The Complete History of Video Games on "South Park"
South Park recognizes video games as distinct, significant, and unique molds, impressive enough to warrant frequent appearances alongside film and television; at least fifty of them.
Image via Complex Original
Trey Parker and Matt Stone like to talk about culture. They even made a show about it. It’s called South Park. In satirizing modern society, South Park has carved its niche among adult cartoon comedies by exploring the formative media influences on children. It recognizes video games as distinct, significant, and unique molds, impressive enough to warrant frequent appearances alongside film and television; at least fifty of them.
Following a list of video games found in The Simpsons, we've compiled an exhaustive list of the direct and indirect gaming nods found in the existing 17 seasons of this crass, controversial cardboard cartoon. From arcades to otters, from Farmville to Lemmiwinks, this is The Complete History of Video Games on South Park.
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Coleco-Vision
Episode: "Chickenpox” (s2e10)
Original Air Date: August 26, 1998
When the boys are forced into chicken pox by their parents, they spend one dirty evening at Kenny's trailer. Instead of a Nintendo, Kenny has a Coleco-Vision. And instead of dinner, they have breakfast. It's a fitting analogy to the inferiority of the long-forgotten poor-man's game console - the cold waffle of '90s gaming.
Chinpokomon
Episode: "Chinpoko Mon” (s3e11)
Original Air Date: November 17, 1999
In case it wasn't clear by now, Pokemon was designed by the Japanese to brainwash American kids into joining the Japanese military in a global conflict for supremacy. That's the message of this early episode of South Park where the boys get hooked on the latest TV, toy, and video game craze called Chinpokomon. Furrycat, Donkeytron, Pengin, Shoe, Lambtor - the gang's all there. The key to being a good trainer, as we all know, is to collect them all for the glorious destiny of Japan. Right?
Sega Dreamcast
Episode: "Tooth Fairy Tats” (s4e1)
Original Air Date: April 5, 2000
Remember when you wanted a Sega Dreamcast? Me either, but there is a certain allure to Samba de Amigo (now on the Wii) that infect the kids of South Park when Cartman strikes tooth fairy gold. Though the original goal is overshadowed by the tooth smuggling process, working hard to buy video games is a twenty year old tradition for American youths. Of course, they never do buy the Sega Dreamcast, which is why the console was discontinued shortly thereafter. That was the reason.
2001 Okama Gamesphere
Episode: "Towelie” (s5e8)
Original Air Date: August 8, 2001
In order to avoid having to explain what tampons are, Mrs. Marsh buys Stan the $399 gaming revolution, the 2001 Okama Gamesphere. Although it recurs throughout the series almost every season, only one game is ever seen: Thirst for Blood. Also an arcade game, Thirst for Blood is one part Primal Rage, one part Mortal Kombat, and three other parts Primal Rage II. Giant monsters fight for control of craggy, volcanic landscapes, just like in the Jurassic Era. It's a valuable history lesson and a great way to forget about menstruation.
Lemmiwinks
Episode: "The Death Camp Tolerance” (s6e14)
Original Air Date: November 20, 2002
One of the looser video game references on the list, the journey of Lemmiwinks the class gerbil from the gay man's ass to the gay man's mouth is most reminiscent of the animated movie “The Hobbit”. It features whimsical folk tunes to chronicle his trials and animal spirit guides to lead him from the intestine to the stomach, and up to the light at the end of the tunnel. The sparrow prince grants Lemmiwinks a helmet and torch to aid in his quest, similar to trajectory of the NES Zelda games and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, in which, like Lemmiwinks, the prisoners only chance of survival is escape. That is, if he isn't caught by his evil twin brother, Wikilinks.
Civilization
Episode: "Simpsons Already Did It” (s6e7)
Original Air Date: June 26, 2002
Cartman, Tweak, and the gang observe a microcosm of the advancement of civilization when they combine sea people (see: monkeys) with generous helpings of semen. Transforming from tribal to pseudo-Egyptian and pseudo-Greek cultures, the sea critters learn the hard way that societies are doomed to war. The accelerated progression of the sea people's culture is suspiciously similar to the flow of the Civilization games, along with other strategy games that mimic its design. If only sea people utilized the diplomacy function more often, perhaps their apocalypse could have bee averted.
