My Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition Impressions

Simpsons and Clue together? Who would’ve thought this would happen? But are they any good? For that answer, you’ll have to read on to find out my Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition impressions.

Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition is a game that’s silly, nonsensical, and still has all the same rules as regular Clue. Fans of the Simpsons and Clue will like this game, but others may not because it is a little sillier than regular Clue, but it does have nice components many versions of Clue do not, so that could be a selling point for some.

A Quick Note On Editions

This impressions article will be covering the 2nd edition of Simpsons Clue. That’s right, there are TWO editions! The first featured pewter pawns instead of the fully painted miniatures from the second. Personally, having looked at some images of the pewter pieces, the fully painted miniatures is a much better choice.

Unfortunately, both can be a bit pricey since they’re not as easy to get anymore, but I’m still going to list this game in the under $50 category because you can find a lot of new or good-quality used versions under that amount.

By the way, throughout this article, whether or not I’m referring to Simpsons Clue or Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition specifically, I’m still referring to the 2nd Edition. Just a quick note.

What Does “Impressions” Mean?

Just like my impressions article for Clue 2018, I don’t feel comfortable calling this article a review. To me, a review means I’ve played the game at least once, so I can adequately explain what that experience is like to readers like you.

I have not played Simpsons Clue, but I have played Clue many times before. Clue’s formula largely remains unchanged in the decades since its original release, but Simpsons Clue will naturally have differences from that version of Clue.

So, what I’ve done is I’ve studied the rules for Simpsons Clue, thought back to my previous plays with regular Clue, and combined those two to create this impressions article. Basically, I’m going to give you an idea of what this game might be like even though I haven’t played it myself.

While this won’t be a review, I can still give you a good idea if you’ll like this game or not. So, let’s get to the impressions, starting with the back-of-the-box facts!

Back-Of-The-Box Facts About Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition

• Player Count: 3-6
• Time To Play: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Age Range: 8 and up
• Difficulty: Beginner/Easy
• Price Range: Under $50
• Release Year: 2002
• Publisher(s): Hasbro
• Designer(s): Unknown
• Artist(s): Matt Groening (Simpsons creator) for some art – the rest is unknown
• Where To Buy: Amazon is an option, but you’re better off going to eBay for a better price

My Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition Impressions

Let’s start off with whether or not this still feels like Clue.

Is This Still Clue?

This game is classic Clue through and through. The rules are identical to what you’ll find in classic Clue. I say “classic” because there are no clue cards in this game like there are in some other modern versions of Clue.

For those who don’t know, clue cards are cards you get if you roll a magnifying glass icon on a die. They allow you to get extra information or allow for extra movement. This version of Clue doesn’t have them though, but what does it have?

Impressions On What Comes In The Box For Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition

Simpsons Clue includes the following components:

1. The game board
2. A pad of sheets for marking off suspects, weapons, and locations
3. Six suspect cards, six weapon cards, and nine location cards
4. The confidential “case file” envelope
5. Two dice
6. Six fully painted miniatures
7. Six weapons cast in zinc

Notice anything missing? That’s right! There’s no rulebook included with this game.

Instead, all the rules are printed on the cardboard box insert. It’s an interesting choice that I suppose doesn’t hurt the game, but considering that means you’ll have to either take the box insert out or grab the whole box to check the rules if there’s an issue, that could be frustrating for some.

On the positive side though, the fully painted miniatures are a nice touch that gives a little boost to this game’s production value, especially compared to other Clue versions which go with colored pawns or standees. Plus, the miniatures are pretty good quality, and they feel like they’ll hold up over time.

The game board also looks great and features nine locations from the Simpsons show with lots of little details in each. Oh, and the dice are yellow, which is a nice touch too. Overall, the team that made this game poured some love into it to really give it that Simpsons’ flavor and feel, but does it end up feeling like the Simpsons?

How Much Does Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition Feel Like The Simpsons?

Honestly, while I haven’t played this game yet, since this is basically just Clue with a Simpsons theme reskinned onto it, I don’t think you’ll end up feeling like you’re playing a Simpsons character doing Simpsons things.

