The Simpsons Hit & Run Doesn’t Need A Remake

The Simpsons: Hit & Run is perhaps the most beloved video game based on Matt Groening’s iconic animated series, channeling the energy of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise but in a slightly funnier and more family-friendly way. The game has a strong cult following and, perhaps in part due to EA’s seeming refusal to develop new Simpsons titles in recent years, is regularly requested by fans to be remastered or remade.

So strong is the desire to see The Simpsons: Hit & Run on current-gen hardware that fans have taken it upon themselves to do it. Even a fan-made demo for a Hit & Run remake illustrated the potential of re-releasing the title, featuring polished textures, ray-tracing, and even new animations and lip-syncing. It’s a really impressive-looking demo, and one that once again demonstrates the sheer amount of interest there is in seeing Hit & Run make a comeback.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run fan-made remake is developed on Unreal Engine 5 by YouTuber reubs. And as beautiful as reubs’ demo is, it might also be overcomplicating things just a tad. Compared to other releases of the sixth generation of consoles, Hit & Run has aged remarkably well. The cel-shaded look initially developed by Radical Entertainment captured the look and feel of The Simpsons perfectly. Adding ray-tracing and additional polish takes away from its charm somewhat, because just like The Simpsons, those imperfections are part of what made the original game so special.

Why A Remake Of The Simpsons: Hit & Run Could Ruin Its Charms

While the chances of The Simpsons: Hit & Run making it to the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X are slim as it is, owing to the game’s rights being tied up between multiple developers and publishers, if it is to make a comeback, then a full remake feels unnecessary. Any potential re-release or remaster would do well to instead take a leaf out of Lucasfilm Games’ book. The publisher, together with Aspyr, has released a number of beloved Star Wars ports in recent years, providing only minor graphical polish where necessary, but giving Star Wars fans a healthy hit of nostalgia when needed.

If anything, what would be great to see from a Hit & Run re-release would be more content, preferably with the assistance of Donut Team, which has been steadily expanding upon the base game with a series of different mods for The Simpsons: Hit & Run since 2013, introducing new playable characters, enhancements and missions. In many ways, Donut Team has given players on PC the Hit & Run sequel they’ve always wanted, and it would be great if any potential remaster took these mods into account and gave console players the same opportunity. The fan-made remake video for The Simpsons: Hit & Run can be found below:

There’s still plenty of scope for Hit & Run to be expanded upon in a new release, but any update should aim to preserve the original’s aesthetic. Part of why The Simpsons has lost a lot of its charm is because it erased its own imperfections. It would be a shame for a potential The Simpsons: Hit & Run remake – no matter how unlikely it is to become a reality – to repeat the same mistake.

About The Author

Ewan Paterson
(75 Articles Published)

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Ewan is a Gaming Features Editor for Screen Rant and may in fact have way too many interests. His love for comic books, video games and Dad Movies also instilled in him a love for writing, which he’s been doing since he was about 16. Originally from Liverpool, Ewan made the move to Newcastle in 2014 to study History at Northumbria University (which he loved), and has stayed there ever since. You may have heard/seen him on YouTube a bunch as well.

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