The Simpsons Wrestling is the crossover wrestling game you never wanted nor asked for, but were curious to see how it turned out. Developed by Big Ape Productions and published by Fox Interactive in 2001, it is a game that could’ve been really good fun, but instead turns out to somewhat average.

I think my biggest issue with this game is the visual style. Which uses a kind of ‘cel shading’, but I think it’s meant to look like scribbled outlines on the animated characters. The effect just doesn’t sit well with me, and I wished there was an option to switch it off, because it’s just distracting.

Bouts are mostly reduced to wearing down opponents with cheap hits, before trying to pin them to the canvas after a knockdown. Trying to grab an opponent, I really struggled with, for some reason.

All the different characters have their signature moves, and can also do gestures and special ring moves, like bouncing between ropes or jumping off the posts.

At the start of the game you can choose to play as one of ten different characters, including: Marge, Homer, Bart, Lisa, Moe, Barney, Apu, Krusty and Willie. Four more playable characters are unlockable (indicated by the question marks over the four blank portraits).

There are two types of games from the beginning: a single-player tournament, called “New Challenger Circuit“, where you fight your way through a succession of famous Simpsons characters, or a “Vs Match Game“, which is basically a multiplayer versus fight. You can unlock “Defender Circuit” (extra circuit for losing champions?), and “Champion Circuit” (extra circuit for winning champions?), and possibly more. You can also practise using “Practise Game“.

The Simpsons Wrestling is minor fun. You can taunt your opponents to stun them, and bounce on their heads, which is kinda fun (unless they’re doing it to you, in which case it’s not much fun). There are only so many times you can laugh at Marge hitting someone with her hair, though…

The music in The Simpsons Wrestling is weird, but really excellent in places. The graphics, though, I think are a bit of a mess. Cel-shaded scribble? Nah, mate. You should’ve made it optional.

More: The Simpsons Wrestling on Wikipedia