Pitfall
Episode: "Red Hot Catholic Love” (s6e8)
Original Air Date: July 3, 2002
Father Maxi has to find the holy document of Vatican Law to end priest molestations condoned by the laws of the church under the rule of the spider queen, which is how it actually works. In his quest to find the documents, he steps into a retro game warp, placing him in a 2D, 8-bit plane replete with pits, snakes, vines, ladders, and synchronized alligators. It hearkens back to a simpler time, much in the way that Father Maxi wishes to return the church to a time when the values of kindness, respect, and love for your fellow man were the most important messages for the church. The Queen Spider denies it.
Ninja Fighters
Episode: "Good Times with Weapons” (s8e1)
Original Air Date: March 17, 2004
More a reference to the storied tradition of Japanese animation, the boys anime transformation sees Stan, among others, emulating iconic gaming heroes like Ryu of Street Fighter fame. And, like characters in many Eastern RPGs, Cartman adds powers at a whim, from lightning strikes to fireballs to chicken morphing. Unlike any game, the boys find their pretend ninja characters cause real shuriken harm to Butter's face.
Fist Fighter
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
Another Street Fighter reference dawns on South Park, an arcade cabinet featuring, presumably, a fighting game. Like many of the arcade games in the show, it pops up repeatedly throughout the remaining seasons, submitting that, like real arcades, there are only five games actually worth playing. The question is this: do players fight with or against the fists?
DDR
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
Glen's Sinistarcade is a relic of earlier times, when arcades flourished in American malls before selling off cabinets to collectors just to pay the rent. The stereotype “Asian who dominates at DDR” is just as antiquated, but serves to add to Stan's motley dance crew with some techno flair. As Yao astutely observes, dancing without a machine direction is just stupid.
Junkie Hunt
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
Among the many drug-themed video games in South Park, Junkie Hunt is one of the earliest and most mysterious. Presumably, it's a reference to the light-gun classic Duck Hunt with a delightful DEA twist. Send out the drug dog into the tall grass to scare up a gaggle of meth-heads, then put 'em down with a sharp shot of prosecution, rehab, and maybe a little honesty.
Thirst for Blood
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
With a title befitting scores of mature-rated games this generation, Thirst for Blood is everything the mature (and immature) gamer could ask for: great apes, dinosaurs, blood spurts, health bars, words flashing across the screen with exclamation points. It premiered on South Park with the 2001 Okama Gamesphere but proliferated into arcades and onto game store shelves as console releases. It's just a little unsettling to see the title of a game so accurately describe market content motivators.
Space Brain Damage
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
Long before the mind-bending spacecapades of Isaac Clarke in Dead Space, there was South Park's foreshadowing, Space Brain Damage. More likely it was built on the shoulders of space shooter classics like Galaga and R-Type, maybe even Metroid, elucidating the appeal of the universal void. Space is eerie enough without mental incapacitation.
Smack Man
Episode: "You Got F'd in the A" (s8e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2004
What if Pac-Man had arms? South Park posits this hypothetical situation with the arcade title Smack Man, seen among the cabinets of Glen's Sinistarcade. The yellow hero would not be bound by walls if endowed with appendages, and, as the title suggests, he could also gain the gift of hand-to-ghost combat. Sure, it'd be an entirely different game, but wouldn't it be vindicating for all those years of being chased?
Vomit Cop
Episode: "The Jeffersons" (s8e6)
Original Air Date: April 21, 2004
Vomit Cop is not what it sounds like, although Vomit Cop 7 might be. Look carefully; on the screen of the arcade cabinet for Vomit Cop in Michael Jackson's house is an image from an old, familiar NES title. Give up (or too lazy to actually go look)? That's right, Vomit Cop is actually an alternate title for Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. The regurgitating police work must be in the subtext somewhere, or maybe Link is secretly a queasy Triforce detective. Whatever the case, don't hurl this golden oldie away based on name alone.
