Simpsons Arcade Game Returns
By Jouni Paakkinen (jouni@snpp.com) - December 20, 2009
     In 1991, Konami released The Simpsons Arcade Game, which instantly became a hit among the Simpsons fans and is still considered the most memorable coin-operated Simpsons game by many. The game was subsequently released for home use on the IBM PC and Commodore 64/128 computers.
     Electronic Arts is now about to release The Simpsons Arcade Game for iPhone and iPod Touch. It is not a mere clone of the original game with new graphics and sounds, but a totally new take on the good old concept. According to EA, the player can use touchscreen controls to punch, grab and flip, kick, butt slam, jump, pick up and throw objects, belly flop, and dodge enemies. The character voices are provided by the original Simpsons voice actors.
     The company has worked closely with Gracie Films and Simpsons writer Michael Price to ensure a proper Springfield atmosphere and style. The game consists of 25+ levels in 6 different environments including Krusty Land, Channel 6, and Downtown Springfield.
     For more information and screenshots, view PDF fact sheet.

Get Duffed, Again!
By Jouni Paakkinen (jouni@snpp.com) - October 18, 2009
     Homer Simpson's favorite beer, Duff, has always been a brand every brewery with an eye for business would like to have in their catalogue. The South Australian Brewing company produced Duff beer up to mid-1996 when Fox successfully sued the brewery, forcing them to cease its manufacture. The Duff beer cans became a hot collector's item among fans of The Simpsons, even if the label looked quite different to the one on The Simpsons. In 2001, a family-owned brewery in Dunedin, New Zealand, was approached by lawyers demanding that they cease and desist all production of their "Duffs" brand alcoholic beverage. In complying with Fox's wishes, the Duff family rebranded their beverage "McDuffs."
     It is believed that Matt Groening has never allowed licensing Duff beer over concern that it would encourage kids to drink. However, recently bottles and six packs of Duff Beer have been available in several European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium, where – according to the label of a bottle purchased in Italy – the beer is being brewed. However, no mention of Duff beer can be found on the company's web site. Adding to the mystery, the site promoting Duff beer in Europe, duffeurope.com, is no longer available, while its sister sites duffitalia.it and duff-bier.de are still online. According to the German site, the local manufacturer is Eschweger Klosterbrauerei, but no information on this particular product can be found on their site either.
     In conclusion, at this point it is unknown to us whether this version of Duff beer, the label of which is this time very similar to the one on The Simpsons, is still manufactured or not. We only know by experience that you may be able to find it in little shops selling alcoholic beverages in Europe. Since there is no mention of Fox, The Simpsons or Matt Groening on the label, we can only assume that the product is not endorsed by them. So don't be surprised if it suddenly disappears from the market...
     If you have more information about the new Duff, please contact us.