The Simpsons Arcade Game
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade (Reviewed), Playstation Network
Release Date: February 3, 2012 (XBLA), February 7, 2012 (PSN)
Price: 800 MS Points; $9.99 (PSN) – Download Now!

Overview
Even though it may be hard to believe, The Simpsons have dominated the animated scene for nearly 25 years now. Just a short time after taking over Sunday nights, Konami released The Simpsons Arcade Game to gobble up quarters in back in 1991, which quickly became one of the most loved machines of all time. After years of waiting patiently and living on memories, fans of the classic finally can celebrate as Bart, Lisa, Homer and Marge are now back, and ready to bring back the yellow-skinned beat-em up to consoles. 20 years is honestly a long time though, and even with a few new goodies jammed in, one has to wonder if the magic is still there. So what’s the answer? Here is my review for The Simpsons Arcade Game for the Xbox Live Arcade.

Story
As far as a plot goes, The Simpsons don’t really have a very fulfilling tale to be told in this arcade version. The story starts out with Smithers nabbing a precious jewel for the dastardly Mr. Burns. Just a few seconds later, The Simpson family make a straight-on run-in with the crooks, knocking the diamond into the air and then in the hands of Maggie. Instead of just taking the jewel from the baby, Smithers kidnaps the youngest Simpson and runs off, with Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Homer right on his tail in order to recover their beloved toddler.

The story is by no means told in the fashion of the television show, as the cutscenes are short and that famous humor is not nearly as present in this adaptation. If you have even followed the series for a short time though, it’s hard not to fall in love with all of the Springfield lore all over again. Along the way to recover Maggie, players will run into many favorite residents such as Nelson, Sideshow Bob, and Moe, all ready to offer a hand if needed with plenty of those famous landmarks in tow. When this game was originally released, it was one of the first few licensed arcade cabinets to provide such a true feel of the franchise it was built from, and that is what makes The Simpson’s Arcade so special to start with. Players got to have a blast together, losing change and drinking cheap slurpees until they popped, and even though the story doesn’t hold it’s age from a narrative standpoint, it’s hard not to feel utter joy while exploring every inch of Moe’s Tavern or being antagonized by angry bears all over again. Sure it doesn’t make sense, but it’s fun.

Gameplay
If you have played TMNT, Final Fight, or any other arcade beat-em up made…well..ever, you should not have any problem hopping right in here and instantly getting a grip on this simplistic control scheme. Players can walk around the level with the control stick, jump by hitting A (which can be combined with attacks for aerial maneuvers), and smack an enemy with the X button. Yep, that’s pretty much it. While this may seem a bit too easy compared to the likes of Castle Crashers, these controls all perform flawlessly and offer up nearly the same feel of the original adaptation. To add in the personality, each Simpson have their own techniques and weaponry to battle the many goons within. For example, Lisa has a jump rope, Marge has a sturdy vacuum, Bart has his legendary skateboard, and Homer has his frantic mauling abilities of destruction. There isn’t a whole lot of variation when it comes to individual attacks, but The Simpsons is a rather short experience anyway, so most are unlikely to be bothered by the many moments of repetition.

As I mentioned, each level contains one of the famous backdrops from the television show. The main objective is to simply survive until the end of a level, where a boss character then makes an appearance to do battle. The stages themselves don’t offer much interaction, but the goons all sport a range of projectile and melee attacks that you must avoid while defeating every living thing in sight. Most of the time, players will have to clear the area of several clones of the same suited character, but from time to time, a more substantial foe will appear and offer some extra challenge to test your wits. Unfortunately, this is really the only difficulty level offered though as the entire experience is ridiculously easy aside from a few moments of overbearing cheapness. When it comes down to it, the only strategy required to defeat any enemy, boss or not, is to mash your attack button as quickly as possible and wait for them to fall. Again, it’s a matter of preference, but those looking for a deeper romp would be looking in the wrong place with this port.

The main game can be beaten within 30 minutes, which is rather short, but thankfully there is plenty of reason to keep returning to Springfield. A complete Japanese rom was included as a bit of an extra, where players can run through the entire game again and see a few new enemies and slightly different dialogue. Those wanting something to test their skills are also in luck, as a survival mode was also included that allows the player to attempt to run through the game with just one life. All of that though is really just gravy compared to The Simpsons Arcade’s most intriguing and “buy-worthy” factor though, with that being the up-to four player online co-op. With team moves and full online support, it has never been better to be a Simpson and with the lack of multiplayer beat-em-ups on the digital scene as of late, this mode feels both refreshing and enjoyable as nothing is better than seeing this family’s four player attack when you are busting through credits with some friends.

Visuals/Audio
How do you really judge a nearly 21-year old arcade port’s graphics? Of course the visuals haven’t quite stood the test of time, but the brightly colored environments are still full of activity and are crafted to please any fan of the television show. Much like MegaMan 9-10, it’s truly that pixelated atheistic that gives this port it’s flare, and even though there is an option to run smoother looking sprites, I feel it would have been an injustice to do so. If you think about it though, this title really pushed boundries for it’s time and the smoothness of each animation has remained in-tact, allowing players to enjoy the finer things such as watching a rabid Krusty the Clown air up a balloon or explore the magical world of Dream Land all over again.

