Radical Entertainment open world set in Springfield, GTA-flavoured but cheerful. Short funny missions, effective arcade driving and Simpsons atmosphere lovingly respected. Original voice cast and tasty dialogue. Arguably the best Simpsons game ever made.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Homer Simpson drives his car through Springfield to complete missions in this Radical Entertainment GameCube game. Published by Vivendi, released in Europe in October 2003. Action-adventure with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Apu in Springfield, varied missions and series humour.
Simpsons, The - Hit & Run review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Hit & Run recreates Springfield as an open world of delightful fidelity to the show: the Simpson house, the nuclear plant, the Kwik-E-Mart and downtown, all in a cartoon rendering of bold colors. The art direction quotes the cartoon's settings with a fan's care, sprinkling the town with visual gags. A warm, referential aesthetic, the soul of the best Simpsons game.
The orchestral soundtrack playfully pastiches Danny Elfman's famous theme and the show's sonic world: cheerful brass, cartoon motifs and variations that accompany the drives through Springfield. The music sustains the cartoon's humor and energy without ever weighing things down. A knowing, tasty accompaniment, perfectly matched to the game's tone.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾1 GB📅31/10/2003
Published by Vivendi Universal
Simpsons, The - Hit & Run (GameCube) price, value & rarity
Is Simpsons, The - Hit & Run still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2003, this Radical game applies the open world structure to driving and exploring Springfield, cut into recognisable districts. The arcade driving, the carefully timed missions and the humour faithful to the show build a pleasure of play and well judged nods. The references abound and the tone perfectly respects the television writing. The camera and some chase missions have aged, yet fans of the Simpsons and the curious about this gaming era find an affectionate, still funny transposition.
