'Simpsons Hit & Run' Is 18 Today, And Fans Are Still Campaigning For A Remaster
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Featured Image Credit: Radical Entertainment
In the pantheon of video games based on licensed properties, Simpsons Hit & Run sits above all others. It's not really hard to see why, either. Developer Radical Entertainment hit on the most ingenious concept that instantly spoke to all ages and, crucially, made sense within the context of the world of The Simpsons: Grand Theft Auto: Springfield.
It's been nearly 20 years and I still can't get over how inspired that was - and still is. Players were given free reign to explore several open-world areas, driving around in a number of vehicles from the beloved American series, going on missions and uncovering tons of hilarious nods to some of the best jokes and moments from the show.
Even if you didn't play the main game - which I rarely did - you could spend hours zipping around Springfield in Mr. Plow, running over Hans Moleman until the police finally decided to show up and give chase. It was perfect, and I think we're all still kind of shocked that after all this time we still don't have a sequel - or even a remaster to look forward to.
While we're still unlikely to see such a sequel any time soon (if ever), the fans are at least keeping the hope alive. There are dozens of petitions out there that are still being signed by fans to this day. That's a real testament to the enduring quality of the original Simpsons Hit & Run, if you ask me.
"Public demand definitely warrants a sequel," Hassan Mohammad argues in a petition with over 16,000 signatures to its name. "I'm astonished one hasn't been made yet, or alternatively a remastering of the original game. I hope it can be made possible through the means of this petition. If you are nostalgic about this game and would love to see another one made, you know what to do!"
Of course making a new Simpsons Hit & Run isn't quite as simple as asking the developers, as I think the massive demand for a remake or new entry is pretty clear at this stage. The fact is a sequel was in development at one point before EA got the rights to make Simpsons games... at which point any plans that had been made were kind of lost to the ether.
There are so many ways a remake or remaster could expand and improve on an already great game, especially given the years of advancements we've seen since the original released. Who knows? Maybe if the fans keep the demand alive, one day all the required pieces might just fall into place to make the sequel of our dreams happen.
