The Simpsons franchise has produced countless video games throughout the years, but none are as memorable as The Simpsons: Hit & Run, which is why this beloved game deserves a remaster. Released in 2003, the game follows Homer Simpson and his family as they uncover a mystery centering around suspicious robotic wasps, a new brand of Buzz Cola, and, of course, the aliens Kang and Kodos. Between the expansive open-world and references to the hit TV show, it’s no surprise that the game is still revered today.
It’s not only the fans that are hopeful a remaster is on the horizon. The Simpsons: Hit & Run producer Vlad Ceraldi recently spoke candidly to LadBible, hinting that he’s confident a remake is in the cards. "I could see Hit & Run on multiple different types of (modern) platforms, as a remake or remaster,” Ceraldi explained. “When you make something, sometimes you know you've made something special. This was one of the ones that we knew we hit the mark.”
Similarly, Joe McGinn, Hit & Run’s senior game designer, has also added that he’d be on board with a remake or remaster. "If it's a remaster, I'm all about the frame-rate. Don't change the art style... but give me 60 fps,” he told GAME in a recent interview. “If it's a remake, that's a whole other kettle of three-eyed fish. I suppose making a single cohesive, connected environment, that would be a natural these days.” Hit & Run was originally released on PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and later PC, but McGinn said he’d like to see a remake become available on Nintendo Switch as well.
Why The Simpsons: Hit & Run Is The Series' Best Game
The fact that both the producer and senior game designer have expressed interest in a remake or remaster is a good sign. It's no surprise, however, considering Hit & Run is the best The Simpsons game available on the market. The game unabashedly took elements from Grand Theft Auto’s open-world, where players can not only roam around as their favorite animated characters, but they can also do basically whatever they want. Racing around in a stolen car is meant to parallel the feel of a GTA game, albeit amid The Simpson’s famous town rather than Los Santos or Vice City. Players have the ability to cause as much damage and destruction as they can – cars, property, and even civilians can all become targets for mayhem. Players can’t even become physically hurt or die, and the only “injury” is what happens to the character’s bank account.
It’s not only the fact that the open world is so detailed or interactive that has made the game age so well. It’s that the world is a perfect re-creation of Springfield, which includes everything from the Kwik-E Mart to the Simpsons’ family home. It allows players to feel as though they’re actually walking through the iconic town, one in which many people have watched on TV for decades, making it all the more sentimental and intriguing. The game allows users to play as the whole family at different points, giving players a well-rounded gameplay experience.
In addition to this, Hit & Run has also become a cult classic because of its numerous references to the TV show, which helped to make hard-core fans of The Simpsons TV series just as committed to the video game. Whether it be through the customizable outfits, encountering the town's inhabitants, or being able to unlock the game's hidden Itchy and Scratchy episode, there are decades worth of TV references and nostalgia to be found in the game. Producer Vlad Ceraldi specifically said the original version of The Simpsons: Hit & Run wasn’t able to incorporate all of the references they originally wanted, so he’s hopeful that this can be explored in a future remake or remaster. "There's a lot more fidelity you can go for as far as content exploration than we were able to do in that particular era,” he explained. “There were a lot of references put into the game but we didn't get everything. There's a lot more things that could be done and that would be fascinating for sure."
The Simpsons: Hit & Run is the most beloved game to come out of The Simpsons franchise, and that reason alone should be enough to warrant a remake or remaster.