Sep 24, 2019 The Simpsons: 10 Best Games Of All Time, Ranked. The Simpsons have tons of video games, but which are the best of all time? From Hit and Run to Road Rage to the classic arcade game, let's dig in. Mar 22, 2001 The Simpsons Wrestling is a professional wrestling video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, made for the PlayStation console. The game was developed by Big Ape Productions, and published by Fox Interactive and Activision. It was released in the PAL region on March 22, 2001, and in North America on April 12, 2001.
Why didn't the WWE Hall of Famer sound like himself on The Simpsons?
In 1997, at arguably the height of his professional wrestling career, Bret 'The Hitman' Hart appeared in an episode of The Simpsons. In 'The Old Man and the Lisa,' the twenty-first episode of Season 8, Mr. Burns loses his vast fortune due to making bad investments. He has to sell his mansion, and that is when we see a realtor showing the place to 'Hitman.'
In the background, Smithers is helping a depressed Mr. Burns down the long staircase. Hitman sniffs the air and says aloud, 'This place has got old man stink.' And once Hitman hears that another pro wrestler, the Shrieking Sheik, lives in the neighborhood, he excitedly tells the realtor: 'I'll take it!'
- In the end, wit and charm are the two most redeeming features of The Simpsons Wrestling, as it simply can't survive on its gameplay alone.
- Apr 12, 2001 Metacritic Game Reviews, The Simpsons Wrestling for PlayStation, In the end, wit and charm are the two most redeeming features of The Simpsons Wrestling, as it simply can't survive on its gameplay alone.
Even though he only had a few speaking lines, fans of the wrestler were left scratching their heads as to why Hitman didn't sound like himself. He looked like himself with his signature pink-and-black tights, wrap around shades, and long greasy hair. But that was the only way in which you would know he was the 'Excellence of Execution.' So what gives?
Wanting to figure this out, CBR did some digging and discovered the answer buried in a 2009 interiew that the AV Club's Dave Hofer conducted with Hart.
Hofer: Why did your appearance on The Simpsons sound so, well, weird?
Hart: They approached me about doing a voice as a wrestler, but not Bret Hart. It was the Mad Russian or something. I said, “I don’t want to be the Mad Russian, I want to be Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart!” We went back and forth for a while and they eventually said, very politely, “This is the way it’s written, take it or leave it.” I agreed, and flew down to FOX Studios. They had blocked off this huge chunk of time for my three lines, and were saying things like, “We need you more mad,” “Okay, not quite that mad!” I did my lines about 100 times in two minutes! I went outside to wait for my limo that had gone to get gas, and I signed autographs and took pictures for 45 minutes. The guy that was in charge of my episode came up to me and said, “I had no idea you were this big of a star! If we haven’t already started the artwork, we’re going to draw you in as yourself.” That’s why the voice doesn’t really sound like me, because I thought I was playing a crazy Russian!
THE SIMPSONS continues to strike a chord with viewers for irreverently poking fun at anything and everything. As the longest-running scripted series in television history, THE SIMPSONS has become one of the most consistently groundbreaking, innovative and recognizable entertainment franchises throughout the world. With its subversive humor and delightful wit, the series has made an indelible imprint on American pop culture, and its family members – HOMER (Dan Castellaneta), MARGE (Julie Kavner), BART (Nancy Cartwright), LISA (Yeardley Smith) and MAGGIE – are television icons. Recently renewed for the unprecedented 28th season, THE SIMPSONS has won 31 Emmy Awards, a 2015 People’s Choice Award and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2012 for the theatrical short “The Longest Daycare.” The series recently received five 2015 Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Animated Program. “The Simpsons Movie” was a hit feature film; the mega-attraction “The Simpsons Ride” at Universal Studios has received historic expansion updates with the addition of Springfield added to the roster; and the show was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. It was named the “Best Show of the 20th Century” by Time magazine, and called the “Greatest American Sitcom” by Entertainment Weekly in 2013.
All-new episodes of THE SIMPSONS air Sundays at 8/7c!
![Metacritic Metacritic](https://gamespot1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/mig/3/2/1/3/2213213-box_simpwrstl.png)
Have you ever wanted to play a wrestling game as one of the iconic cast members from Fox’s long-running sitcom The Simpsons? If you answered “yes” to that question, then The Simpsons Wrestling is the answer to your prayers.
A strange title released by Electronic Arts in 2001, The Simpsons Wrestling features 20 characters to select and places players in bouts with everyone from Homer to Apu. Adding a bit of charm to the package is that the original voice cast lends their talent to this strange title which sports a graphical style reminiscent of the show’s animation. But, really, the whole experience is quite strange, which is par for the course when it comes to The Simpsons’ licensed video games.
If you’ve played Konami’s beat ‘em up for the arcades released in the early 1990s, or one of LJN’s abysmal titles for the Nintendo Famicom (among others), then you know that The Simpsons has a rough track record when it comes to video game installments. The Simpsons Wrestling does little to change this track record, although it does win significant points for at least trying to capturing the style and spirit of the show. Thankfully, it was the only The Simpsons game released for the PlayStation console.
Now, on with the bad news. This game is quite terrible. In fact, in the wide-ranging pantheon of The Simpsons titles, this one actually wins merits for outdoing its siblings in new areas of awfulness. While guised as a traditional wrestling game, it is more akin to a beat ‘em up, which makes it all the more sad because it recalls Konami’s masterful arcade title but in a traumatic way – like remembering better times while in the midst of despair.
If the gameplay doesn’t win you over, which it won’t, then there really isn’t much else to bring you into the fold either. The Simpsons Wrestling is either ludicrously easy or tediously difficult – pick your poison. On top of it all, the player can never really gauge whether or not they’re making progress or mastering the game in any real way. Indeed, this has led some critics to label it one of the worst games of all time, but that might be a bit of a stretch.
Some critics appreciated the game’s attempt at aping the show’s comedy and style, while others mercilessly criticize it for its redundancy and tedious nature. There doesn’t seem to be any strategy outside of button mashing and few long-term plans outside of prayer – the game’s gameplay just doesn’t seem to be there according to many critics.
The Simpsons Wrestling fails as a wrestling game, and is a somewhat mediocre representation of its namesake brand in the process. So what gives? Well, The Simpsons Wrestling, again, comes from a long line of misunderstood The Simpsons games and does little to clear the air. One thing that remains true is that longtime fans might find a lot to enjoy in this title but it will remain a curiosity piece for most gamers.
Remind yourself that there were actually some great PS1 titles by checking out our Top 10 list
The Simpsons Wrestling Metacritic Download
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