Software:The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants

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Short description: 1991 video game
The Simpsons:
Bart vs. the Space Mutants
North American NES box art
Developer(s)Imagineering[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Acclaim Entertainment[lower-alpha 2]
Home computers
Ocean Software
Director(s)Garry Kitchen
Designer(s)Garry Kitchen
Barry Marx
Dan Kitchen
Roger Booth
Henry C. Will IV
Artist(s)Jesse Kapili
Writer(s)Barry Marx
Composer(s)Danny Elfman (theme)
Mark Van Hecke (NES)
Mark Cooksey (MS/GG)
Jonathan Dunn (computers)
SeriesThe Simpsons
Platform(s)NES, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear
Release
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants is a 1991 platform video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons. It was originally developed by Imagineering and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and was later released for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum by Ocean Software, and in 1992 for the Sega Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear; all ports were developed by Arc Developments. In the game, the player controls Bart Simpson through five levels as he tries to ruin the aliens' plan to take over the world, collecting specific items and avoiding enemies.

Bart vs. the Space Mutants was designed by Garry Kitchen, who was approached by Acclaim in 1989 while the original Simpsons shorts were airing on The Tracy Ullman Show. Full production began in May 1990 with an intended release by Christmas 1990, development issues caused the game to be delayed to early 1991. Upon release, Bart vs. the Space Mutants received mixed reviews, with criticism directed towards the control and high difficulty level. However, it was also a commercial success, selling over one million copies and becoming a best-seller for the NES. It was followed the same year with Software:The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World.

Plot and gameplay

Bart vs. the Space Mutants is a 2D side-scrolling platformer.[11] In the single-player game, Bart Simpson is the only one who knows of the aliens' secret plan due to an unlikely quirk that he discovers when using his X-ray glasses, which he ordered from an ad on the last page of a comic book. It turns out that the X-ray specs, which Bart procured to see the nakedness of girls through their clothes, also exposed certain Springfield characters as being possessed by Space Mutants.

With this knowledge of the aliens' secret plan, Bart has to stop them from collecting the items they need to build their "ultimate weapon" to take over the world.[12] There are five levels,[11] in which Bart must collect or destroy a certain number of these items (purple objects in the first level, hats in the second, balloons in the third, exit signs in the fourth, and nuclear rods in the fifth).[12][13] If Bart loses a life he says "Eat my shorts!" Another objective of Bart vs. the Space Mutants is to help Bart convince the other members of the Simpson family about the aliens' existence so that they will help him during the levels.[14][15] This is achieved when Bart defeats a disguised space mutant, whereupon he collects a letter. Should he spell out the first name of a family member, said member will aid him in the boss battle. The five stages are the streets of Springfield, the Springfield Mall, Krustyland Amusement Park, a natural history museum, and the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. If Bart exhausts all his lives, an end scene will be shown depending on what stage it took place, where the aliens gloat over their victory and/or mock Bart. If Bart completes the game, an end scene will be shown where the enraged aliens vow never to return to Earth, but try to accept defeat graciously and do something to pay their respects to the boy who thwarted them. Six months later, the Simpsons are vacationing in South Dakota when they notice a fifth face on Mount Rushmore that looks like Bart's.

In order to get to some of the items and progress through the game, Bart must use equipment such as rockets and cherry bombs, which are bought with coins that can be collected by getting rid of aliens.[13] Bart is controlled on foot and on a skateboard.[16] To get rid of aliens, which are disguised as real humans, he needs to jump on their heads, although some are just regular humans.[12] The game increases in difficulty with each level,[16] and Bart meets up with a boss at the end of the first four.[15] The levels use elements of The Simpsons and some of the television humor appears in the game: for example, in the first level Bart can make a prank call to the bartender Moe in order for him to run outside so that the player can spray paint his purple apron (an example of an item that the aliens need) into a red color that the aliens do not want.[17] The game includes some minigames.[13]

Development and release

Bart vs. the Space Mutants is the first video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, and includes the theme song from the show. The game was designed by Garry Kitchen, who previously developed Keystone Kapers and Pressure Cooker for Activision.[17] Imagineering developed Bart vs. the Space Mutants for the Nintendo Entertainment System, whereas Arc Developments handled all conversions.

