The Simpsons: Bart Vs. The Space Mutants - Boss Analysis # 61

The sixty-first episode of Boss Analysis.
Bart vs The Space Mutants, despite not being a masterpiece by any defintion of the word, is a pretty memorable game simply on account of being one of the earliest Simpsons games. This was a game that everyone just seemed to magically own back in the day. For some unknown reason, I decided to cover each of its bosses back-to-back for this episode of Boss Analysis. Ay caramba, Annoyed Grunt, disapproving groan, etc. etc.
I covered the NES version for this video because that's the one I'm most familiar. However, from what I've played of some of the other versions, it might actually be the most inferior edition; perhaps I could go over the changes to the bosses in a future episode...
Previous episodes of Boss Analysis can be found in the playlist: • Boss Analysis

[@TBTabby]

The manual confirms that the bosses are the real characters from the show, and they are knowingly and willingly aiding the Space Mutants. They hate Bart so much that they're willing to hand the world over to alien invaders just to get back at him. That's a level of pettiness we wouldn't see again until Earthbound.

[@Howureadis]

In that last sentence, are you talking about Pokey?

[@TBTabby]

@@Howureadis No, but the bosses in this game have the same motive.

[@ls190v2]

But what about Skinner?

[@azurethescaletipper210]

Wouldn’t be surprised if it was Porky, because that boy is nothing *but* petty and spiteful.

[@kbrdft]

I knew there was a reason these are my two favorite games

[@LegacyOfM]

I'd like to think Alien Skinner is throwing steamed clams. It's how you know he is a fake.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

You have given this game more attention and analysis than its programmers likely did. The biggest obstacles are not the bosses, but what exactly you're supposed to do. Never even got through level 1 as a kid.

[@NoppyOwO]

yes

[@uanime1]

Skinner's abilities are based on the shop he's nearby, so the 1st Skinner is throwing candy as he's by a confectionary shop.

[@Fuzon-S]

Are we gonna ignore the fact the design on the Dinosaur looked jarring and semi-realistic on an orange and black background, to the point it's unintentionally horrifying? If I were a kid, I wouldn't even touch this game again after encountering it the first time.

[@dustinarmstrong1168]

And the signature "Bosses I Hate" jingle only made it worse.

[@HMZeroTwo]

This game is more well-known for the "Eat my shorts!" voice clip than anything else. Glad you decided to show that the game is more than that

[@pikminman13]

If we are only counting the game itself. If not the obvious title goes to any clip from the nerd episode.

[@bird5109]

Not by much, though.

[@devonwilliams5738]

I think the manual explains the letters as the disguised aliens dropping evidence of their plot when defeated, which Bart uses to get his family to help him..

[@HHog]

This makes it hilarious that Maggie, a literal baby, would somehow require the most evidence to convince (purely by merit of her having the longest name in the household).

[@devonwilliams5738]

@@HHog Stupid babies need the most evidence.

[@stormy_does_stuff]

​@@HHog honestly I think it makes sense

[@ChaseVaccaro-ge3gk]

​@@HHog To be fair, it'd be tough to get a baby to understand evidence, and so it's likely you just need to get enough for her to grasp the concept.

[@demopan1067]

6:30 I dont think we can be too mad at git for wanting to not worry about the timer. After all Cough cough Asterix

[@TBTabby]

Damn straight. Time limits are the worst kind of artificial difficulty.

[@Drekal684]

The game's "plot" always had me baffled even as a 6 year old. "Uh... so, they can only find hats from this mall? Or balloons from this circus? And - for real, purple objects was their first port of call?"

[@chaselatimer-prewitt5768]

Until the end where they pick what should've been their first pick.

[@ChaseVaccaro-ge3gk]

Wait, what do they choose at the end?​@@chaselatimer-prewitt5768

[@NunofYerbizness]

When Bart vs. The Space Mutants first released, the series was nearing the end of its 2nd season, though I don't doubt that when development for both this and the arcade game started, they only had the first season for reference. Also worth noting, the prototype of this game has unique music for dying, as well as different music for the carnival + museum stages, which I think coulda been a much better fit for the bosses than just the short snippets of The Simpsons theme that the final game had. I dunno if it was 'cause of filespace or what, but those tracks getting cut from release perplexes me a little. EDIT: So it turns out the prototype's music was directly lifted from Race America, an earlier title from the BvTSM developers, Imagineering. Still I think they coulda fared better with the boss music and such.