Farmer's Market
Episode: "The Jeffersons” (s8e6)
Original Air Date: April 21, 2004
Of all the arcade games in South Park, Farmer's Market is the toughest to decipher. Perhaps the game is actually a realistic simulation of being at a farmer's market, buying overpriced, locally grown produce with the triggers and loudly discussing free range chicken eggs with options on the D-pad. The game makes its debut in Michael Jackson's house, which would imply childlike whimsy, but games about mundane suburban lives have succeeded before.
Heaven vs. Hell
Episode: "Best Friends Forever" (s9e4)
Original Air Date: March 30, 2005
In the greatest struggle of any time (that's one heavy superlative), the demons of hell rise up to force the armies of heaven into open war. They are lost without direction, and the angels are unable to provide the leadership needed to win the day. Only a human boy, Kenny, can grasp the golden PSP firmly in his mitts and play Heaven vs. Hell to turn the tide of battle. Now we know who actually plays PSP games anymore.
Unnamed Mortal Kombat Reference
Episode: "Free Willzyx" (s9e13)
Original Air Date: November 30, 2005
Mortal Kombat's reputation outside the gaming industry suffers from the same elements that made the game a classic in the '90s. Gratuitous, awesome violence fuels the fury of each of the bloodbath titles in the Mortal Kombat series, which transfers into an indirect South Park reference. The announcers of a Sea World whale show, in between announcing and tricking kids into believing whales were captured from the moon, kick back with a fighting game suspiciously similar to NetherRealm Studios' gory brawler. Homage or satire, you be the judge.
Video Football
Episode: "Smug Alert” (s10e2)
Original Air Date: March 29, 2006
While a thick cloud of smug begins enveloping the nation, Cartman and Butters sit down to some video football. Cartman is used to shellacking Kyle, the “Jewboy”, but is unprepared for just how bad of an opponent Butters will prove. Like that one friend who “doesn't play sports games,” Butters' performance on the digital field frustrates Cartman enough to divert his attention away from the game to the smug issue. If only the rest of us were so terrible at games, we might spend more time solving pertinent national issues… like how to get better at games.
Cartman's Xbox
Episode: "Tsst” (s10e7)
Original Air Date: May 3, 2006
If the government, aliens, and Vagisil can't stop Cartman, then Nanny Stella has no hope. In her attempts to “bogart” Cartman's beloved Xbox 360, she incurs the wrath of his damaging psychological manipulation. More kids would benefit from these kinds of devious tactics, even if only for a time; the Dog Whisperer is as lethal to gaming as the red ring of death.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Episode: “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (s10e8)
Original Air Date: October 4, 2006
In the most infamous of South Park episodes featuring video games, Butters can't get with the program. While the rest of the boys band together to defeat the evil Jenkins in World of Warcraft, Butters plays his preferred online game, Hello Kitty Island Adventure. His kitty skills don't transfer well into Blizzard's addictive MMORPG, and he returns to the island. How the Hello Kitty franchise hasn't capitalized on this idea since is… an adorable mystery.
Warcraft III
Episode: “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (s10e8)
Original Air Date: October 4, 2006
By the air date of this episode, Warcraft III was only still relevant in the growing vestiges of Defense of the Ancients (now becoming a full game release), but the game left its mark. For PC RTS gamers, Warcraft III represented a solid stepping stone on the path to StarCraft II and a free-to-play alternative to WoW. In South Park, it makes numerous appearances on game store shelves and even in the conference room of Blizzard Entertainment.
StarCraft
Episode: “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (s10e8)
Original Air Date: October 4, 2006
Blizzard cemented its RTS dominance well over a decade ago, and one of the flagship titles propelling the company's success was StarCraft. StarCraft II may be a step up in a litany of ways, but the impact created by the original can't be overshadowed. The competitive major league StarCraft battles, especially in South Korea, only hint at the addictive potential of the intergalactic arms race between the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. The far-reaching tendrils of StarCraft earned it a spot on the wall in the conference room at Blizzard during the Jenkins World of Warcraft crisis. Kerrigan be praised.
