The Simpsons

Pinside rating

This game received 153 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.326 /10

7.326

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #212 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 6.995

Artwork: 7.96

Sounds/Music: 6.992

Other Aspects: 7.349


Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 6 of us have rated this game.

6.89

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Found 67 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 67 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 3.

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7.492/10
24 days ago
This game ultimately feels like BSD. layout feels very similar, getting multiball ready and then ripping the left ramp for Jack pots.

The art is immaculate for first season simpsons and the vibe of the machine plays together with it so well.

I wish it had a bit more variance to make it more interesting, however the challenge of the machine makes it still entertaining and is one of my longest lasting pins.

To be fair, the theme does a lot of heavy lifting here.
7.903/10
1 year ago
Simple Rules, Lots of Fun.
6.851/10
1 year ago
One of the first pins I ever played, happy to have a game whenever I see it. However, it doesn't have much depth & is a bit repetitive with shot requirements. Never draws me in for a second game but is a nice nostalgic flip from time to time.
8.236/10
1 year ago
Compare to other Simpsons pinball then this is simpler in rules but addictive,great with LEDs. Bought it just in seeing it being played and pimped by Kevin on pinball shenanigans.
Have added cooling towers with smoke and side art by retro refurb.
2 ball multi ball then lock to get 3 ball then trying to get a strike the Jackpot. Other rewards are available. You just need to play it.
8.442/10
1 year ago
Owned 17 different Data East pins over the years and can say definitively this one is in the top 3 DE titles and well deserving of the 1990 Amusement and Music Operators Association game of the year award. Not even a particular fan of the show but very much aware of its cultural impact here in the United States when it debuted. After largely avoiding the pin due to theme (like I said, not a fan) played 3 or 4 at shows to get a feel for the gameplay and determine if it was worth obtaining or another fan title like BTTF.

I can confidently state the game is a player and a tough one at times depending on how you set your games up. One of the few games where there is indeed "a world under glass" as the ball careens around Springfield. Call outs are excellent with my one "nit to pick" being it would be nice if the pop bumper call outs were a bit more random.

Players that can hit the ramp off the right flipper with regularity are my hero, I can't! Though my shot ratio from the left flipper is much higher, it makes getting a loop award rewarding. Do it right and you can sweep the drops on the right side, a Stern Classic move! Also difficult to pull off.

As a Data East fan, The Simpson's has a long term spot in the lineup with the 11 other DE titles here.
6.762/10
1 year ago
I recently played The Simpsons for the first time in over 20 years. In hindsight, gameplay is really simple and not a lot to it. Simpsons Pinball Party did a better job with the theme. Gives you a nice boost of nostalgia, but that’s about it. Not a bad game; not really a good one, either.
6.924/10
1 year ago
Parents had this one growing up. Fun game but does not really compare with most other 90s games. It's all about theme with this. The call outs are great!
9.300/10
2 years ago
Absolutely love this game!! Very fun to play and the sound effects and music are great!
9.012/10
2 years ago
Grew up watching the simpsons and love the theme. Sounds and music are like the cartoon. Artwork is from the first season which is my favorite season. Shots are decent and the flow is good. Gameplay isn't very deep from what I can tell but a fun game for beginner pinball players.
7.073/10
2 years ago
Simpsons is the perfect theme for pinball, and this game is a great example. The game was made after only 2 seasons of the show, but it is still crammed with personality and references. The artwork is super nice all around and captures the show well. I think the rules are a bit lacking unfortunately, but that's somewhat to be expected for the time. The theme are artwork are awesome in this game2, and that's the main draw for me.
7.533/10
2 years ago
I always enjoyed this as a kid but I remember it being very difficult and a quarter hog. Playing it many years later it feels almost the same. Fun for a few plays for sure but can be a frustrating one.
7.280/10
2 years ago
Great theme and a great pinball one of Data East finest.
7.803/10
3 years ago
This was the first pin I owned and am just in the process of selling it after 6 years. It is a classic, mine is in great shape, but if you only have space for 1-2 machines I wouldn't recommend owning unless you are a big Simpsons fan just because the lastability just isn't there. It is a bit of a drain machine, the rules are super simple. It has an amazing look some of the best back glass ever and a great conversation piece in your place, but if you want more rules there are other Data East machines that are deeper. If you have space for a huge collection it is a nice add. It will always be a special one to me because it was the first pin I ever bought.
8.520/10
3 years ago
I might actually enjoy playing this more than TSPP, it is certainly more fun and less complicated. Only played it recently for the first time and the more I play it the more I love it. It will stay in the collection for years to come. My rating is 8.52/10
7.207/10
3 years ago
This is a tough game to love (even if you want to). The outlane drains seem to happen very frequently leading to short ball times and sporatic game play. The left ramp is over emphasized and really the only required shot in the game. Multi-ball is easy to get but again, drains are very frequent and often completely out of your control.

