30 Years Later, Steamed Hams Is Still One Of Gaming’s Biggest Meme CrossoversThere's no shortage of memorable moments from the long history of The Simpsons, but without a doubt, "Steamed Hams" sums up everything great about the show. The segment--and the episode it aired in--is officially 30 years old today, marking three decades of viral comedy. It has been reinterpreted across many forms of media, finding new life through remixes that have turned it into something unforgettable--just like Principal Skinner's luncheon with Super Nintendo Chalmers . Originally airing alongside several other shorts in the season seven episode "22 Short Films About Springfield," Steamed Hams revolved around Skinner telling increasingly outlandish lies to cover up the fact that he had burned the lunch he'd prepared for Chalmers. The joke lived on as a reference point for Simpsons fans, and it steadily grew in popularity as the years passed by. It reached peak popularity around 2017, as creators took to YouTube to upload "Steamed Ham but" videos, deconstructing the meme and transforming it into an evergreen joke. Naturally, video game parodies weren't far behind. Several developers and video editors have turned Steamed Hams into something resembling an actual game: While other creators have reimagined it through the lens of popular video games, like Metal Gear Solid: There are no objections to a Phoenix Wright version of Steamed Hams, are there? Or what if it was edited in the same style as Nier: Automata (it's probably a secret ending to the game that has yet to be discovered, we'd bet)? Oh ye gods! This version of Steam Hams as a '90s-era LucasArts game is just too good: The Animal Crossing version of Steamed Hams was inevitable: Steamed Hams, but it's WWF No Mercy, is a work of art: What's the most niche toolset you can use to recreate Steamed Hams? The Simpsons Cartoon Studio, of course: We're pretty sure that if things had gone better for Telltale Games, a Simpsons game series would have eventually been made. For now, we'll settle for this fan recreation of Steamed Hams in the Telltale style: And for some extra pressure, Steamed Hams as a Danganropa class trial has us sweating more than Skinner trying to explain an Albany expression: As for Springfield's favorite family, The Simpsons main-evented their very own Fortnite season last year. One of the biggest Fortnite takeovers we've ever seen, the month-long event saw the inclusion of a Simpsons-themed battle pass, an entirely new cel-shaded map for the Battle Royale mode, and a revamped loot pool. There have also been rumblings lately of a revival of the GTA-inspired 2003 action game The Simpsons: Hit & Run. The Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman--who also worked as a writer on the game--recently reignited hope for a remaster when he spoke about its enduring popularity. "We know people love it. We know they want it, so that's good. If we know people want it, never say never," Selman said.
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