The Simpsons is almost a video game genre in itself, as there are more than 25 video games about the yellow characters. Though there hasn’t been a new game about the family since the mobile game Tapped Out in 2012, there’s a whole library of titles to revisit, and even more that fans have probably never heard of.
The Simpsons games often follow a similar formula, as they borrow from other popular games, be it skateboarding or racing titles, and put their own spin on them. The one other constant between all of them is that they are long forgotten, and while it’s understandable for many of the titles, not all of them should be.
Bart’s Nightmare (1992)
Bart’s Nightmare is possibly the most original game in the Simpsons canon. It doesn’t rely too much on parodying other shows and movies, and it doesn’t borrow heavily from other more established video games, which is what so other games in the Simpsons franchise did.
Players control Bart as he tries to retrieve his homework in his nightmares. Even though it’s one of the oldest games in the series, it still remains one of the best, and it even got a sequel, Virtual Bart. And though there are living letter boxes and magic bubblegum in the game, the most unrealistic thing about it is the idea that Bart ever did his homework.
The Simpsons: Road Rage (2001)
The Simpsons: Road Rage laid the foundation for what would follow on the PlayStation 2 when it comes to The Simpsons games, as it was the first of many to imitate another wildly popular game. The crown jewel of them all is The Simpsons: Hit & Run, which was a very family-friendly version of Grand Theft Auto, but what came before that was Road Rage, a clear knock-off of Crazy Taxi.
The objective of the game is to pick up members of Springfield and get them to their destination as quick as possible. And it gives gamers the option to play characters that haven’t been playable in any other games, including Grampa and Reverend Lovejoy.
Bart Simpson’s Escape From Camp Deadly (1991)
Escape From Camp Deadly is largely based specifically on the episode “Camp Krusty,” and though his name is in the title of the episode, Krusty The Clown doesn’t appear in the game, which is unfortunate.
The game is surprisingly fairly free of that classic Simpsons humor, and the gameplay isn’t the best. It follows Bart and Lisa attempting to do what it says on the tin, escape from Camp Deadly, and Bart is armed with nothing more than a boomerang.
Bart & The Beanstalk (1994)
Another handheld game for portable consoles, Bart & The Beanstalk is a parody of the classic fairytale. In the game, Bart is the protagonist yet again, as he’s in the role of Jack, and the story is almost identical to the fairytale, with Homer playing the giant.
The game didn't get the best reviews, and it almost suffered from being too ambitious in that it would have been better suited to a proper console due to the screen being so cramped.
The Simpsons Skateboarding (2002)
Making a skateboarding game in the world of The Simpsons is a bit of a stretch, as the only way the extreme sport is connected to the show is by Bart sometimes being seen riding through Springfield on a board, and even then, it’s infrequent.
But as skateboarding games were at the height of popularity in the early 2000s, it was only a matter of time until The Simpsons made something out of it. It was overwhelmingly negatively received by critics, as the gameplay was slow and the objectives were almost the same as in the Tony Hawk games. But it was still fun seeing all the characters’ different decks and attempting their signature tricks.
Bart Vs The World (1991)
With so many games based on The Simpsons and literally hundreds of fascinating characters from the show, it’s almost like a missed opportunity that most of them feature Bart as the protagonist.
But it makes sense as to why, as he’s the most outgoing character, the biggest prankster, and the most active, which makes for the perfect video game protagonist. And though Bart Vs The World is yet another Bart-led game, it’s one of the best, as it plays out like a scavenger hunt where players search the world for hidden items. It’s also the only game where players can control Bart’s alter ego, Bartman.
The Itchy & Scratchy Game (1995)
Possibly the best game to throw on the Super NES in the '90s if fans just wanted to vent after a long day of work or school, The Itchy & Scratchy Game sees players control Itchy on his mission to kill Scratchy.
The game was generally negatively received, and the over-the-top ridiculousness of it all can only be fun for so long until the iconic Itchy & Scratchy theme tune becomes grating, but it is fun to relive the best episodes of the Tom & Jerry parody until this happens.
The Simpsons Cartoon Studio (1996)
The Simpsons Cartoon Studio is the closest thing fans can come to creating their very own episode of the show.
Less of a game and more of a simulator, Cartoon Studio is a PC game that allows players to build their own scenes, as the game comes with a bunch of different backgrounds, props from the show, and loads of characters to mess around with. The characters even have their own sets of actions, so players can, in theory, create something totally unique.
Bart Vs The Juggernauts (1992)
The Simpsons has parodied popular TV shows countless times in the past, and almost all of the episode titles are puns of famous movies and TV shows, but Bart Vs The Juggernauts is one of the few games to wholly parody TV. The video game sees players take control of Bart as he goes up against the titular antagonists, which are based on American Gladiators.
Only released on the handheld console the Gameboy, Bart vs. The Juggernauts was actually pretty well received, as all of the Gladiators-based mini-games made for enough variety to fill the whole game.
The Simpsons Wrestling (2001)
Being yet another game borrowing heavily from other established video game franchises, The Simpsons Wrestling is basically WWE with a Simpsons skin.
Though it isn’t the most well-reviewed game in the world, it’s still fun pitting random characters from the show against each other, like Moe against Krusty, and strangely enough, the main character of the game is actually Groundskeeper Willie.