Pros: Engaging play, excellent controls, Simpsons-level funny, no annoying insta-death
Cons: Derivative of GTA
The bottom line: Simpsons fans must buy it. Others should try it – you'll probably like it.

It's not hard-core racing simulator, it's not a high-strategy battle of wills, but it's a just plain fun game to play. The primary draw for this game will be for anyone who appreciates the wit and wisdom of the Simpsons – from the familiar characters, places, and punch lines, to the new content and overall wacky storyline. However the variety of the missions, the responsive game play, and the ease of control should be pleasing even to the Simpson-less player.

There's an overall plot involving killer wasps and space aliens that is best left to the game to explain, and then there are micro-plots involving the day to day activities of the Simpson's clan such as Homer getting to work on time and Bart playing hooky to buy the latest violent video game and illegal fireworks. All of the plots are advanced by the play of discrete missions, most of which involve driving, and many of which involve reckless disregard for life and property. You see you don’t have to be a skilled driver to succeed – hitting things is often its own reward, and barreling through that schoolyard just might cut a few precious seconds off of your drive time.

The controls are excellent in their simplicity. Driving realism was not the goal here, but sharp (yet challenging) controls is what the game delivers. Control of your vehicle will even vary depending on vehicle type – with a Duff Beer deliver truck being a little more ponderous to handle than the "Honor Roller" high-tech soap box racer. Some missions will involve direct control of the character rather then the car, and here too a simple set of walk/run, jump, and kick controls do the trick nicely. Camera angle can be panned to get a better view of your surroundings.

I especially like that there is no insta-death in this game. As a character you have no hit-points or health to worry about – a fall from 5 stories is nothing more than a comic inconvenience. And the worst thing you can do in your car is total it, in which case you must pay for repairs, or get a new vehicle. Certainly during a time trial mission this will spell certain doom for your chances of success, but then just start over and try again. To get a new vehicle you choose one from your garage that you may have bought or acquired throughout the game, or you simply catch a ride from passing vehicle.

The punch-lines are very funny, but as is the problem with many such games they may get old after a while of playing. This minor problem is mitigated however by the fact that you play different characters throughout the stages of play, each with their own set of punch lines.

Finally, it should be pointed out that while the plot line is original, and the characters, locales, and lines are pure Simpsons, the overall concept of driving related, mission based play towards an ultimate goal is straight out of Grand Theft Auto (GTA). So the designers took an existing idea, and ran with it in the direction of Springfield. Be aware if you feel this would detract from your gaming experience. I however found more than enough original content to keep me happy.