The Simpsons: Bart vs. The Space Mutants Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]

Channel:

AL82 Retrogaming Longplays

Subscribers:

108,000

Published on March 21, 2025 8:23:16 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO1PEA6FX5Q

Game:

The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants (1991)

Duration: 0:00

3,683 views

154

Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Arc Developments/Imagineering
Publisher: Ocean Software
Year of Release: 1991

Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
This was one of the very first, if not THE first, Amiga games I ever played. It was one of the three games included as part of the the Cartoon Classics pack bundle released in the run up to Christmas 1991 and watching the animated introduction sequence for the first time blew my tiny mind.

The game started life on the 8-bit NES, but with The Simpsons zeitgeist in full swing, it was ported to a whole plethora of consoles and computers. Arc Developments was responsible for the 16-bit Amiga and Atari ST conversions and, visually at least, these are by far the best versions of the game to be released. According to a brief interview with the developers in Amiga Power, the introduction sequence was their own creation developed specifically for these versions, and it's genuinely impressive. So to are the sprites and level graphics, which capture the vibe of the original cartoon, especially that of Bart, which is by far the best depiction of the character from all the different versions.

The game itself sees young Bartholomew J. Simpson attempting to save Springfield from the machinations of an aliean race intent on taking over the planet. The mutants, having disguised themselves as Earthlings, are stockpiling items required to build a super weapon to achieve their nefarious goals, and it's up to Bart to stop them. Not only must he hide or destroy these items before the aliens can acquire them, he must also enlist the support of his family members to help stop the alien menace. Bart must use a pair of X-Ray sunglasses to identify alien beings roaming each level, bounce on their heads and collect the token left behind as proof of their existence; collecting enough tokens will secure the aid in the fight against the end-of-level boss, which should not be taken for granted.

When it comes to appraising the game, I'm somewhat torn. On the one hand, it's not the usual pile of rancid shovelware that had become so commonplace with this kind of licensed product. Genuine thought went into the level design and levels, with the opening stage set in the heart of Springfield being the best of these - the inclusion of prank phone calls to Moe's Tavern, recognisable locations and ensemble cast help keep the game grounded in the Simpsons universe, which is a great touch.

Unfortunately, as with so many Amiga games, the gameplay suffers as a result of the developers efforts to create a control scheme built around the constraints of a joystick with a single a fire button. Firing weapons and the extended jump both require the button to be pressed to execute, which means you'll often use up ammunition or spray paint unnecessarily whilst trying to super jump. It doesn't help that Bart has inertia, with a pronounced wind-up period that makes it really difficult to pull off the kind of precision jumping most of the later levels demand from you; it's why I never got beyond the first section of the second level when playing this as a child, and for all its graphical prowess I rarely bothered to load the game up thereafter.

As licensed games go, Bart vs. The Space Mutants has a lot of charm and leans into creative spirit of the show, but questionable controls and overbearing difficulty mean most players will tune out pretty quickly, which is a shame.

Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
00:00 Intro
03:32 Stage 1
09:53 Stage 2
16:29 Stage 3
22:44 Stage 4
30:28 Stage 5
44:46 Ending