Diablo 2
Episode: “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (s10e8)
Original Air Date: October 4, 2006
With Diablo 3 on the shifting horizon, PC gamers are returning to Diablo 2 in troves to hone their dungeon-diving, treasure-looting skills in preparation. But long before the Diablo 3 beta or any of the game's multitude of release dates, South Park heralded Blizzard's achievement in RPG excellence with a fair number of box art depictions. With how current the writer's on the show seem to keep with gaming trends, it wouldn't be surprising to see the third entry in this legendary series make an appearance sometime soon.
World of Warcraft
Episode: “Make Love, Not Warcraft” (s10e8)
Original Air Date: October 4, 2006
The all-powerful and merciless World of Warcraft player Jenkins (nod to Leroy) has even more dominion in the game than Blizzard's admins. The boys want to play WoW but are continually thwarted by Jenkins. They resolve to kill enough boars to level them up high enough to face Jenkins in a classic raid scenario where, with the aid of Randy and the Sword of 1000 Truths, they defeat Jenkins and save the realm. What's truly remarkable about this episode of South Park is the amount of collaboration with Blizzard in order to use in-game footage of WoW to tell the story. It was the first episode of its kind for a major television series, and especially surprising given the barbs poked at WoW players. Blizzard was a good sport, though, and for that South Park can claim what is widely recognized as the most iconic video game reference in a television show.
Lara Croft
Episode: "Hell on Earth 2006” (s10e11)
Original Air Date: October 25, 2006
At Satan's sweet sixteen party, the devil's minions worry about a giant Ferrari cake. In the background, boyhood gamer wet dream Lara Croft shmoozes with the rest of hell's inhabitants. If any character aroused parental ire for original PlayStation households, it was Lara and her luscious virtual curves (and that infamous naked cheat). It seems fitting, then, that she make an appearance at the most evil part of the century.
Okami
Episode: "Go God Go” (s10e12)
Original Air Date: November 1, 2006
One of the more cult and obscure video game references in South Park, Okami boxes frequently dot the store shelves of EV Games throughout multiple seasons. It's not hard to imagine that Parker, Stone, and their writing team absorbed most of their game references by indirect osmosis of the biggest name games. But a direct reference to a game as niche (relatively speaking) and critically acclaimed as Okami seems to suggest that the writers had some personal, positive experience with it. The next step is a correctly spelled allusion to Amaterasu - and not the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 version.
Twerps
Episode: "Go God Go” (s10e12)
Original Air Date: November 1, 2006
When South Park poked fun at the beloved game series, Bratz, I knew they'd gone too far. By showing a box for a Nintendo DS title called Twerps the creators of the show are declaring war on core gamers everywhere who spend hours every day shopping in pixilated malls with giant heads covered in pounds of virtual makeup. If this heinous level of mockery is any indication of what can be expected from South Park, I can't in good conscience recommend it to any honest viewer. Bratz for Game of the Year 2011.
The Nintendo Wii
Episode: "Go God Go/Go God Go XII” (s10e12)
Original Air Date: November 1, 2006
When the Wii released in September 2006, hysteria hit the gaming market as shipments of the motion control console were few and small. South Park taps into this mass gamer panic when Cartman decides to freeze himself three weeks prior to the Wii's launch to avoid waiting. He travels too far into the future, and must trick a militia band of atheist, ostrich-riding otters into showing him the way to the Museum of Technology in old New New Hampshire. He finds the Wii but can't play it on 26th century televisions, as is the fate of technologies even just decades old today. A cautionary tale, if ever there was one: backwards compatibility or suffer a lame future.
Thirst for Blood 6: Deathfist
Episode: "Go God Go” (s10e12)
Original Air Date: November 1, 2006
Great games deserve greater sequels and often receive less. Although the interim iterations of Thirst for Blood (2-5) are unknown, it stands to figure that they featured at least enough blood and Paleolithic showdowns to keep the series alive until the release of Thirst for Blood 6: Deathfist. Perhaps most alarming is the notion that the fists were not, in fact, deadly prior to this game. Bloody, sure, but isn't the finisher the heart of a fighting game? The slow-motion, the announcer's victory warble, the rage-quits - it all comes to fruition, at last, in Deathfist.