Another worthy mention for this port is the fantastic audio quality. Each character have their own mild voicework, with the actual actors playing the parts of the four main characters. Homer has his famous doh’s, Bart has his quick one liners, and Marge and Lisa…well, they sound like Marge and Lisa, which is really all you could ask for. As far as soundtrack goes, you should expect random and peppy beats that all stay true to the wacky atmosphere of The Simpsons. Each level has it’s own tunes, and each do wonders to make each of these famous arcade-crafted levels feel distinctly different. Sound effects are also notable, with the over-the-top effects playing whenever a player is shocked, hit, or victorious.

Overall
If The Simpsons Arcade was to just come out in 2012, most would find it’s lack of substance or strategy to be very unfulfilling and rather bland overall. The thing is, this port wasn’t made for newcomers. This is a true adaptation of one of the greatest arcade cabinets ever built, and those who remember the simply joys of the past should not even blink when it comes to making a download. Every single element has been ported over to perfection, and all of the extra inclusions offer even more reason to have a ridiculously brilliant trek through Springfield all over again. Konami made a name for themselves by conjuring up masterpieces in the past, and even though the simplistic gameplay here isn’t as gratifying as it used to be, one has to respect the fact that after all these years, us arcade junkies are still being thought of and that this title exists for a whole new generation to enjoy.

Following last month’s January Forza 4 car pack, Microsoft are releasing yet another DLC pack filled to the brim with more hot cars for players to tear up some asphalt with come next Tuesday when the pack hits the Xbox Live Marketplace. The car pack will be titled ‘February American Le Mans Series Pack’ and is set to feature enough vehicular goodness to please any racing fan.

The cars featured in the pack include:

• 2011 #2 Audi Sport North America R18 TDI
• 2011 Panoz #050 Panoz Racing Abruzzi
• 2010 Dodge Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Challenger SRT8
• 1991 Mazda #55 Team Mazdaspeed 787B
• 2011 Bentley Platinum Motorsports Continental GT
• 1986 #2 Audi Sport quattro S1
• 1992 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4
• 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R
• 2011 Holden HSV GTS
• 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI

So be sure to pick up the ‘February American Le Mans Series Pack’ for Forza Motorsport 4 next Tuesday for 560 Microsoft Points, or alternatively (if you haven’t done so already) you could purchase a season pass to the game which unlocks all DLC as they are released for the price of 2400 Microsoft Points.

As reported yesterday, DoDonPachi Saidaioujou is currently undergoing location tests in Japan. Yesterday we learned about the new Dress System, but today we get to see some actual gameplay footage. The footage comes straight from a location test, and while it is not the best quality (taken using an amateur camera), it still shows off the game well enough.

The gameplay looks like typical DoDonPachi, and there is some insane bullet hell action going on here. The footage here shows off the first three levels, complete with the boss battles. It looks rather impressive, and there is a noticeable improvement in the background visuals compared to past games.

Andriasang has reported that Japanese developer Cave has begun location tests for their upcoming shooter, DoDonPachi Saidaioujou. The game is one of few shmup projects that the company is planning to release in 2012, including DoDonPachi: Blissful Death.

It seems DoDonPachi Saidaioujou will try to shake the tried and tested formula a bit by introducing a ‘Dress System’, where you basically dress up the game’s female characters in various outfits. It isn’t purely eye-candy or aesthetic, as the way you dress your character will affect the gameplay. For example, choosing the bikini outfit results in the highest difficulty.

Not exactly innovative, but it’s a quirky and interesting idea.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 was released this past week, mostly to a mixed reaction. Now, in an interesting and surprising announcement by Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII-2 will have Facebook integration. With Facebook integration, players will be able to update their status with their in-game progress. The information will include the player’s party setup, the monsters the player has collected, their battle scores and much more. Achievements and Trophies will also be included.

The announcement came as a surprise as this is the first Final Fantasy game that will include integration with the giant social networking site. If this is a success, then expect more games to include Facebook integration, which would mean more profiles being spammed by in-game progress of several games.

What do you think about the integration of Facebook in Final Fantasy XIII-2? Give us your thoughts below.

The first half of 2012 is going to be a busy one for Game of Thrones fans. The first season of the award winning HBO TV show will release on Blu ray and DVD next month,  shortly followed by the premiere of season two  on April 1st. Rounding out the package is Game of Thrones the RPG, being brought to life by Cyanide Studios and published by Focus Home Interactive in May of this year.

The game has just seen the release of a new location trailer accompanied by a handful of screenshots. Just one of the many locations open for exploration in the game will be Riverspring, a troubled waterside town ruled over by the Sarwyck family. Alester Sarwyck is one of the two playable characters in game, who finds himself returning to his ancestral home after fifteen years of self imposed exile. Mourning the death of his father, Alester must consider reclaiming Riverspring in his own name. Riverspring and the Sarwyck’s are not mentioned in the novels (as far as I recall), but hopefully author George R R Martin’s involvement in the title will allow the new location and characters to slip seamlessly into the realm of Westeros.

