The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield (1997 Video Game) User Reviews

Fun once......then

[solidsnake8706 · 25 September 2003]

After playing through the game one time, it becomes unbearably boring. The few locales you can actually visit are repetitive and the "humour" of the game consist of either recycled/rehashed gags from the show or of simply poor jokes.

The first playthrough it is kind of interesting to walk through our

favorite town, but then leaves you wishing of what the game could have been vs. what it was.

Get it if you are a hardcore fan....but even then I wouldn't recommend it. Pretty poor.

Sheer Brilliance...

[Snrub · 10/10 · 15 January 1999]

How often have you watched the best show on T.V (The Simpsons for the few dim-witted), and wondered to yourself "I wonder what it's like to be a Simpson and live in Springfield."?

Well, okay..you may never have even dreamed about going there due to Burns' Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and having to go to Springfield Elementary where you'll receive a severe wedgie from Dolph, Kearney and Jimbo. But let's presume you really want to see what life is like being a Simpson. Thanks to Mr Matt Groening and the entire team of the show along with computer know-alls and Virgin Interactive you can now experience Springfield life. You'll be able to be as nosy as you want while rummaging through the Simpsons' house and also the Flandereseses' house (which is really funny, check out their record collection!). You can make a Flamin' Moe (or should that be a Flamin' Homer!?) at the welcoming Moe's Tavern. You can check out the Krustylo Studios and watch numerous Itchy & Scratchy shows. Ever wanted to play those great games that Bart plays at Noiseland Arcade? Well now you can play such gems as "Larry the Looter". There's also tons of hidden games including Apoom in the Kwik-E-Mart! You can also see what complaints Abe "Grampa" Simpson is typing up on his typewriter when you mosey on down to Springfield Retiremaent Castle.

Anyhoo, I shall not give much more away.

By now you're probably thinking "Besides from being able to be as nosey as hell, is there an aim to the game". Well yes, the thing is, while you're searching through the town and the places that you are allowed to go into, you have to try and find 72 residents of spingfield cards. So you truly have to search high and low in order to find these.

Along with great Groening-esque animation and the dulcet tones of the great actors and actresses behind each character (and guest star Phil Hartman as Troy McClure), this is one game that any Simpson fan should not be without.

Go out and buy it and place it proudly between your copies of "Simpsons Cartoon Studio" and "Simpsons Screen Saver" and your life will be far better (aside from eye-strains and severe headaches from spending hours and hours playing the game!).

Eh, it's okay...

[kbudd1 · 4/10 · 3 February 2000]

As a huge Simpsons fan, I must admit this game got me pretty excited -- you get to walk around Springfield as though you were one of the characters on the TV show! It was also great that there are plenty of gags in this game that tie-back to the show (B-Sharps gold records, Apu's secret garden, and "Kwjibo"). But you can only truly interact with a dozen or so key locations (a couple of them are a little too simple), leaving the rest of the town (such as the Android Dungeon Card & Comic Shop) as "backdrop." It's a nice diversion if you're a true Simpsons fan, but not quite as complete as it could be.

Best Game EVER!!!!

[ToKeR66 · 10/10 · 18 November 2001]

Hello fellow Simpsonites, if you're looking for something to do when The Simpsons aren't on 3 times a day? Here's an answer. This is a one of those great games that you can play for hours on end and still have more to do!!!! There's so much to see in Springfield that's always behind closed doors. I can play this game for days, I mean, sure it gets boring after a couple of mind numbing days. BUT IT IS SOOO WORTH IT!!! I urge you to go experirnce this game for yourself, especially if you're a TRUE Simpsons fanatic like me!!! WOOO HOOOO!!

Not much to do.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 5/10 · 24 May 2004]

All you really do in this game is look around Springfield and run into the occasional character. I finished the entire thing in less than 2 hours. Plus it is not very vivid or deep. You can only visit 2 classrooms in the Springfield elementary school, there is only 1 angle of Moe's bar etc. All you really do is LOOK at these locations that we are already familiar with and have the tiniest little bit of interaction with them. Plus the geography of Springfield in this game is not the same as the TV show. Which is also inconsistent in it's placing of many "sets". Moe's Bar has been in many different places for example. But, then again, in the HOMER BECOMES a garbageman episode, the town was moved to another site. Perhaps this is where it got all shuffled up.

There are a few little (and I mean little) games included. One of the main games is to simply find hidden baseball cards. A ploy to trick into clicking on the screen and revealing slight animation.

In total there is just under 25 minutes worth of animation here and it is cool that the original cast provided the voices. But unless you are a Die Hard Simpsons fan then I would leave this game be. Definitely only for younger kids.

Good game

[Op_Prime · 18 April 2000]

Virtual Springfield is a good game. The graphics are great and their are many funny and interesting objects from the show. There are also some funny sight gags. It's interesting to roam the world of the Simpsons, though a major flaw is how limited travel is. Other than that, it's a good game and worth the price of buying or renting.

Great tour of Springfield

[rossrobinson · 19 September 2003]

This game gives you the tour of springfield, you can explore and go into The simpsons house, the flanders house, the school, moe's pub, the kwiki mart etc: this game was released in 1997, i think it's a fantastic game, i give it 10 out of 10

This is a good game

[Bigboy3264 · 11 February 2001]

I like this game a lot. It has a lot of fun stuff to do! It is clear but it is not 3-d it is 2-d but it is still very cool. It is like making your own episode. The only bad things are that you can go to some places like Mr. burns mansion and other neighborhood houses another bad thing is that it is kind of hard to move and annoying at times but besides those things it is a great game.