Grand Theft Auto 6looms large over the gaming industry, and I can’t help but be reminded of a bygone subgenre:GTAclones. TheMindsEyedebacleproves the concept isn’t completely dead, but it’s arguably been all downhill sinceSleeping Dogsin 2012. I know I can’t be alone, though, in hoping for the return of a much earlierGTAclone,The Simpsons: Hit & Run.
Released 22 years ago in 2003, Radical Entertainment’sHit & Runis a surprising successor toThe Simpsons: Road Rage, itself a clone ofCrazy Taxi.Hit & Runtakes the same basic driving mechanics, but adds openly explorable levels, third-person gameplay on foot, anda main storyline with contributions fromThe Simpsonswriters. It’s a longtime favorite when it comes to licensed games, and it’s growing increasingly sad that the game hasn’t made a comeback in some form.
The Simpsons Hit & Run Is A Nostalgic Icon That Took Inspiration From GTA
A Favorite GTA 3 Clone
Released just two years after the groundbreakingGrand Theft Auto 3,The Simpsons: Hit & Runhas many clear parallels toGTA’s iconic PS2 trilogy. It’s not as overtly violent, nor does it grapple with any exceptionally mature themes, butthere’s a lot of open-world mischief to be had. You can run around as Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Apu, finding various collectibles and secrets, beating up pedestrians, and blowing up cars.
Hit & Run’s missions are also heavily inspired by those that involve driving inGTA.You’re usually racing against a clock or NPC drivers, performing high-octane stunts, and engaging in some sort of vehicular combat. I would sayHit & Runis essentially family-friendlyGrand Theft Auto, but I looked it up and children beware: the ESRB gave it a Teen rating for comic mischief, mild language, and violence.
Hit & Run Has A Huge Fanbase Even 22 Years On
From A Different Era Of Licensed Games
For a licensed game from an era of licensed game slop,The Simpsons: Hit & Runhas found surprising longevity. Despite its rudimentary PS2-era graphics and now-basic gameplay mechanics,Hit & Runis still a good game – there’s no other way to cut it.
Excitement forHit & Runstill persists in 2025. There’s aFuturamaconversion mod, astory mod, afan remakewithGTA 5-style character switching, and an ever-elusive sequel, which has been repeatedly hinted at but seems destined to never actually happen.
There’s Never Been A Better Time To Bring Back The Simpsons: Hit & Run
All Eyes Are On GTA 6
GTA Onlineis perpetually popular, andGrand Theft Auto 6is probably the most anticipated game of all time, so why not bring back the mostsuccessfulGTAclone? People love open-world mayhem, andThe Simpsonsremains beloved, so some form of comeback forHit & Runseems like a no-brainer.
Remakes and remasters are exceptionally common nowadays, andHit & Runis the perfect candidate. A legacy sequel is understandably a financial gamble, but a touch-up of the original, maybe with a few added bonuses, would almost certainly find a nostalgia-fueled audience.GTAclones have become rare in the run-up toGrand Theft Auto 6, but there’s no better time for the return ofThe Simpsons: Hit & Run.
