The Simpsons (pinball)
Encyclopedia
The Simpsons is a 1990 pinball game released by Data East Pinball
. It is based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons
and features many elements from the series, such as character voices and music. The game was popular in the United States, becoming a hit for Data East Pinball. It has been cited as helping increase the popularity of pinball machines at the beginning of the 1990s. The Simpsons pinball game was followed by The Simpsons Pinball Party
in 2003.
. The bumpers are dressed as nuclear reactors and several characters from the show functions as targets. Other targets depict the Simpson family
's favorite foods, such as chocolate and pork rinds, and the family bowling. The machine is equipped with a Yamaha
synthesizer that plays the theme song
from the television series. It also features a computerized voice system on an OKI
sound chip, and the characters are constantly talking. The original voices of the characters from the series are used. Mr. Burns says "Don't blame me; I didn't do it," Homer
taunts you with "Don't you know how to use the flippers?", while Bart
says lines like "Don't have a cow, man," "Way to go, man," "You blew it, man," and "Hey, man, I'm an underachiever, too."
in 1990. It was licensed by Fox Broadcasting Company
and produced in Data East's factory in Melrose Park, Illinois
. According to an article in Chicago Sun-Times
, the producers took advice from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening
while developing the game. On November 9, 1990, Data East executive vice-president Gary Stern described the game to the press as "fun – a whole package ... voices, music, artwork, great ramps." He also noted that "This game is already on its way to becoming a monster hit." In 2007, Stern said in an interview with License! that "While we export about one-third of our games, that first [The Simpsons pinball] model did especially well in the U.S."
wrote in 1991 that pinball games became popular again because they started emphasizing themes: "The artwork, targets and sounds work together to create a story, manufacturers say. The computer unveils the subplot differently, depending on skill levels and the sequence in which shots are made." He cited the Simpsons pinball game as an example of this—a "game with a strong theme."
A second Simpsons pinball machine, The Simpsons Pinball Party
(designed by Stern Pinball, the successor to Data East Pinball), was released in 2003.
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
. It is based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and features many elements from the series, such as character voices and music. The game was popular in the United States, becoming a hit for Data East Pinball. It has been cited as helping increase the popularity of pinball machines at the beginning of the 1990s. The Simpsons pinball game was followed by The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Simpsons Pinball Party is a 2003 pinball game released by Stern Pinball.-Content:The Simpsons Pinball Party is based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons that airs on the Fox network...
in 2003.
Content
The pinball machine is modeled after the animated sitcom The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. The bumpers are dressed as nuclear reactors and several characters from the show functions as targets. Other targets depict the Simpson family
Simpson family
The Simpson family is a family of fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town...
's favorite foods, such as chocolate and pork rinds, and the family bowling. The machine is equipped with a Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
synthesizer that plays the theme song
The Simpsons Theme
"The Simpsons Theme", also referred to as "The Simpsons Main Title Theme" in album releases, is the theme song of the animated television series The Simpsons. It plays during the opening sequence and was composed by Danny Elfman in 1989, after series creator Matt Groening approached him requesting...
from the television series. It also features a computerized voice system on an OKI
Oki Electric Industry
, commonly referred to as OKI, OKI Electric or the OKI Group, is a Japanese company manufacturing and selling info-telecom and printer products. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, OKI operates in over 120 countries around the world....
sound chip, and the characters are constantly talking. The original voices of the characters from the series are used. Mr. Burns says "Don't blame me; I didn't do it," Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
taunts you with "Don't you know how to use the flippers?", while Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
says lines like "Don't have a cow, man," "Way to go, man," "You blew it, man," and "Hey, man, I'm an underachiever, too."
Development and release
The pinball game was released by Data East PinballData East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
in 1990. It was licensed by Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and produced in Data East's factory in Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a "near-in" suburb of Chicago. The population was 23,171 at the 2000 census. Melrose Park has long been home to a large Italian-American population, though now it is majority Mexican-American. It was the home of Kiddieland...
. According to an article in Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, the producers took advice from The Simpsons creator Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
while developing the game. On November 9, 1990, Data East executive vice-president Gary Stern described the game to the press as "fun – a whole package ... voices, music, artwork, great ramps." He also noted that "This game is already on its way to becoming a monster hit." In 2007, Stern said in an interview with License! that "While we export about one-third of our games, that first [The Simpsons pinball] model did especially well in the U.S."
Reception and legacy
The Simpsons pinball machine won the award for best pinball game in 1990 by the Amusement and Music Operators Association, a group that represents coin machine operators. According to the Chicago Sun-Times article, pinball players have cited Data East's The Simpsons as a game that helped increase the popularity of pinball. The pinball market had been dead by the end of the 1980s, following the surge of the video game market, but it rose in popularity at the beginning of the 1990s. Tom Henry of The Tampa TribuneThe Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune, published in Tampa, Florida, is one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area, second in circulation and readership to the St. Petersburg Times. The paper's tagline is "Life...
wrote in 1991 that pinball games became popular again because they started emphasizing themes: "The artwork, targets and sounds work together to create a story, manufacturers say. The computer unveils the subplot differently, depending on skill levels and the sequence in which shots are made." He cited the Simpsons pinball game as an example of this—a "game with a strong theme."
A second Simpsons pinball machine, The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Simpsons Pinball Party is a 2003 pinball game released by Stern Pinball.-Content:The Simpsons Pinball Party is based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons that airs on the Fox network...
(designed by Stern Pinball, the successor to Data East Pinball), was released in 2003.