The Simpsons is now approaching season 31, making it the longest-running scripted U.S. primetime television series of all time. Not only are The Simpsons famous for their hit television series, but also other media such as a movie, comic books, and video games.
A string of rotten The Simpsons video games may have given The Simpsons a poor track record, yet fans can find enjoyment in their comical dialogue and exploration of the town of Springfield. With an abundance of video games available, there are at least ten The Simpsons games to appreciate. These are the 10 best The Simpsons games of all time, ranked.
10 The Simpsons Wrestling
The Simpsons' first wrestling game is either liked for nostalgia or hated with a passion. Released for the PlayStation One, it allowed two players to combat each other in a wrestling ring. Being able to choose between characters like Willy, Apu, Bart, Lisa, and Marge made for shallow, brief fun.
Each player has a signature moves, and by attacking your opponent, you can build up a special—much like in WWE games. Willy's rake, Ned Flanders' heavenly lightning strikes, and other special moves are too memorable. Only seek this out if you're a completionist.
9 Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror
This whimsical take on a The Simpsons game was done so with splendid execution. Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror released in 2001 for the Game Boy Color.
For those into retro games and The Simpsons, they will likely find enjoyment in this The Simpsonshorror game. Each mission becomes more engrossing as you delve deeper into the game. Mission variety and the backstory to go along with it keeps Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror intriguing until the end.
8 Krusty's Super Fun House
The '80s and '90s contained only a handful of The Simpsons games worth mentioning. It took a while for a decent The Simpsons game to be developed. Krusty's Super Fun House was the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive version of Krusty's Fun House. It's one of the few The Simpsons games that doesn't allow you to play as the show's protagonists.
However, Bart Simpson does appear in the background. Because of its comical nature, Krusty's Super Fun House is enjoyable enough.
7 Bart vs The Space Mutants
Bart vs. The Space Mutants released on both the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis. Sega Genesis's version has better graphics since it is a newer console and has twice the bits. The version in the above photo is most definitely from the Sega Genesis.
In Bart vs. The Space Mutants, players are given missions by space mutants who instruct Bart to go to places like Krustyland. The controls are clunky and is intensely difficult, but still better than the games below it.
6 The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield
Although it is not a virtual reality game,The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield gives players the impression as if they were playing one. Using a device called the Really Virtual Viewthingy, players can interact with their environment and solve puzzles to progress through the game. The overarching objective is to collect character cards in the town.
The gameplay can get repetitive at times, but the comedy and scale of the game made it an achievement when it released. Even today, players can find enjoyment in playing The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield.
5 The Simpsons: Road Rage
What The Simpsons: Road Rage does right, it does well. Unfortunately, driving around in a poorly detailed Springfield holds this game back from reaching its potential. The Simpsons: Road Rage's sequel, The Simpsons: Hit & Run is much better because of improved gameplay, which allows players to get out of their vehicle and walk around.
Driving in Road Rage could be considered fun if you like driving games. The banter between The Simpsons characters during car rides keeps the game interesting.
4 The Simpsons: Arcade
The Simpsons: Arcade is a beat 'em up game that supports up to four players. Released in the early days of the series, there's a bunch of details in here that seem bizarre to modern Simpsons fans but it's still button-mashing fun. In addition to the arcade, this game is was also released on Xbox 360, PS3 and MS-DOS.
The game bears similarities to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game. Believe or not, The Simpsons arcade game was developed by Konami, the same company behind the Metal Gear Solid,Silent Hill,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Pro Evolution Soccer.
3 The Simpsons Game
Although it doesn't top the list, The Simpsons Game is still highly detailed and immersive. Collecting items and solving puzzles is a thrill in The Simpsons Game.
Released in 2007, it came out for consoles such as the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. There was even a DS version which is more akin to the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis The Simpsons games. Diehard The Simpsons fans won't regret playing this game that stays true to the animated television series.
2 The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Despite having microtransactions, The Simpsons: Tapped Out has enough free content to keep players engaged for hours on end. This mobile game is free-to-play. Almost every character to appear in the television series is present in The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Building The Simpsons locations in a microcosm of Springfield helps you achieve objectives and in turn, earn cash.
Since the game produces virtual income while you are away from your mobile device, it is a game you can easily pick up to enjoy its addictive gameplay.
1 The Simpsons: Hit & Run
And so we come to the final game in this list. Grand Theft Auto meets The Simpsons in this open-world game. Up until the release of The Simpsons: Hit & Run, it seemed like all hope was lost for a superb The Simpsons game.
True fans of the series can appreciate how much detail is contained in this game. As you might imagine, players can visit locations like the Kwik-E-Mart, The Simpsons' home, and the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Like in Grand Theft Auto, police chase you and collecting cash is a goal. The Simpsons: Hit & Run well-deserves its placement as the best The Simpsons game ever made.