The Simpsons Arcade Game

Yes, The Simpsons Arcade Game was the #1 stand-up cabinet I played in the arcade or entrance to Smith’s Grocery. Close seconds would Mortal Kombat I and II, NBA Jam, Primal Rage, and Cruis’n USA. All of these games had the same pull that made them awesome to play in public: competition. The one exception was The Simpsons. I loved this game simply because I loved the Simpsons. I recently went to a nickel arcade and played through 80% of the game and had a great time. The next week, I found out it was coming as a PS+ freebie, and I was excited… until I played it. Without having to feed coins into a machine to keep Marge swinging her red vacuum every time she died (I only play as Marge), much of its charm was lost. While I enjoyed my most recent play-through with my nephew (12) and daughter (6), it doesn’t have much appeal to me. The added features are nice, but I feel pretty “meh” about them. If this would have been an HD remastering, I’d give it a high recommendation, but for $10, only die-hard fans should pay for it as it is.