Spartan Echo

Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Courtesy of Google Images The Simpsons

Gaming giant Electronic Arts plans to shake up the industry with a highly recognizable release this fall. After dominating the sports game industry by securing exclusive licenses from the NFL, NCAA, Arena Football and NASCAR, EA gained the rights to another American popular culture behemoth-- The Simpsons.

Fresh off the summer release of the movie, EA couldn't have picked a better time to deliver a Simpsons game. Though 2007's version of The Simpsons marks the 22nd video game adaptation of the hit television series, fans should be excited about what this game has to offer.

A far cry from the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System's "Bart vs. The Space Mutants", The Simpsons is an action game set in a playable rendition of the characters city of Springfield. All five family members are playable on the game, though Maggie's role is limited.

The Simpsons Game will be released this fall on the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Playstation Portable, Playstation 2 and Nintendo DS. Since the franchise has an incredibly large fan base, its only right that it be available to as many consumers as possible.

The premise of the game satirizes the series' long run in the video game industry. After realizing that they are forced to participate in yet another video game, the characters utilize aspects of the levels they are immersed in as their super powers. Along the way, there are countless popular culture and video game references designed to poke fun at the industry and The Simpsons franchise itself.

Each character's ability plays off of characteristics they are known for throughout the television series. For instance, Bart transforms into his superhero alter ego Bartman, which allows him to glide around using his cape. Homer uses his zeal for eating to grow into a rotund spherical version of himself to take out his enemies. While Homer is able to find edible power ups throughout the level, Bart relies on his trusty slingshot to carry him through.

Visually, the game is designed to retain the look and feel of its cartoon counterpart. Each character is cel-shaded, and EA's art team utilized a method to basically flatten character model from whichever camera angle they are being viewed, so that even in a 3-D world the games visuals stay true to the show.

EA worked hand-in-hand with the shows writers and creator Matt Groening to ensure that a gamer can pick up the controller and become immersed in an authentic adaptation of The Simpsons. Nearly an hour of cut scenes and dialogue is voiced by the cast of the Emmy Award winning show. Die-hard fans will feel at home because a good portion of the game references specific episodes of the television show.

With the highly successful movie whetting the appetites of Simpsons enthusiasts, The Simpsons Game hopes to serve up a full course meal to those starving for a game that does the series justice. Equipped with a living rendition of Springfield and a unique storyline, fans will have the opportunity this fall to see if the newest offering from the series makes the cut.

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