Zombie Games
Episode: "Night of the Living Homeless” (s11e7)
Original Air Date: April 18, 2007
The homeless of South Park flood the streets begging for change, triggering an immediate zombie apocalypse game scenario for Stan, the boys, and their families. Like every zombie game, there's the moral quandary of killing a beloved human turned homeless, the sacrifice of the selfless individual to become homeless for the good of the group, and shotgun headshots. What zombie games ignore is the simple solution that the boys concoct to save South Park from the infected horde. They lead the mindless creatures to California.
Link
Episode: "Imaginationland” (s11e10)
Original Air Date: October 17, 2007
The evil video game characters in Imaginationland outnumber the good. Those are Link's kind of odds. In the three-part story, Link dons red and green tunics, implying that, like Ganondorf, the South Park writers chose his Ocarina of Time version over the older or more recent, cartoony ones. It seems like Link has gone soft since his time travelling days. Maybe The Skyward Sword will deliver a renewed, badass Link, and South Park won't have to recycle from decades-old character models anymore.
Akuma
Episode: "Imaginationland II” (s11e11)
Original Air Date: October 24, 2007
The younger brother of Ryu's sensei, the demon Akuma, makes a cameo in the evil Imaginationland camp. His dark presence is decidedly more ominous than that of Alien and Shredder, as is his appearance as a hidden boss in Super Street Fighter II: Turbo. The prayer beads around his neck are a diversion; his badass imaginary deeds are the true Akuma. Or he's just a fairly specific fighting game reference. Either one.
Goro
Episode: "Imaginationland II” (s11e11)
Original Air Date: October 24, 2007
Goro has remained one of the most feared Mortal Kombat fighers despite his distinct lack of elemental powers. Brute physicality and a dense health bar are all the half-human, half-Shokan needs to lay a beating down on the lesser gods and demons of the MK roster. He employs the same arsenal in Imaginationland, but adds one unbeatable finisher: staring menacingly from the background. FATALITY.
Mario
Episode: "Imaginationland III” (s11e12)
Original Air Date: October 31, 2007
When terrorists destroy the wall between the good and evil sides of Imaginationland, only the most valiant and pure heroes can stand in defense of the Predator, the Minotaur, and the Woodland Christmas Critters. Among them is the famous Italian plumber Mario, without the aid of his green-clad brother, stomping goombas and other wrong-doers in the battle to save our imaginations. Just imagine if Miyamoto never imagined Mario. You can't? That's because a Mario-free world is imaginary.
Pacman and the Pacman Ghosts
Episode: "Imaginationland III” (s11e12)
Original Air Date: October 31, 2007
Classic, primal conflicts are often the most compelling, which is why the struggle between Pac-Man and Blinky, Inky, Pinky, and the aptly named Clyde are so powerful. Why are they chasing the former “Puck Man” and his beautiful circular bride? How can fruit turn the tide from a manhunt to outright vengeance in the blink of an eye? Can dots sustain life? The unanswered questions are what keep the mystery of Pac-Man alive, prompting its longevity as a game series and the cameo in the battle for Imaginationland.
Bowser
Episode: "Imaginationland III” (s11e12)
Original Air Date: October 31, 2007
What evil cadre would be complete without the king of the koopas, Mario's eternal nemesis Bowser. Aside from some embarrassing cartoons in the early '90s, Bowser has always been a princess-napping buffoon, stumbling his way down lava pits, out of his castle (at least three occasions), and finally into the epic engagement to decide the fate of Imaginationland. Though viewers may not see him in the midst of the fray, it's safe to assume that he's either blowing fire, stomping, or being swung by his tail in spiked bombs.
Wario
Episode: "Imaginationland III” (s11e12)
Original Air Date: October 31, 2007
1992's Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins properly introduced gamers to the identifiable construction foreman and Mario foil, Wario. His inception was as sinister as his crooked moustache, though he has since been lightened up with super fart powers (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) and frantic, LSD trip mini-games (WarioWare, Inc.). Among the other evil imaginary creatures in Imaginationland, Wario remains an unremarkable, threatening force and shows no penchant for flatulence or drug-induced shovelware. His appearance may be a tribute to his devious roots, or it may be as off-handed as the inclusion of Snarf.