Kitchen stated the game was offered to him by Greg Fischback of Acclaim as the Simpsons shorts were airing on The Tracy Ullman Show in 1989, asking him to look into them as a property to develop it into a game.[18] Kitchen stated the biggest hurdle in development was time as Acclaim really wanted the game to be available before Christmas. Full production began in May 1990, and would finish in December 1990, missing the Christmas deadline.[18][19] The story of Bart vs. the Space Mutants was written by Barry Marx, a friend from Columbia University.[19] Due to not having access to pre-release Simpsons material, the developers made sure to watch the episodes as they premiered in order to include as many references to the series as possible.[18]

It was published in 1991 by Acclaim for the NES and by Ocean Software for the Atari ST, Amiga, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC. It was also released in 1992 for the Sega Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear under Acclaim's Flying Edge label. A Japanese Mega Drive version was advertised alongside Krusty's Fun House, but never released.[20]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame4/5[21]
CVG8.3/10 (Amiga)[4]
EGM7/10, 8/10, 7/10, 6/10[22]
GameZone84% (SMD)[23]
Entertainment WeeklyB[25]
Awards
PublicationAward
CrashCrash Smash
Sinclair UserSU Classic
Your SinclairMegagame

The game was a best-seller.[27] It sold 1 million copies at $40 each.[28]

Reviews of Bart vs. the Space Mutants have been mixed. Many critics have described the game as difficult. An author for the Italian newspaper la Repubblica said the levels are not easy,[16] and the Swedish edition of Sega Force described the game as both difficult and boring. Nintendo Power wrote: "Bart Simpson has finally made it to the NES from Acclaim. His adventure, though, is anything but a game for underachievers. This game is very challenging and could be frustratingly so to some players. The tasks that you must perform to complete the adventure require patience and skill."[29]

The NES version of Bart vs. the Space Mutants received a B rating from Lou Kesten of Entertainment Weekly, who noted that "the biggest drawback of this game is its brutally difficult opening section. However, what makes it challenging are clever strategic puzzles rather than thumb-bruising acrobatics. Bart tests reflexes and imagination in a way all too rarely seen in video games."[14]

James Leach of Your Sinclair gave the ZX Spectrum game a 92/100 rating, writing that "I'm really into this game. As far as I can see, it's got everything it should have. It's fast, it's easy in places and dead wicked in others and it's got a massive amount of variety. What more could you want? ... The graphics are very cartoony, as you'd expect, and there's pots of colour."[13] Leach also noted that the idea of including minigames in Bart vs. the Space Mutants "is pretty inspired, and makes the game even more fun."[13] A reviewer for Crash also gave the ZX Spectrum version a positive review, with a 91/100 rating.[15] He praised the variety and gameplay of the game, and noted that "while it may sound pretty basic [...] it’s when you start discovering things, making use of objects, finding hidden treasures that it really comes alive. And achieving an objective is satisfying because the route to completion can be pretty tough (especially some of the platform elements)."[15] The reviewer also noted that "if you’re a Simpsons fan the game’s incredibly appealing, the graphics all reflect Matt Groening’s cartoon very well. And how much of a fan you are dictates how much you’re really going to enjoy this [game]. Non-fans can still get loads of entertainment, but some parts may be frustrating if you’re not into the characters."[15]

In 2009, 1UP.com editor Bob Mackey reviewed the NES game in 1UP.com's official Retro Gaming Blog. Although he liked the first level for "mixing an impressive amount of references from the show with gameplay that has a pinch of point-and-click adventure in", he expressed his dislike for the other levels: "Unfortunately, either due to lack of ideas or lack of time (most likely the latter), the rest of Bart vs. the Space Mutants doesn't quite live up to the promise or ambition of the first level; the remaining four stages devolve into a frustrating and generic exercise in platforming that lacks all of the little references that made the beginning of the game somewhat authentic."[17] Mackey described the game's controls as "terrible".[17]

