overview
The Simpsons Game 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. Like the show, the game will poke fun at popular culture, other video games and EA itself.
EA quietly 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 (not including two pinball games) 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]
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 6 trailers, one with Theft Scratchy", one with "Medal of Homer", a parody of Medal of Honor, a parody of Everquest named "Neverquest" and two exclusive videos to newsletter subscriber about "Lenny & Karl" and Homer and Bart "at the Museum".
The game features cel-shaded graphics, in contrast with the "solid 3D" rendering used in the previous three The Simpsons games released in 3D(The Simpsons Road Rage, Simpsons Skateboarding and The Simpsons Hit & Run). The game is said to use some kind of "flattening" technique to render true 2D graphics, instead of the traditional 3D cell shading method.
The Nintendo DS version will come with a special game title "Pet Homer" which will parody Nintendogs. [7]
EA recently revealed in a Q&A with Gamespot, a sequel to the game is "inevitable" in the near future
Gameplay
It has been revealed that players will be able to control all five members of the family (Maggie is playable in brief moments, such as in air ducts) with their own levels and unique abilities.[8] The game contains 16 "episodes" consisting of four chapters each, featuring well known locations from the show. Simpsons creator Matt Groening will appear as a boss at the end of the game.[9]
Abilities
Levels previewed to the press involved rolling around a bloated Homer a la Katamari Damacy, controlling Bart in the disguise of Bartman, using a meditative power by Lisa to shift perspective and manipulate objects and, as Marge, using a megaphone to nag at NPCs in order to control and convince them to rally against an Itchy & Scratchy-themed Grand Theft Auto parody.[10] The game will also feature co-operative multiplayer.[11] A second player will be able to connect a controller at any time during a single-player session and join in.
The Nintendo DS version will feature some stylus-based gameplay while the Wii version of the game will feature gesture-based controls that use the Wii Remote, including a minigame in which it is used as a spoon.[12]
So far, announced levels include: "Around the World in 80 Bites," an international food-eating contest at the Duff Brewery; Homer's tutorial level, The Land Of Chocolate; "Medal of Homer," where Bart and Homer play soldiers in WWII-era France; "Tree Huggers," a level where Bart and Lisa fight loggers in a forest; "Mob Rules," a level in which Marge and Lisa start a riot against the new game, Grand Theft Scratchy: Blood Island; "Big Super Happy Fun Fun," a mish-mash parody of Japanese video games; "Neverquest," a parody of fantasy games, (The Legend of Zelda for example), and "Shadow of the Colossal Donut," a Treehouse of Horror-themed level where Bart and Homer fight the Lard Lad statue. The official website also refers to a level as "God of Wharf (parody of God of War)," featuring Bart and Lisa fighting murderous dolphins.
However, on October the 5th 2007, some sources, for example TeamXbox, have reported EA had to remove or seriously edit the GTA-themed levels due to Rockstar complaining. Though not confirmed yet, this has been met by anger from some fans.
Platform list
The Simpsons Game will be released on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo DS. The original trailer stated that The Simpsons Game is "coming this fall, to every platform ever made", with logos of several additional consoles including the Amiga and Commodore VIC-20.[13]. The obsolete console logos were removed in a revised trailer.
References
- ^ "Release dates at Gamestop.com". Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- ^ "THE SIMPSONS GAME rated 12 by the BBFC". Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ^ "XXII". Retrieved 2007-05-02.
- ^ "EA's The Simpsons Game Unveiled Alongside The Simpsons 400th Episode". Retrieved 2007-05-09.
- ^ 'Simpsons' to become year's top-seller?
- ^ "The Simpsons Game rumoured for Wii and DS". Aussie-Nintendo.com. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
- ^ G4 E3 '07 Live coverage
- ^ The Simpsons First Look
- ^ Matt Groening's Simpsons secret
- ^ Simpsons The Game, The Details
- ^ IGN: The Simpsons Game
- ^ The Simspons game details
- ^ The Simpsons Game on every platform ever made
External links
- The Simpsons Game (working title) official website
- The Simpsons Game Trailer & Information
- "The Simpsons Game" Goes Next Gen with EA
- The Simpsons Game Neverquest Trailer
