The Bargain Bin Binge!

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Simpsons : Virtual Springfield!

Item No Longer Available...

A Review By Techtite

This Product is iMac-friendly!

Friday, August 12th, 2000

Translating a TV show into an interactive entertainment product is quite a challenge. The problem seems to often involve how linear some shows truly are; particularly sitcoms. Most sitcoms are filmed primarily on a small, one-house set, making it even less likely to make anything interactive out of the series (the end result would be little more than an open-house tour). Fox Interactive accepted this challenge anyway, and created Virtual Springfield; an interactive tour of The Simpsons' hometown. The end result is perhaps the best Simpsons product that any fan could purchase.

Among the many items that make this CD-ROM --now greatly discounted-- such a pleasure to play, is its introductory narration, done by none other than the late Phil Hartman (as "Troy McClure"). This is just one of many cameos that you will experience throughout your "virtual tour" of Springfield, which is entirely controlled by you. It begins in the center of town, right in front of town hall, and just keeps getting better from there.

Any fan of the series' first several seasons will love the incredible amount of locations to explore here. Yes, you can find and explore the Simpson house itself, as well as neighbor Flanders' abode, though that's not all. Other ports of call to explore include Bart and Lisa's school, the nuclear power plant, Krusty the Clown's TV station, Grandpa Simpson's place, Moe's bar, Abu's shop, the local theater, the arcade, and on and on! With exploration, you can even open a few secret locations, like Bart's school locker, and so on.

The real treat is how far you can take exploration of the city. While the interface usually stops only at intersections and crossroads, you can stop anywhere you wish, for a better view. Pressing the space bar will allow you to stop in front of a few fave locations, and you might even hear a sound byte of the characters from that area. Meanwhile, expect a cameo or two on the streets themselves, as everyone from Mr. Burns to Bart himself will walk in front of you, often making a classic quip or two.

As a fan of the series, however, I must warn people that this isn't your average CD-ROM entertainment concept. The truth is, this isn't really a game per se; there's no real story here, and no real puzzles or challenge. In fact, the one chance for a mini-game, in the arcade, is just a cynical jab at how those games are often just used to get as many quarters as they can from the local kids (i.e., you cannot possibly win). Regardless, the excellence in detail here is more than enough reason for any fan of the series to add this title to their collection. With all of the classic Simspons locales preserved on one CD-ROM --compatible with PC, and Mac!-- it's a bargain bin purchase that should be bought ASAP...while it's still around!

	Final Rating : Deep Impact. While not really a game per se, it's still a hoot for any fan of the series. An excellent "virtual" adaptation of the actual show.
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