Ganondorf
Episode: "Imaginationland III” (s11e12)
Original Air Date: October 31, 2007
For every Ganon, there's a Ganondorf. And for every Lord of the Rings reference in South Park, there is also a Ganondorf. The dark king from Gerudo uses his piece of the Triforce to fight for the evil imaginary creatures in Imaginationland. Although Ganondorf has seen almost as many iterations as Bowser, South Park went with the most acclaimed and memorable version from Ocarina of Time. But, then, that begs the question: Is it Ganondorf or just Phantom Ganon?
Guitar Hero
Episode: "Guitar Queer-O” (s11e13)
Original Air Date: November 7, 2007
Stan and Kyle's rise to stardom and subsequent decline are a classic rock and roller's tale, but their instrument is no Fender or Gibson. They catch the eye of a local talent scout when they reach 100,000 points playing "Carry On My Wayward Son" in Guitar Hero, because real instruments are “gay”. Stan tries to overshoot Kyle and ends up addicted to a different, destructive game while Kyle plays Guitar Hero gigs at the local bowling alley. When Stan has his change of heart, he and Kyle reunite to salvage their broken friendship and go for a million points. When they reach the mark, they learn the hard truth of being really good at video games. The game tells them “You are f**s.”
Heroine Hero
Episode: "Guitar Queer-O” (e11e13)
Original Air Date: November 7, 2007
It's the ultimate first person shooter. Chase the dragon through a forest and across a river. Never catch the dragon. Heroine Hero destroys Stan's Guitar Hero career when he becomes addicted to the game, playing it for days, showing up strung out to shows. Where most players would have taken the easy road out and played Rehab Hero, Stan opts for the tough road of self-realization with a boring driving game. Heroine Hero is the most addictive game on any system ever. It's one game and it's every other game. You will never catch the dragon.
Vomit Cop 7
Episode: "Guitar Queer-O” (s11e13)
Original Air Date: November 7, 2007
How can a game called Vomit Cop amp up the existing insanity? Six sequels. Seen only as a strategy guide, speculation about Vomit Cop 7's prequels is wide open. Maybe players assumed the role of six rookie cops arriving on grisly crime scenes. Maybe they were motion control action RPGs, leveling the volume of refund with public commendations. Whatever the case, thank god they made a seventh iteration complex enough to warrant a game guide.
Cross-Country Cruiser
Episode: "Guitar Queer-O” (s11e13)
Original Air Date: November 7, 2007
After falling off the wagon, blowing his shot at Guitar Hero fame, and hitting rock bottom, Stan looks to a simple driving game for solace. But everyone knows that driving games release painful memories in montage form, and Cross-Country Cruiser is no different. Based loosely on Cruisin' World and the steering wheel peripherals it inspired, Stan's epiphany drives him to an unheard of maneuver in the driving game tradition. He goes in reverse.
Willow: The Game
Episode: "The China Problem” (s12e8)
Original Air Date: October 8, 2008
In 1988, Val Kilmer starred in a science fiction movie written by George Lucas called Willow. In the movie, a dwarf and his female companion shepherd a baby through the countryside to avoid capture from an evil queen, which is approximately what it looks like the arcade game is also about. Judging from the cabinet art, the plot is the same, although the gameplay looks to follow in the footsteps of platformer trailblazer Super Mario Bros. Regardless, the joy of baby squiring is cut short for South Park's district attorney when he sees Indiana Jones raped by George Lucas on a nearby pinball machine. Yikes.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Episode: "Margaritaville” (s13e3)
Original Air Date: March 25, 2009
The video game industry has typically been one of the first industries to suffer in a recession - disposable income, staple consumer goods, etc. So when the town of South Park fears Randy's gospel on frivolous spending, Cartman is cut the deepest. It's the week that Grand Theft Auto IV comes out for the DS. Wait… well, what Cartman meant was Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, which he says later in the episode. What he doesn't say is that Nico Bellic would never fit on a DS game cartridge. When times get lean, so do the games.
