The Simpsons Arcade Game (Carolina Arcade Museum)

The Simpsons was an arcade game I missed as a child, but I was glad to see it during my time at the Carolina Arcade Museum in Forest City, North Carolina.

I remember it was in the arcade of a movie theater my grandmother took us to when my brothers and I were young. I’m pretty sure I never got to play it. I didn’t watch The Simpsons until I was in middle school, by that time it was too late. This was made by Konami in 1991, so it was pretty early on in the Simpsons run. Some of the characters still had some of the odd coloring from the original season.

For years, it was stuck in arcades. The only home version was this one (above) for Commodore 64. A platform not so popular in America (I hear it was bigger in Europe) and this version looks like a complete joke.

This is the real deal. The plot is that Maggie Simpson takes some kind of jewel as a pacifier and Mr. Smithers takes her away. So the Simpson family join forces to save her.

Like Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and X-Men games, it’s a beat-em up. Pretty mindless but still fun. I will say, the Simpsons cast isn’t a good fit in terms of powers. Lisa Simpson oddly enough is the best one to be.

A lot of the bosses are a bit made-up or generic, but they’re are some good ones.

It does seem like it takes forever to get to Mr. Smithers.

And of course, Mr. Burns is the real final boss.

While I’m glad I got to play and finish the game now, I will say it’s pretty weak for Konami’s beat-em up games. It’s also super-difficult. I would have lost countless quarters if I had actually played this in the arcade during the 1990’s. I highly doubt any team of four people could get all the way until the end without dying, at least once.