[@Ankhtheanimator]

I would seriously agree with the boss music being too repetitive

[@FourBudgies87]

I love how one of the songs is just the death music looping over and over again.

[@Sketch-Motion]

"Eat my courts" Sounds like another way of threatening to sue someone.

[@TheAzureNightmare]

It's also really funny how people just casually walk by! If *I* was walking through the mall, and I saw Giant bouncing donuts, And Killer Marshmallows, Walking shoes, and spring-jumping shoes, Moonwalking Shoes, Paper bags with legs, Paper bags with scary fuckin' heads, And Killer towels; *I'd* shit my pants! *Shit* would come out of my ass! - AVGN

[@peckneck8601]

What about a school principal in a giant hopping shoe?

[@Mysticshade59]

How I wish AVGN reached the dinosaur boss fight back then...

[@WhiteFangofWar]

2:47 Well Nelson is still antagonistic, always going around laughing at the misfortune of others... At least until the Very Tall Man taught him a lesson. He gets lot of unexpected dimension added over time but never stops being a bully character like Jimbo/Kearney/Dolph.

[@holdingpattern245]

Nelson was also a boss in the Game Boy Simpsons game Escape From Camp Deadly, from the same developer and the same year, in fact the only boss from that game who isn't a totally original character, and is taught a similar lesson in that game by another original character named Madman Mort. Also, in another case of the games possibly predicting the show, it came out about a year before the Kamp Krusty episode.

[@WhiteFangofWar]

@@holdingpattern245 Really? Interesting, I always thought Escape From Camp Deadly was a copy of the Kamp Krusty episode with a name change, as Kamp Krusty was one of the first episodes I ever watched. At least Bart's slingshot is useful in that game and you can get other weapons.

[@holdingpattern245]

@@WhiteFangofWar it's almost a run and gun game, very action-oriented. Also, in the manual there is unique artwork from Matt Groening, so he was probably aware of the game's existence if nothing else.

[@PlusmaGun]

It *is* Nelson at the end of the first stage. Page 20 of this NES game's manual mentions him under *Bart's Foes* and *water balloons* is his preferred weapon. The other bosses are also mentioned under there, so they are clearly confirmed by Acclaim themselves to be Ms. Botz, Sideshow Bob, et cetera.

[@arcengal]

I can confirm the Mega Drive version at least does the dinosaur boss better, as well as balancing the water balloons in Nelson's fight to have somewhat of a wind-up. The entire game was still guide-dang-it but it's a decent time once you get the hang of it.

[@endermenon4836]

"Apparently not dead after all" Oh, he's been very sick.

[@fandenovelas777]

Lol Marvin Monroe as the final boss... that's brillant, but... they should have inserted these french guys from that episode (they made a cameo in later chapters while Homer was a referee)

[@MamutaPWIP]

One thing to say about the “music” D’OH!

[@someunusualgames]

Seems like the sega genesis version of this game they made the dino battle a lot easier, the platform on the top of its head is larger and when you hit it, it pushes you to the left, so you're less likely to fall.

[@rebmiami155]

At 19:45, the game almost tricked my ears into thinking it had done something interesting with its music. The timing of the transition into the boss music kept the same rhythm (probably by pure coincidence) and only changed the melody, and that idea sounds like it could be interesting if done intentionally by the game's composer. I don't think I've seen anything like that intentionally in a game, have you?

[@sosams]

I was expecting the entire video to see Mr. Burns as a boss, since he was already a villain during the first season and even he is the final boss in the arcade game. It wasn't the case sadly...

[@holdingpattern245]

and the arcade game came out only a couple of months later

[@maesejesus]

Wait to see Bart VS The World, you'll get as many Mr. Burns OCs as you wish for bosses.

[@medusathedecepticon]

the earthquake attack acting as a possible dodge is kind of neat. Not the most useful but makes the battle a little longer 12:56 I thought she was throwing rocks? Oh well it still works at least

[@circumventboredom9463]

This music is krustier than any Krusty burger.

