The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants
System: NES
Release Date: February 1991
Developer: Imagineering
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
Genre: Action
Mutant aliens are invading, but don’t have a cow man in the Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants! Everyone’s favorite mischievous delinquent, Bart Simpson donned some x-ray specs and found out that aliens have infiltrated Earth. Now it’s up to Bart to convince his family about what’s going on and to save the rest of Springfield and the world!
There are five levels that task you with doing something. The first level is the most unique of the bunch. You have to find purple items and make them not purple. This is typically through spray paint, but can be accomplished a number of other ways, as well. The streets of Springfield are full of enemies and obstacles. For each life, you get two chances before you die. If you accidentally run into one of the aliens, the next hit you take will kill you.
Bart has to do a lot of running, jumping, and otherwise avoiding enemies. He doesn’t have any weapons to defeat enemies with, but you come across tools to help you get through each level. In the first, you’ll be collecting coins hidden around town and spending them on bottle rockets, cherry bombs, and more. What Bart always has are his trusty X-Ray specs, which when equipped will show which people are really aliens. You need to jump on the alien heads in order to collect a letter of one of the Simpsons clan. Then they will help you fight the boss of the level.
Other levels have you collecting or shooting items. Hats need to be found in the Springfield Mall. Balloons must be collected or popped Krustyland Amusement Park. Exit signs must be destroyed at the Springfield Museum of Natural History. Power rods must be found and placed back in the reactor room of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. The first level acts more like an adventure game in the guise of a platformer, solving puzzles to find enough purple things to paint. You even get the crank call to Moe’s Tavern, which has a few jokes you can enjoy. Levels 2, 3, and 4 are pretty much straight action platformers. The fifth level is a maze that you have to solve, as well as get help from Maggie to get the last rod.
While the first four levels have a boss to fight against alongside your family, the final level does not pit you against a final boss. You just talk to Maggie and it’s game over with Bart added to Mount Rushmore.
Graphics: 1.5
I guess I can see this at the level of early Simpsons episodes, but it doesn’t look good.
Sound: 1.5
While I appreciate the Simpsons theme, it sure does get annoying droning on and on and on…
Gameplay: 1.0
Really terrible platforming is in front of you. Bart controls terribly.
Difficulty: 1.0
There is so much BS in the levels that you will be dying constantly, and you don’t deserve to.
Fun Factor: 1.0
This is not a very fun game, it’s much more frustrating.
Overall Rating: 1.2
The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants earns a D+. I remember not enjoying this game as a kid and I certainly don’t now. Bart and his space mutants can eat my shorts.