The Simpsons: Hit & Run: Run It Back

 

It's no secret that The Simpsons is a controversial brand in 2025. Not controversial in a macro sense, it's not offensive or drawing political or cultural ire. It's controversial in the sense that the American public just doesn't really know why it's still around, and they've been asking that question for almost two decades. The Simpsons is so ubiquitous and has so much brand dominance and relevance in America, that is has essentially created its own inertia, that allows it to keep getting new seasons and new merchandise, even if the increasingly loud opinion online is that no one watches the show, nor cares about it beyond the first few seasons. Whether you like The Simpsons or not though, they had a run of very popular games going back to the early 1990s through the mid 2000s, and many of those games deserve to see the light of day again. The most beloved game based on The Simpsons came out in 2003 for Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2 and PC, and it is the focus of this Run It Back piece - The Simpsons: Hit & Run.

 

 It's been awhile (read that like the song from Staind for added effect) since I've written a Run It Back article. For a reminder, the idea behind these is that I want to shine a spotlight on lesser known or forgotten games from the past; specifically games that are currently unavailable on modern platforms. Hit & Run is something of a cult classic nowadays. You see the occasional mention on social media, and there was that recent, ambitious full remake of the game that you can download as a mod, but there obviously has not been enough clamor for Disney (the gluttonous black hole of all entertainment properties and now the owner of The Simpsons following the Fox buyout) to pursue having Hit & Run remastered. That needs to change.

 

Image Credit: IGN

 

The Simpsons: Hit & Run came out a time in the gaming industry where we were starting to see Grand Theft Auto clones crop up. Everyone was trying to get their open-world action game with vehicles and missions scattered across the map, as that was proving to be a very successful formula, and Hit & Run was no different. I think what made it stand out is that we didn't receive a lot of cartoon or licensed GTA clones, and The Simpsons was still a popular brand in the early 2000s. We were used to the criminal-centric, violent GTA-style games, where you could get into shootouts with the police or go on killing sprees, but The Simpsons isn't really that kind of brand, so the violence was limited to being able to punch and kick citizens and run them down with your car, though the townsfolk of Springfield do not die from this, they just get back up and run away in fear. This sort of lighthearted comic mischief approach to the formula felt like a perfect fit for The Simpsons' tone. This faithfulness to The Simpsons' is further helped by the direct involvement of Matt Groening and the entire writer's room to write the plot. The voice cast from the show also voiced their in-game characters as well. These moves helped Springfield feel true to how its portrayed in the series.

 

Image Credit: sabukaru

 

Springfield is an iconic setting, brought to life with a town full of memorable, colorful characters. It was a blast running or driving around in this town that I've seen on screen for years, and the recreation of the town felt authentic and properly realized. Similarly to other open-world titles, you can travel all over the map, exploring and picking up side quests from the various citizens of Springfield. There is also a GTA-style police "Wanted" level that escalates depending on how destructive or disruptive you're being. You can also get into street races, which are always a blast. The driving mechanics are great and a core focus of this title, especially because the developers had worked on The Simpsons: Road Rage (an entirely racing focused game) prior to this game's development. There are also a few different types of collectibles to be working toward. You can hunt down trading cards that unlock bonus race tracks and ultimately an Itchy and Scratchy movie, upon collecting all of the cards. There are also alternate costumes for each character that you can find or buy, some which are required to progress in certain missions.

 

Image Credit: Rock Paper Shotgun

 

I think remastering The Simpsons: Hit & Run could be a success based on multiple factors. For one thing, we aren't really getting a lot of Grand Theft Auto clones anymore; that trend has majorly cooled off. The competition would not be quite as steep in 2025, though there is competition of a different sort, as we're getting new games released at an overwhelming pace across all platforms. Regardless, I think Hit & Run could find a nice niche for itself sales wise, especially as a nostalgia play to the good old days of the early 2000s, and an era of The Simpsons that people still generally liked. I think there is a place for the "double A" gaming market, in today's industry that seems obsessed with massively budgeted "triple A" games, or less expensive "indie" style games and I think Hit & Run would fit squarely in that "double A" sector. I also think that The Simpsons as a brand could only benefit from this game's remaster. It is a beloved, cult classic title that Disney should fast track into getting back in stores. In a world where The Simpsons feels like it has lost its relevance, this game could be a nice injection of remembrance for people that maybe have forgotten just how great the brand used to be. Maybe it would cause people to check out the show again too, as an added benefit.

 

I hope to see The Simpsons: Hit & Run game return soon. It is a delightful, humorous, unique game from a bygone era that deserves a second look. We're out here, Disney. We'll buy the game and yell about it from the rooftops.