[@SuperFitzieZX]

Bart Simpson video let’s go listen to some tunes. *ears start bleeding*

[@dmas7749]

0:15 valid reason 6:12 my joke reasoning for these timers is that there's a toilet inbetween each level and their bladder explodes if they don't reach it in time 8:07 bullet armpit too OP plz nerf 9:49 oh no, so that means no spot is technically always safe? terrifying 12:08 okay yeah no skinner looks absolutely pathetic, that music is harder than he is, nice speedkill tho

[@darknessinc.Inc830]

Probably you can stand on the stalk, because the whole boss is probably the head, the stalk is just a prop

[@karlispovisils5297]

What a twist at the end

[@rcblazer]

I am hesitant to recommend it, but intrigued that you may do Boss Analysis videos on the other Simpsons games as well.

[@MasterKnightDH]

Mummy: NO! THE KID HERO WHO I CAN APPARENTLY KILL QUICKLY BY DOING SOMETHING CALLED GRABBING HIM GOT CLOSE TO ME! So the Dinosaur is stupid and there's simply not even much to talk about with him that you haven't covered. Hey, that would be interesting: Bowser: YOU! (grabs Marvin Monroe by the neck) Marvin Monroe: PLEASE! I HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS! Bowser: YOU'LL HAVE NOTHING AFTER I'M DONE WITH YOU FOR MAKING US FINAL BOSSES LOOK BAD! Ganondorf: I don't think we need help in that department. ..a- Bowser: YOU'RE NOT HELPING MATTERS, GANONDORK YOU WEENIE! Ganondorf: Well I'm just saying- Marvin Monroe: B-b-but I have an electrical attack! Bowser: Lah dee dah, you have an anti-ground attack in a platformer! At least I throw hammers to intercept Mario with anti-air! Kaiser Vlad: You really should remember to do that, Bowser, instead of jumping around the arena when you could break right through the flooring. Bowser: Who asked you, Mr. I-Get-My-Important-Defenses-Circle-Strafed? Mother Brain: Listen to Vlad. Good defenses served ME well in both of my appearances, and they did for him too. Ganondorf: You and Vlad are wusses. I actually fight Link in simple arenas wanting to show that I'm stronger than him. (The villains keep arguing with each other, now more strongly. Marvin Monroe starts crawling out in the argument, and starts passing by...) Carltron: Dust, dust, clean, clean... Marvin Monroe: Uh, aren't you going to try to stop me? Carltron: I would, but my own game gave the player a low cost alchemy spell that gave them invulnerability to everything but a few things that weren't in my lair. Each casting of that spell lasted a very long time too. A shame. I had programmed my favorite robot to sidle sometimes to trip up any filthy would-be interlopers that even reach it. Marvin Monroe: Oh, okay then...thank you. (crawls out of the area) Carltron: Dust, dust, clean, clean... (The other villains are still arguing with each other.)

[@davidlunalozano1074]

Marge don't shoot with a gun...she throws hair rollers.

[@nekomatagaming1]

The aliens in the cutscenes remind me of vortegaunts from half life

[@omegahaxors9-11]

There's a barely-perceptible platform on the dinosaur. No way in hell you're going to see that on a CRT though.

[@xXxChAmPoChOpxXx]

Happy new year!

[@IamANOTHERperson417]

Happy new year!

[@medusathedecepticon]

Woo! Same to y'all! 🎉

[@MountainMemelord]

24:11 Yay for Meteos.

[@RoqueFortStu]

in a later episode, Bart and Nelson are alone in a cave that starts flooding. Nelson appears with SCUBA gear and says "Some guy gave it to me." We then see a diver underwater without the SCUBA gear who looks dead; does this mean Nelson murdered the diver?! much darker than Bart the General I'd say!

[@TheLakabanzaichrg]

Oh hell yeah!

[@MrBenzedrineee]

Love you 👍🏻

[@Sledgex3]

How can you have a Nuclear Power Plant as the last level and not have Mr.Burns as the Final Boss, or an alien disguised as him?

[@RADish-official]

*it’s me Bart Simpson for the NES consume pant*

[@InsaneKorean77]

Say, I wonder if you should cover "Bart VS The World" and "Bartman Meets Radioactive Man" next.

[@alejandroortega5625]

I actually find this game very fun, except for the awful soundtrack quality. I played with my tv volume all the way down, and still my ears hurt.