Rock Band
Episode: "Whale Whores” (s13e11)
Original Air Date: October 28, 2009
Cartman's rendition of “Poker Face” stands toe-to-toe with his congressional ballad “Heat of the Moment,” and overtakes it in Youtube views by a magnitude of fifty. Perhaps what's so surprising and wonderful about it isn't that he sticks so close to the source material but that someone playing Rock Band actually hit the notes.
Rock Band vocal solos are intended for the most amateur singers, even too amateur for karaoke night at a local bar. To hear a short, fat fourth grader belt out some Gaga with such accuracy is a ringing endorsement for the song and the game that Cartman delivers it through.
EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
Episode: "Sexual Healing” (s14e1)
Original Air Date: March 17, 2010
EA Sports games have increased their focus on the off-the-field lives of the players with career modes that allow players to manage school, schedules, training, and trades. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 takes the immersion a step further, putting players in the shoes of Tiger Woods and his vengeful wife as they duel over slutty text messages and infidelity.
If you play as Tiger and you hear the cops coming, don't forget to hit X to lie. Players assuming the role of Elin Nordegren (his wife) should utilize the Prenup Powerup for a boost in golf club melee damage, and to drain even more of Tiger's sponsorships. But get this game while it lasts, because when Tiger returns to golf, it will be boring again.
Facebook Yahtzee
Episode: "You Have 0 Friends” (s14e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2010
The 1982 science-fiction film Tron explored the world inside our computers in a spectacle of brilliant lights and dangerous clashes. The world inside the network of today, consumed by Facebook, looks similar through the lens of South Park. However, instead of users battling in neon coliseums with flying razor discs and light bikes, the fate of Facebook is decided by Yahtzee. Luckily for Stan, he's lucky, and wins each game of Yahtzee with a single perfect throw. Researchers believe that this is almost exactly how binary code works.
Farmville
Episode: "You Have 0 Friends” (s14e4)
Original Air Date: April 7, 2010
Micro-transactions have netted the social media games company Zynga billions of dollars. Farmville takes full advantage of this business model, which Kyle buys into when Stan gets sucked into Facebook. Kyle even friends the most unpopular kid on Facebook just to get someone to check out his farm. Like other management Sims, the name of the game is addiction, one that Stan has to break by hacking into Kyle's farm and destroying his crops. If it's alarming how real Kyle's Farmville addiction sounds, that's because, for thousands of people, it is.
Toadstool
Episode: "The Royal Wedding” (s15e02)
Original Air Date: May 4, 2011
In keeping with tradition, the Canadian royal wedding features dignitaries from the surrounding territories, even the toadstool people of Newfoundland. Not keeping with tradition, the Canadian princess is abducted via Link to the Past prism prison, and the toadstools run about in horror. Mind you, this is not keeping with tradition. At least this gives gamers some clue as to the origins of Miyamoto's mushroom people. It makes too much sense.
The Settlers of Catan
Episode: "Broadway Bro Down” (s15e05)
Original Air Date: October 28, 2011
The wildly popular German board game The Settlers of Catan makes a digitized appearance in the "Broadway Bro Down" episode of South Park where Larry, the son of a radically vegan couple falls in love with Stan's older sister Shelly. The punchline of the game being featured is that instead of a video game version of the original, it's still in board game format.
Awesome throw to such and esoteric game, solidifying how nerdy Matt and Trey truly are.
Custer's Revenge
Episode: "” (s15e02)
Original Air Date:
What a hidden gem! To the unknowing, it was just another random, fictional arcade game but gamers with thing for history will instantly recognize it. The adult-themed, Custer's Revenge came out on the Atari 2600 back in 1982 and featured a character based on General George Armstrong Custer. The object was to dodge swarms of arrows in order to get to the other side of the screen where Custer would then have sex with a naked Native American woman who was tied to a pole.
The fact that South Park slipped this in the episode shows that their video game knowledge goes deep. Custer's Revenge was notorious in its time for stirring up controversy and protest, just like South Park. And it was that same crude, offensive humor that in Custer's Revenge wrote its entry into history. Just like South Park.