Your Sinclair


The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants

Author: Simon Cooke
Publisher: Ocean
Machine: Spectrum 128K

 
Published in Your Sinclair #90

The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants

The Space Mutants have decided to take over the Earth by making a super-weapon, and it's Bart Simpson's job to stop them. Oh, was that the plot? Sorry. I nearly missed it.

Anyway, the aliens need various objects to build their machine - such as purple objects, hats and balloons. The only time it even gets remotely sensible is when they start using nuclear power rods. The only way that Bart can see the Space Mutants that have infested the planet is using some X-ray specs (which make the screen a natty white-on-black affair) - They Live', anybody?

Unfortunately, the game plays none too well. Ocean (and Acclaim) seem to have missed the mark with this one. It's just too dam hard to control Bart! He moves quite fluidly across the screen until you start jumping around, and then you realise that he moves just too fluidly. It's nearly impossible to jump over the bad guys with any degree of accuracy, so your three lives (which spookily actually appear to be six) don't last very long. Some of the puzzles are a bit too hard as well - namely because the instructions don't tell you really important things like when you set off a rocket, you have to run into it to launch it. The control method is way too hard as well, using various combinations of joystick moves, ignoring the well-stocked keyboard at a stroke. Why are we forced to put up with this? (Spook fact: ignore the instructions when they say 'joystick only' - it's perfectly feasible to use keys! Just press SPACE on the main screen and there you go.)

So, not a very well put together game at all. Looks nice but is saddled with fiddly, repetitive gameplay. Ho hum.

Simon Cooke

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