Can a man just get a doughnut?
2009-12-22 The classic Simpsons beat-’em-up arcade game engenders a lot of fond memories and that’s precisely what Electronic Arts hoped to mine with their new Simpsons Arcade for the iPhone. It is not a port, though. It is a retro-styled brawler in the vein of Battletoads, Final Fight, and any host side-scrolling bruisers of that era. As homage to the genre, Simpsons Arcade is a success. However, as a compelling game over the long term, a lack of multiplayer – which was 75-percent of the fun in games like Double Dragon – and having Homer locked into the lead role weakens Simpsons Arcade. Many Simpsons games falter due to a distinct shortage of authenticity. Publishers think they can get away with dropping Bart into a formula game, slap the Simpsons logo on the box, and count on goodwill toward the long-running cartoon to bring in some fat checks. EA’s iPhone Simpsons may have a ridiculous set-up – plans for a secret sinister project are shared with some of Springfield’s most influenti
