Every Simpsons game ever: from worst to best

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5. Krusty's Fun House (Multi, 1992)

I remember this game well, not because of how it played, but because a magazine review at the time introduced me to the word 'fricassee'. I still don't know what a real fricassee looks like, but I will never forget the word. As for the game? Well, it's a sort of March of the Minis/Lemmings-alike, where you have to play as Krusty and lead a load of cute rats into traps... which then kill them dead. Hmmmm. It didn't review well, but is fondly remembered by several members of the GR+ team.

4. The Simpsons Game (Multi, 2007)

2007 was a great year because it was the first time we got a non-genre-tied Simpsons game that was actually good. The Simpsons Game is funny, enjoyable, and full of gaming references and amusing Achievements/Trophies. It's the sort of game that should've been made for the franchise from the start, but 1991's hardware wasn't up to the task. And the mix of game styles in the brilliantly-named levels like 'Medal of Homer' and 'Bartman Begins' helps keep things consistently interesting. As Mr. Burns would say: "Eeeeeeexcellent".

3. The Simpsons Tapped Out (Mobile, 2012)

No, this isn't a wrestling game as the name might imply (for that, see entry #24). Instead, it's a decent SimCity-style city-builder. Necessary after Homer neglects his nuclear reactor monitoring duties through playing his MyPad and destroys all of Springfield ("What's an 'Eltdown?"). Quite how he expects to be able to rebuild it again the way it was is beyond me, but it makes for a decent enough premise. What a shame it's designed to take as much of your money as possible, being chock-full of microtransactions. And dressing them up as 'donuts' does not sweeten the taste. Mmmm... donuts.

2. The Simpsons Arcade (Arcade, 1991 / Multi, 2009)

Interesting one, this. As close as The Simpsons came to a quality game in that initial blaze of popularity, this arcade offering from Konami is a side-scrolling scrapper, allowing up to four players to play co-operatively in their attempts to rescue Maggie, captured by Mr Burns and a very out-of-character Smithers. Home conversions at the time were limited to DOS and Commodore 64 (yes, this was a long time ago), but it has since found new life on mobile phones and the likes of Xbox Live / PSN - although it's sadly delisted on both. Smooth, chaotic and full of characters from the show, this really captured the essence of classic Simpsons tie-ins, complete with a blue-shirted Bart.

1. The Simpsons Hit & Run (Multi, 2003)

Ah, yes. The obligatory GTA clone. However! This is one of the most successful, both in terms of sales and the quality of the game itself. With 3D sandbox gaming taking off - and so many developers all having a go at the same formula - it makes a big difference to have the real show's writers and voice cast on-hand to make the game world as authentic as possible. Everyone remembers the 'You'd better drive, brother' intro mission from GTA3. Well, getting behind the wheel of the Simpson's car and seeing Springfield laid out in front of you ready to be explored is just as full of the good stuff. Which, along with the fact it doesn't seem to have a review on the GamesRadar+ archive, means I can safely say that it is the best Simpsons game of all time. Ha-h... oh.

Justin Towell
Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.