I imagine it would be fun for the first few games to go to different locations and to joke about who ended up being the murderer and how, but after a while I think the shine will wear off (which is probably true of most themed versions of Clue).

Still, I love the custom murder weapons, which include a necklace, slingshot, saxophone, extend-o-glove, plutonium rod, and poisoned donut. The people who made this game could’ve gone with less off-the-wall choices, but they stayed true to the silliness of the Simpsons show and went with some great ideas for the weapons here.

Does This Game Make Sense At All?

Haha, not at all. Now, I know what you’re thinking. The Simpsons is a cartoon show that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense anyway. I mean, it’s a cartoon, right?

Here’s the problem though. This is a cartoon theme stretched over a more grounded game about murder. There’s history with Clue and many people know that history, have some connection to it. So, when there’s a sudden shift away from that history, it can be a little jarring.

Here’s what I mean. So, the mansion on the game board is shaped similar to how the original Clue’s mansion is shaped. You can also see a couple of cars pulled up to the sides plus some items you might find in someone’s yard.

There’s just one problem with this: the rooms inside the mansion aren’t called rooms. They’re called locations, and they’re locations that couldn’t possibly exist inside a mansion, especially since the Simpsons show has already established where these locations exist in their world. For reference, the locations are Barney’s Bowl-A-Rama, the Simpson House, the Springfield Retirement Castle, the Android’s Dungeon, the Nuclear Power Plant, the Kwik-E-Mart, the Burns Manor, the Frying Dutchman, and Krustylu Studios.

Now, even in a cartoon show, things should still make sense to us. But in this game we have a house, a manor, a power plant, and more inside one mansion? No, I don’t think so. The locations are great, but I don’t understand why they wouldn’t have the game board built more like the town of Springfield. It would’ve been an easy fix.

One other thing I find odd about this version of Clue is the character cards. They list the names of the Simpsons characters who are in the game, but then they say they’re playing someone else. For example, Waylon Smithers as Mrs. White or Lisa Simpsons as Miss Scarlet.

This decision adds this extra layer of fakeness to everything. You’re not just playing a board game anymore. Now, you’re playing a board game with a cartoon show theme that features characters playing as other characters inside a mansion that couldn’t possibly exist, even within this cartoon world.

Hopefully, you’re starting to see why these decisions are a little weird.

Aren’t You Looking A Little Too Deep Into This?

Absolutely, but even though the Simpsons is a cartoon show, it does follow many rules of our world, so it would’ve been nice if those same rules had been followed within the game. Once a experience, whether it’s a board game, video game, movie, TV show, loses that suspension of disbelief, it’s hard to get it back.

Still, maybe you don’t care, and if you don’t, then you’ll enjoy the fun and weirdness this game offers.

Anything Else You Want To Say?

I almost forgot to mention that the component quality is pretty good here. Nothing so far above regular Clue that I’d say this is absolutely the version to get, but the fully painted miniatures, the cards with rounded edges, the yellow dice, all of it is good quality.

Overall Impressions And Who Would Most Enjoy This Game

It won’t really matter if this game makes sense or not. If you’re a fan of Clue and you’re a fan of the Simpsons, then get this game. I think it’ll be fun for that mix of people, but what about for others?

That’s harder to say. If you’re a fan of the Simpsons show but not a fan of Clue, I’d say stay away. If you’re a fan of Clue though, this might be a fun way to spice things up a bit. Still, regular Clue has a slightly more serious feel to it than this game does, so that may be a turnoff for some.

Did You Know?

(Each time you refresh the page you will get a new “Did You Know” fact!)

Did you know that art really matters for a board game? While this isn’t always the case, a unique or powerful art style can elevate a board game from good to great. The reverse is also true.

Conclusion: My Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition Impressions

So, there you have it, my impressions of Simpsons Clue 2nd Edition. I never thought I’d be diving so deep into a game like this, but it was fun to do so. I hope you enjoyed it too!

Now, I’m curious about your thoughts. What do you think about this weird mashup? Let me know your thoughts and why in the comments below!

And, as always, keep on gaming, fellow board gamers.