[@augustoortiz1254]

The game was poorly programed, so is not a surprise the lack of final boss

[@holdingpattern245]

Marvin is the final boss, by default. (insert Simpsons astronaut episode reference here)

[@Lightpaladin720]

I hope you cover the weakest characters in gaming for the Simpsons game on the PS2/3 Xbox 360, etc because there is people like Burns, and the white rabbit if you consider the latter a boss

[@Jackrost01]

This game have tons of secrets, like jump here or there, use rocket at E letter or use whistle when you standing near last building and neae last window to summon Grandpa and he throw you bunch of coins. Another secret is at amusement park - there is giant Krusty face and you can jump on his lower jaw and then inside of his mouth. You will appear inside some long corridor with giant coins

[@garsrandom4358]

Thé final level is in the power plant so Mr Burns as the final boss makes more senses

[@Jackrost01]

Oh yes, this game. So because I don't have manual(well, no one have manual for bootleg games) and have poor skill in English as a kid, I still manage to complete 3 stages. If you don't have guide then you need some time to find a way to progress and experiment. Maybe I saw some tips from code books, but it was log time ago. Only after my friend also played this game we manage to complete it. I will say that this game have some good things, because if you saw other games from this devs then you know how awful this games was.

[@FaustY2K]

first Git video I muted cuz of the horrible music, not even the "leave my ears alone" videos I still turn down the volume of those a lot

[@antonyc.7173]

Which game’s death theme would make for the best (or at least, most bearable) boss theme.

[@ShadeMeadows]

OH YEEE~

[@demopan1067]

Great vid I know you probably dont listen to requests But heres one anyway skip if you dpnt care Boss analasys of scott pilgrim vs the world the game

[@OhCrapI_He]

19:37 For some reason, the music reminds me of Kool Thing by Sonic Youth kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4qopmOXg7upkKM Yet, according to Guitar Hero 3, that song came out in 1990. Coincidence, I think NOT!

[@PKMNwww411_MkII]

Eat my shorts, man! Hard to beat! D'oh!

[@bloodykenshiro8218]

This isn't a game, it's torture. I played the SMS version,, and outside of better palettes and slightly less horrible sound, it's just as bad in every other metric.

[@vanessanessa2761]

The game programmers make bosses so simple that the bosses look really bad and really bad.

[@wiiviewsnumba1fan]

Christ, I had to mute this video

[@Wiimeiser]

Why do you hate Lisa so much? Is it because of how she's been behaving recently?

[@RetroRulzMyTown]

I think so, mainly in how she's treated as a perfect messiah type, while being nasty to everyone.

[@whoisthisgit]

She's constantly acts like she's better than everyone else, but very rarely gets called out on her attitude, and worse yet, she's presented as being in the right 97% of the time; viewers are obviously meant to view her as the nicest and most wonderful person on the planet, and in a show that's usually about lampooning almost everything, it's very frustrating to watch, but very rarely does she gets called out on it or is the butt of a joke in any way. Hayley Smith from American Dad is a similar character done much, MUCH better, in my opinion.

[@lucideirune1635]

This game though is still better than the TV show in the modern era.

[@vanessanessa2761]

this is one of the worst bosses i ever seen in a licensed game in my entire life

[@kitestar]

DO’H

[@vanessanessa2761]

Game developers are too lazy to make bosses that bad.

[@boitahaki]

This game's music is really bad

[@lurking_shadows49]

The Simpsons has such an ugly, demoralizing art style. Not to mention how inherently nihilistic undertones of the show.

[@EggFighterXB-]

@No_To_Soy Early Seasons or Recent?

[@KopperNeoman]

The good Simpsons wasn't nihilistic - if anything it was existentialist.

[@ericb3157]

yes, having Death PIts in a Boss arena is the WORST thing EVER. reminds me of that one boss in Dark Souls whose ONLY attack breaks the floor under you!

[@gcapeletti]

I still think the first stage is brilliant. It seems like an adventure game. But it seems that all the creative effort was spent there. Maybe the production was rushed? The bosses are lame , the helpers do nothing, it really looks like an unfinished job.

[@bigstupidgrin2376]

Like many I never got out of the first level. And after seeing the T-Rex boss, I'm glad I didn't.