Clicking on the thumbnails below will give you a closer look at the latest screenshots, and the new Riverspring trailer is ready and waiting below – can Game of Thrones the RPG make us forget the disappoint that was Game of Thrones Genesis?

With The Witcher 2 coming to the Xbox 360 on April 17th, CD Projekt Red, the developers of the game, have taken time out to detail just what will be different and improved in the new “enhanced” edition of the game.

Some of the more notable points are the refinement of the combat system, new quest content during the main game to add further depth to the world inhabited by Geralt, and the fact that all of the updates and improvements being brought to the Xbox version of the game will also be translated over to the PC completely free of charge (and so thousands of gamers go from feeling duped to endless jumps of elated joy).

Check out the whole video diary below!

Stephen Toulouse will be quitting Microsoft on the 15th of February.  He was a member of Major Nelson’s podcast, and he also was the Director of Xbox Live Policy and Enforcement.  According to his blog, his “reasons for leaving are complex and personal, but the parting could not be more amicable. I continue to believe this place makes great technology, and I am absolutely thrilled for the future of Xbox and Xbox LIVE.”  He also mentions that, “My leaving’s not tied to any event or thing.”  Currently, he has no plans for what his future work might involve.  Major Nelson will be releasing a podcast today, and Stepto will be on it describing his departure.  Good luck Stepto.

Rockstar Games has officially launched the Max Payne 3 website. Featured on the website, is a new interactive feature focusing on the weapons of Max Payne 3.  New screenshots, 360-degree renders and detailed breakdown of weapons will be featured on the site. First up in the series is the ‘608 Bull revolver’ which can be viewed in all its glory on the website.

As well as this, keen eyed players can read up on the villains of Max Payne 3 with a in depth look at Comando Sombra gang and their ruthless leader Serrano currently up on the site today.

More information on the game will be released closer to Max Payne 3′s release in May for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Go check out the website now over at Rockstar

Capcom rarely hold events in Australia, it is a fact. So, when they announced the Ultimate Capcom Showcase, there was some surprise within the team. For fellow editor Matthew Vella and myself, we had the opportunity to sample the games that Capcom has to offer for 2012 (bar Resident Evil 6, of course). The venue: the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney. The games: Asura’s Wrath, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Street Fighter X Tekken and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, which is coming out for the Playstation Vita. On this night, we got to beat up gods, shoot zombies and fight our way through Ryu and Kazuya, all in one night.

A small presentation was conducted with the men representing three of the games greeting the fans and having a bit of fun. Seth Killian, who represented Street Fighter X Tekken, decided to make a joke. He pointed out that Street Fighter X Tekken had promotional posters, Asura’s Wrath had artwork but Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City had nothing to show for it (except, of course, the game), so Mike Jones was the loser for the night. However, Mike was not going down without a fight. He showed his wit with the following response, “That’s not true, come talk to me and I’ll buy you a beer.” He further added that the beer in Australia was great, hence why he offered. Everyone had a laugh and it was all in good fun. During the presentation, Kazuhiro Tsuchiya (producer) and Marco Bombasi (head of English localisation), who represented Asura’s Wrath, gave out artwork of the game in a raffle.

There was also a Street Fighter X Tekken tournament, which was no surprise. What was a good sight was to see how energetic and enthusiastic the crowd was during the tournament. It felt like a match at the FIFA World Cup. There was passion from the spectators that trickled through the competitors. They followed every high and every low the players experienced. All in all, everyone had fun, especially the winner. Speaking of fighting games, there was old school Capcom arcade games available for everyone. These ranged from Street Fighter to Marvel vs Capcom. The problem is that playing these classics were going to be hard. However, this event was all about the new.

You could not have a gaming event without the gaming public enacting in some cosplay. As this was a Capcom event, it was inevitable. There were some good costumes around. We saw a group which included three guys as Dante, Ryu and Ken. Most, however, turned up as themselves, which was a little disappointing, actually. I would not mind seeing more cosplay in Australia. Maybe this was the wrong event. Speaking of the public, the Arts Factory was packed. There was some murmurs that people were even rejected as they had forgotten to RSVP (this was an invite only event). A shame, to be honest, but you can not have a heavily crowded event.

Overall, the event was a good experience. Not only did we see an awesome fighting tournament, quite a few Capcom arcade classics and some great looking Capcom cosplay, we got to try out four games that will be released in the near future. All of these games impressed us and we look forward to release. Asura’s Wrath was my pick of the night (although it was a close call) and Matt’s would have to be Street Fighter X Tekken. Of course, we wrote up our impressions of the games that were available. You can check them out below:

Asura’s Wrath

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (Vita)

Street Fighter X Tekken

We also caught up with Seth Killian and discussed the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken. I suggest watching that interview if you have the slightest interest in the game. You can find it here.