Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
GameCube (Games) PlayStation (Games) XBox (Games) Entertainment Games

Simpsons Hit A Home(r) Run With GTA Clone? 25

Posted by simoniker from the secondbest-simpsons-game-ever dept.
Thanks to GameSpot for their review of the PS2/Xbox/GC driving game, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, released this week, in which they shrewdly point out: "with perhaps the sole exception of Konami's 1991 arcade action game, The Simpsons, no [Simpsons games] have really even proved to be much in the way of fun." Although it seems "practically every mission in the game is a direct clone of one of the GTA driving missions", the reviewer thinks Hit And Run "finally manages to bring the world of the Simpsons to life with proper justice", and much of the appeal, according to Gamers.com, is in the references: "You'll plow through a field of Tomacco... and take a shortcut through the Stonecutters' Hidden Tunnel... you'll conduct missions that require you to collect 'flatmeat' for Cletus, [and] round up monkeys for Dr. Nick's experiments."
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Simpsons Hit A Home(r) Run With GTA Clone? More

Simpsons Hit A Home(r) Run With GTA Clone?

Comments Filter:

  • I don't understand these people (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Apreche ( 239272 ) on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @08:27AM (#6973993) Homepage Journal
    I don't know who makes these Simpson's games, but they are seriously not using their license to the full potential. All they have done since the beginning is take cookie cutter genre games and replace all the graphics and sound with simpsons stuff. Started out with generic beat 'em up, then platform games, mario kart type games. It goes on.

    If I had the Simpsons video game license you can sure as hell bet that I'd be making some innovative games. Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

    Another good one, a virtual springfield. Pick any one of the zillion characters and live out their day in the town. Have multiple decision paths for each character, unlockable characters and a zillion minigames or some such to determine outcomes of things.

    There is so much you can do with a license like the Simpsons. It's one of the most popular shows ever because of its high creativity, which it's video games have always lacked. Stop sucking!

    • Re:I don't understand these people (Score:5, Informative)

      by sweeney37 ( 325921 ) * <mikesweeney.gmail@com> on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @08:34AM (#6974047) Homepage Journal
      Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

      Do you mean like this? [mobygames.com]

      Another good one, a virtual springfield. Pick any one of the zillion characters and live out their day in the town. Have multiple decision paths for each character, unlockable characters and a zillion minigames or some such to determine outcomes of things.

      Perhaps this? [gamesdomain.com]

      What it comes down to is that both have been created, and both suck.

      Mike

    • Re:I don't understand these people (Score:4, Interesting)

      by lightspawn ( 155347 ) on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @09:03AM (#6974297) Homepage

      I don't know who makes these Simpson's games, but they are seriously not using their license to the full potential. All they have done since the beginning is take cookie cutter genre games and replace all the graphics and sound with simpsons stuff.

      It's not just one company; many different developers (and several different publishers) were involved in simpsons titles. And you know what? Some were OK, some were mediocre, and some sucked. That's what normally happens when you look at any random batch of titles, licensed or not.

      • Re:I don't understand these people (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Kyouryuu ( 685884 ) on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @11:39AM (#6975820) Homepage
        With the track record most Simpsons games ahve, 8.3 is legendary. The only really good Simpsons game, IMHO, was that "generic" beat-em-up Konami produced for the arcades. Sure, they probably cloned the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles engine and replaced the sprites, but it was a fun game, which is far more than I can say about any of Acclaim's butcherings of the franchise.

        I have a gut feeling that the people who are in charge of Simpsons licensing as it applies to video games are out of touch with how well the games do in the market. When the producers of TMNT wanted a new video game to commemorate their resurrection of the series, they faithfully returned to Konami and commissioned them to do it. Why the producers of the Simpsons games continually allowed Acclaim to tarnish their reputation, instead of going back to the only publisher that actually made a good game, is mysterious to me.

    • I hate to break it to you, but those don't sound like fun games at all. I think a GTA clone is the perfect idea for a Simpsons game. You get to explore the town, see all the characters and interact with them, possibly re-enact certain episodes. I haven't played Hit & Run, so I don't know how well it was executed, but the idea has the most potential of any Simpsons game idea.

    • Re:I don't understand these people (Score:5, Funny)

      by Babbster ( 107076 ) <aaronbabb&gmail,com> on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @01:18PM (#6977110) Homepage
      If I had the Simpsons video game license you can sure as hell bet that I'd be making some innovative games. Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

      I'm certain this already exists...I believe it's what the producers of the TV series have been using for the past two years.

  • Why is it 3d (Score:4, Interesting)

    by techstar25 ( 556988 ) <techstar25 AT gmail DOT com> on Tuesday September 16, 2003 @01:08PM (#6976988) Journal
    I didn't read the article but I've read other things about this game. My question is: With all the great looking cell-shaded games out there, why didn't they just animate the game to look exactly like the show? It makes no sense to me to make 3d models. For an example of how they should have animated it, look at the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game coming out next month. It's beautifully animated to look like you are actually playing a cartoon.
  • I love the GTA franchise... they're all great, fun games in my book. My boys like any game that Daddy likes, but unfortunately GTA is a category 3 game.

    Category 1: Games the kids can play.
    Category 2: Games the kids can't play, but they can watch Daddy play.
    Category 3: Games the kids can't even watch Daddy play.

    I can buy this and give them something close enough to GTA to keep them happy. Of course, I just might have to help them out a little with a few of the missions... you know, just doing what
    • I got 100% on GTA3 and GTA:VC. I love the Simpsons. This is a Simpson's licensed game that doesn't suck. Yeah, I'll be picking this one up.

      I plan on living my video game playing life vicariously through my child, since I no longer have time to play all the games I want too. In fact, this is the only reason I want a child. Video games and lego.

      It's rather like jocks with their cute little jock kids in little league :)

      Come to think of it, I hope I spawn a little geek and not a jock.

Slashdot Top Deals

He has not acquired a fortune; the fortune has acquired him. -- Bion

Close