Kitchen stated that he "thought the majority of the game played very well, challenging but not in an unfair way" while noting the later levels could use more tuning, but failed to get it due to scheduling.[30] He stated that "building a game against a fixed ship date is never a good idea so I do believe the game's quality suffered a bit because of compromises we made in an attempt to get it done in record time."[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Spel: NES ARKIV". Nintendo. http://www.nintendo.se/product/archive.asp?mainid=5&subid=10&id=2. 
  2. ↑ "NES Games". Nintendo of America. https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf. 
  3. ↑ "Eye on the Future". The Bulletin (Norwich, Connecticut). February 2, 1991. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bulletin-bart-vs-the-space-mutants/182565295/. Retrieved October 7, 2025. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Glancey, Paul; Boone, Tim (September 1991). "Review: Bart vs. the Space Mutants". Computer and Video Games (EMAP) (118): 114–116. 
  5. ↑ "Pro View - The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants". Sega Pro (Paragon Publishing) (8): 23. June 1992. https://retrocdn.net/images/8/8e/SegaPro_UK_08.pdf. 
  6. ↑ "Around the Corner". Sega Visions (International Data Group) (8): 56. May–June 1992. https://archive.org/details/sega-visions/Sega%20Visions%20Issue%2008%20%28May-June%201992%29.pdf. 
  7. ↑ "Pro Dates". Sega Pro (Paragon Publishing) (12): 9. October 1992. https://retrocdn.net/images/b/b0/SegaPro_UK_12.pdf. 
  8. ↑ "Reviewed! Bart vs. the Space Mutants". Sega Force (8): 76–77. August 1992. https://archive.org/details/sega-force-08/page/76/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ "Diary Dates". GamesMaster (Future plc) (1): 14. January 1993. https://retrocdn.net/images/1/18/GamesMaster_UK_001.pdf. 
  10. ↑ "Incoming!". Sega Visions (International Data Group) (10): 92. November–December 1992. https://archive.org/details/sega-visions/Sega%20Visions%20Issue%2010%20%28November-December%201992%29.pdf. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Video Game Bible: 1985–2002. Trafford Publishing. 2002. pp. 122, 266. ISBN 978-1-55369-731-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=PnPRd6QwvbQC&q=%22space+mutants%22&pg=PA122. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lockard, Nathan (1994). The Good, the Bad, and the Bogus: Nathan Lockard's Complete Guide to Video Games. Adventure Press. pp. 209. ISBN 978-1-881583-04-2. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Leach, James (December 1991). "The Simpsons – Bart Vs The Space Mutants". Your Sinclair (72): p. 12. http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/bartsimpsonvsthespacemutants.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-05. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kesten, Lou (1991-04-21). "The Simpsons: Bart Vs. The Space Mutants". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,313917,00.html. Retrieved 2011-08-05. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 "The Simpsons – Bart Vs The Space Mutants". Crash (93): pp. 14–15. October 1991. http://www.crashonline.org.uk/93/simpsons.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-05. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Il mondo (interattivo) secondo Bart Simpson" (in Italian). la Repubblica. 1998-03-21. http://www.repubblica.it/online/giochi/simpson/terzo/terzo.html. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Mackey, Bob (April 22, 2002). "Retro Revival Retrospective: The Simpsons Part 1". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8986637. Retrieved August 4, 2011. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Packwood, Lewis (September 2021). "The Making of 'The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants'". Retro Gamer (224): 52–55. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Hickey 2018, p. 126.
  20. ↑ "BE Mega Genesis Information" (in ja). Beep! MegaDrive (38): 29. October 1992. https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:BeepMD_JP_1992-10.pdf. Retrieved January 12, 2026. 
  21. ↑ Irwin, Jeff. "The Simpsons: Bart vs the Space Mutants – Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141116110110/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=1304&tab=review. Retrieved February 23, 2024. 
  22. ↑ Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Alessi, Martin; Sushi-X (March 1991). "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publications) (20). https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/601e7c20-fd92-4682-9cf7-e41a668b9020. Retrieved October 8, 2025. 
  23. ↑ Daldry, Jeremy (July 1992). "Bart Versus the Space Mutants". Game Zone (9): 64–65. https://archive.org/details/game-zone-09/page/64/mode/2up?q=%22%22Spider-Man+vs.+The+Kingpin%22%22. Retrieved July 1, 2021. 
  24. ↑ Mandel, Joshua (February 1991). "Video Game Reviews". Video Games & Computer Entertainment (United States: L.F.P. Inc.). 
  25. ↑ Kesten, Lou (April 12, 1994). "The Simpsons: Bart Vs. The Space Mutants". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090421090943/https://ew.com/ew/article/0,,313917,00.html. Retrieved October 8, 2025. 
  26. ↑ Bielby, Matt (September 1991). "The Simpsons". Amiga Power (Future plc) (5): 26–27. 
  27. ↑ "An industry of the mind". Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology (Career Communications Group) 8 (1): 24. Spring 1992. ISSN 1088-3452. https://books.google.com/books?id=QM3uQqDiAQIC&q=%22Bart+vs.+the+Space+Mutants%22&pg=PA24. Retrieved 2011-08-05. 
  28. ↑ Hillier, Jim (1992). The New Hollywood. Continuum. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-8264-0638-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=HDUNAQAAMAAJ. "Bart vs. The Space Mutants, has sold over one million copies at $40 each" 
  29. ↑ "Now Playing". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 23. April 1991. 
  30. ↑ Hickey 2018, p. 125.

Sources

  • Hickey, Patrick Jr. (2018). The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews with Cult and Classic Video Game Developers. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476671109. 

Notes

  1. ↑ Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Genesis/Mega Drive, Master System and Game Gear ports by Arc Developments.
  2. ↑ Released under the Flying Edge brand name on Sega systems.
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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