That being said, the artwork on this game captures the first season of the Simpsons perfectly. Given the fact that this basically only has one season to work with, the artists did a great job and it holds up 30+ years later. As a major Simpsons fan, I can really appreciate all the details and the backglass is really stellar with its mirrored effects. The sound is great and the theme integration really well done (again for only having one season to work with). In some ways it will always be a recognizable game and a key part of American pop culture.

It is in a strange spot. If you have limited space, it probably is not going to stay in your collection. If you have a lot of games, it is not going to stand out. If it is on location and costs money to play, you are likely going to have a short, random game. It really is for a niche collector that has multiple games AND really likes the Simpsons (like me).
8.526/10
3 years ago
What can I say about a staple pinball machine?

Really fun and I have always enjoyed shooting the silver ball on this one.
7.536/10
3 years ago
The Simpsons was my second machine. I got addicted to it and really thought I wanted the game. As I am a big Simpsons fan, I thought that this was a natural for me to own.

Game artwork is from early seasons so if you watched from the beginning, you would get the pictures. Backglass is outstanding, cabinet artwork is good. Playfield is also good.

Sounds and music are the best. Bart taunting and music did it for me. Fan of the show, fan of the sounds here.

The ramp, as has been pointed out in other posts, is the key. I could never get mine adjusted right or the flippers to make it consistently. But since I have learned lots, so that could just be me or my ability.

Playfield wears horribly, so if you have a good one, clearcoat the heck out of it!
7.316/10
3 years ago
It is a fun game with a good theme, but I don't think it would last in a home collection. If you love the Simpsons, the simpsons pinball party is the way to go.
7.699/10
3 years ago
It is what it is. A 1990 pin that is fun. I feel what makes this game fun is the sound and theme. Hitting the drop targets and the bowling sounds always makes me smile. You can't compare this to the Simpson Party because its in a whole different type of game. Go play and have fun with it. Great newbie pin.
7.361/10
3 years ago
i LOVE the look of this
I'm a Big SIMPSON fan, One of my favorite Backglasses
Very colorful playfield
Fun layout
Fun gameplay but A LOT of multi ball, And the RAMPS are a bitch
Moved on from it to make room.
Fun machine for kids , easy to learn and lock balls
7.143/10
3 years ago
Decent game but gets old pretty quickly. You really just try to lock balls and hit the ramp. Scoring is a bit lopsided depending on when you hit the ramp. It's OK to play but owning one got boring very quickly due to the shallow rules. Theme is great of course.
8.238/10
3 years ago
Decent, straight forward game... shoot ramp, spell “millions” repeat, hit drop targets, lock ball, 2 ball multi. Lock 2 ball, 3 ball multi, get jackpot. it’s a 1990 data east... Is what it is. A keeper in my collection mostly because of the skateboard themed cab and backglass.
7.469/10
5 years ago
A pin that is fun for a trip down memory lane to the early days of the Simpsons. Not a lot going on in terms of depth of play, but it was 1990 and that's just where pinball was at. Good first machine or if you want something fun and nostalgic for the kids.
8.280/10
5 years ago
Bought it back then for the kids and myself..... The theme, artwork and call out are fantastic. The gameplay however is a bit too repetative and gets boring after a few games. We had a lot of family fun and now good memories so it was good. Now the kids have moved out....so have Bart and Homer.
8.825/10
5 years ago
Not sure why this game generates so much hate. I guess if you’re not a fan of the Simpsons you may not like the theme but the gameplay is really good this game is extremely frustrating and the ball lock features activated by knocking down the bowling drop targets is awesome. For 1990 Data East, I really like this game. It gets a lot more use in my collection than I expected.
There are 67 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 3.

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