The Simpsons Hit & Run is a cartoon GTA in an open-world Springfield. Varied missions, faithful gags and gleefully dumb humour. Probably the best Simpsons game ever made.
Your verdict
Category
Open-World4 players12+
Description
A Radical Entertainment and Vivendi open-world released in 2003, an officially licensed Simpsons GTA parody set in Springfield. Bart, Homer, Lisa, Marge and Apu investigate a killer-robots conspiracy and a mysterious cola brand in the town. Seven missions per chapter, seven vehicles per character, races, infiltration and perfectly Simpsonian humor. An absolute PS2-era cult game.
Simpsons, The - Hit & Run review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
On the chassis of a Grand Theft Auto-like game, Springfield becomes a driving playground. The art direction lavishes care above all on its parodic car roster: the Simpsons' pink sedan, the Canyonero spoof of a bloated off-roader, the wrecks and hot rods drawn from the show, each caricaturing a facet of American car culture with the cartoon's yellow line.
The orchestral score does more than pastiche the theme tune. Each level gets its colour: mischievous strings for ordinary drives, uneasy brass and low pads when the plot turns to conspiracy, saucer motifs and horror-film pizzicatos for the Halloween episode, so the music narrates the slide from the everyday toward the paranormal.
Spread over seven levels handed in turn to five family members, the story plays like a lost episode of the show. Black vans, wasp cameras and a mysterious new soda that turns residents strange put Springfield onto the trail of an alien conspiracy. The scattered investigation, funny and referential, weaves a full plot beneath the gags.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Freely exploring a faithful Springfield riddled with nods, behind the wheel of wacky cars and through parody missions packed with humour: fans' delight is immediate. The blend of races, stunts and Simpsons-flavoured chaos delivers a constant, joyful pleasure. Colourful, funny and packed with references, an irresistible open world for fans of the show.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Driving around Springfield while chaining missions, gags and collectibles turns the animated series into a delightful sandbox where each neighborhood unlocks its nods. Smashing crates and turning up the collectible cards revives the urge to search. The driving is stiff and the missions repeat, but this faithful humor and this freedom of exploration keep a catchy charm.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾1,2 GB📅16/09/2003
Published by Vivendi Universal Games
Simpsons, The - Hit & Run (PS2) price, value & rarity
Is Simpsons, The - Hit & Run still worth playing in 2026?
An open world action game from Radical Entertainment, The Simpsons Hit & Run transposes Springfield into an affectionate parody of Grand Theft Auto style games, where you drive, crash and accomplish missions as the family members, multiplying nods to the show. The faithful humour, the city teeming with references and the pleasure of arcade driving make it a licensed game rare in its success. The repetition of the missions tempers the whole. An excellent game for fans of the Simpsons and offbeat open worlds on PS2.
