Fortnite x The Simpsons [IMPRESSIONS]

Fortnite x The Simpsons is finally here after what feels like months of whispers, wishful thinking, and even a few leaks, and honestly? It’s one of the best things to ever happen to the game. From the moment you drop through those parting cartoon clouds and hear the theme song kick in, the realisation immediately hits you: Epic have NAILED this. It’s bright, silly, lovingly detailed, and easily one of the most fun seasons Fortnite has ever had.

Let’s start with the obvious star of the show: Springfield. This map is pure joy, with it offering a tight and chaotic cel-shaded wonderland packed with familiar spots. You can sprint past the Simpsons’ house in Evergreen Terrace, dive into Moe’s Tavern (but not for a Duff, beer is censored here and understandably replaced with Slurp), get lost around the Nuclear Power Plant and try to avert disaster, and even wander the sloping grounds of Burns Manor – without the risk of good ol’ Burnsy himself releasing the hounds. It’s lovingly re-created but with a Fortnite island twist, and the amount of references crammed into every corner of the map is absolutely ridiculous. One minute you’re stumbling across an obscure gag that showed up over twenty-seasons ago, the next you’re accidentally triggering a prank call to Moe… it’s like a nostalgia rollercoaster that keeps you laughing, all whilst you’re getting shot at. Good times.

Because the map is smaller and matches are limited to 80 players, everything feels more fast, frantic, and satisfying – it feels like the perfect middle ground between Blitz and Battle Royale. Sure, you’ll bump into people more often early on and it was a little guilty of making the later phases drag out if players were too far apart, but when the island is this playful, you kind of don’t mind. Even the random Power Plant meltdowns and recently introduced Donut Storms (where giant donuts fall from the sky) feel like natural extensions of the chaos, with it clear throughout that Epic had a lot of fun designing this map and utilising every element of the zany nature of The Simpsons.

The battle pass is also a treat, with Homer, Marge, and Ned looking fantastic in-game (and the Simpsons-flavoured versions of Peely and Fishstick are cool additions that feel weird in exactly the right way). If I had one nitpick, it’s that Homer and Marge’s alternate styles didn’t quite hit it for me – they’re fun with their spooky twist, but there were better options from across the series that could have shown up. Ned, however, gets the perfect (and most sexy) variant… but you can discover that yourself in-game. It’s easy to earn your 1000 vBucks back thanks to the shorter length of the battle pass too, so the value really is there.

It’s also worth noting that Fortnite Sidekicks have been introduced in this season’s battle pass, which are an absolute delight. I won’t go into the detail of them here, but having a little friend joining you and expressing joy with your success just feels so warm and nice. There’s some real potential to have some wonderful animal friends join you in the game going forward… it’s something I’m really excited to see more of. Massively missed opportunity not to have Santa’s Little Helper as part of the battle pass though!

Those who want to drop some extra vBucks have had some excellent additions in the Fortnite Shop so far, with Krusty the Clown, Moe, Bart, and Lisa showing up – even Plopper the Pig gets a starring role as a Sidekick. It was to be expected, but Bart and Lisa are using robots in-game… given their size and the fact something similar has been done with Morty previously, it’s no surprise (and does fit in with episodes of the show), but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find it a little jarring. But hey, with brilliant cosmetic additions along with them (as well as the inclusion of both The Simpsons theme and the Monorail song as jam tracks), it’s hard to complain too much. Put it this way: my vBucks wallet has been EMPTIED this season, but given the quality of what is on offer, it’s all been well spent.

Check out some screenshots for the game down below:

And then there are the weapons. Early on, things felt a bit mild if I’m being honest, but now, at the midway point, I’m LOVING the themed arsenal. The culmination really does feel like Moe’s Five Gun – his welded-together monstrosity from season 9 that chews through ammo like it’s starving, but brings plenty of variety across the different shooting types it unleashes. It’s so damn satisfying to get kills with it, and you can sense the trepidation and fear in rival players when you approach them with it (or at least I’d like to think so anyway). Add in the Deodorant Applicator laser, Krusty’s Mr Blasty, and Bart’s slingshot, and every match has that wild sense of unpredictability to it that’s brought on by the pain you can unleash.

Fortnite has had plenty of big crossovers before, but this one feels different – like a proper celebration instead of a quick tie-in. It’s packed with references, gags, clever design touches, and genuinely great gameplay ideas, whilst the quests themselves play into the wonderful chaos of The Simpsons. Even Nelson shows up with his trademark ‘Ha-Ha’ when you topple a boss… it really has thought of everything. It has kept me coming back for more and more, and whilst I sped through the battle pass (there are only seventy levels to get everything), I still find myself hooked in for hours on end now. I just love it so, so much, and as a big fan of both The Simpsons and Fortnite, it has kept a massive, massive grin on my face when playing.

When this disappears at the end of the month? Yeah, I’m definitely going to miss it a LOT. If you haven’t played it yet, you really need to see the love and care that Epic have put in, with this one of the most special seasons of content that Fortnite has ever had.