Memory Card: The Simpsons Hit & Run

If there was one pastime at the core of my childhood, it was playing The Simpsons: Hit and Run at my grandad’s house. Always straight after school, clutching the PS2 controller (usually after a duel with my brother over who goes first to play), sat beside him on his navy blue sofas. 

For many gamers who grew up in the early 2000s, Hit and Run is reminisced as a cherished classic— with its candy-like colours and comical plot lines, the game was a love letter to the open-world designs of Grand Theft Auto and the exploration mechanisms of Jak and Dexter, addressed to both die-hard Simpsons fans and casual players to explore Springfield for themselves.

Released in 2003, players control different members of the Simpsons family and Kwik-E-Mart’s Apu across seven levels as they each complete their own set of missions towards solving the wider mystery: an investigation into the alien conspiracy involving Buzz Cola, a new drink that’s causing mind-controlling chaos amongst the citizens of Springfield. 

The heart of the game’s engagement was how it felt like multiple episodes in one, through how the layers of the mysterious conspiracy were unfurled level by level across different areas of Springfield. Initially starting with Homer who investigates the surveillance camera wasps and odd deliveries of Buzz Cola around the suburbs of Springfield, the game progresses to Bart in downtown Springfield as he encounters aggressive Buzz Cola trucks and a black van that’s been tailing him, before moving onto Lisa at the Squidport coastal area who is searching for Bart after he disappeared under suspicious circumstances. And as the game unfolds, the suspense and thrill thickens with the plot, paired with infamous Simpsons costumes and cars being unlocked at the end of each successful mission. 

Brought to you by the original writers of the TV show, Hit and Run flawlessly captured the spirit of the Simpsons universe whilst still integrating an interesting and unique storyline to the game. You were able to interact with familiar faces whilst having free-reign of Moe’s Tavern, the Power Plant, and Springfield Elementary, blended with hilarious slapstick humour and cartoonish charm that was true to the Simpsons’ spirit and fun for the entire family. 

It was truly the heart of my childhood gaming, and whilst a part of me would love to see a remastered version of the game, the original Hit and Run was just brilliant and undefeated. With the music, catchphrases, and sound effects, the game stands as a testament to the power of games creating lasting childhood memories over 20 years later through its countless entertainment.

I would do anything to go back and play the game with my grandad one more time on those navy blue sofas.