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The Simpsons Meet Grand Theft Auto

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the chief-wiggum-on-full-alert dept.

Itchy the Killer writes "FiringSquad previews The Simpsons Hit & Run (XBox, PS2, GameCube), which is a strange marriage of The Simpsons and Grand Theft Auto. They seemed to think that it works." A lot of times when games are made based on huge pre-existing franchises, they suck so bad mankind is forced to redefine the boundaries of suckiness. That said, this game actually looks like I would play it, which says a lot.

43 comments

  1. hmmmm donut raid by uhhhhhhh · · Score: 3, Funny

    yeah that pretty much says it all

  2. Great! by SixArmedJesus · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I'm looking forward to something like this on the GameCube. Perhaps now I can get rid of my PS2...

    --

    *slight crashing sound*
    1. Re:Great! by SixArmedJesus · · Score: 1

      Very true. I noticed that, but I own both, and truthfully, I haven't been very thrilled with my PS2. I mainly just kept it for GTA. Hey, maybe I can trade in my PS2 for a copy of this game! *heh*

      --

      *slight crashing sound*
    2. Re:Great! by SixArmedJesus · · Score: 1

      I know what you mean. We actually got our PS2 for GTA3. We love our GC OH SO MUCH more. I may see about talking my wife into an N64 or even a SNES. She's lovin' Zelda: Winkwaker right now. Then again, with emulators being out there for those systems, it's always possible to go that route.

      --

      *slight crashing sound*
  3. So if I glance Flanders with my bumper... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...he turns into a Unitarian.

  4. i'm sorry but by Tirel · · Score: 1, Insightful

    looking at the screenshot it looks more like quarantine (rtfm if you don't know the game) than gta

    1. Re:i'm sorry but by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      sorry but 'Described as a "hilarious mission-based driving game featuring all-new out-of-the-car gameplay."'

      which makes it more gta than quarantine(that and the slopes)..

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  5. Re:Oh, wow! by shunnicutt · · Score: 1

    Er, you might try clicking on the link about 90% of video games start with a tutorial. There's more to the article and more screen shots.

  6. Great idea. by I+am+Emmitt+Smith · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As someone who really enjoyed the gameplay of GTA3, but didn't care for all the violence, I'm really looking forward to this game. This is something that I would be able to let my daughter play.

    --
    *The Bill of Rights - void where prohibited by law
    1. Re:Great idea. by AzraelKans · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Hmm.. well this may seem odd but my kid (5 year old) and I, do play gta vc together, there are several things to do in GTA without being violent, we ussually just cruise around do stunts play taxi and pizza delivery sometimes we ride in the helicopter and do some ambulance and fire truck missions We ussually turn the siren on for no reason.
      We also use the "hopingirl" trick and "invite" people to the car. Is a lot of fun really.
      To avoid car jacking violence all you have to do is look for parked cars, or just stick to one car and taxis.

      Im not saying the game is for kids is not but with some parental supervision and some careful driving is just a city live/driving simulation.

      --
      Go ahead MOD my day!
      More opinions here
    2. Re:Great idea. by couch_potato · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Hmm.. well this may seem odd but my kid (5 year old) and I, do play gta vc together, there are several things to do in GTA without being violent, we ussually just cruise around do stunts play taxi and pizza delivery sometimes we ride in the helicopter and do some ambulance and fire truck missions We ussually turn the siren on for no reason.

      Oops, we accidently ran that prostitute over! Did you see the bloody tire tracks? Indeed, good fun for the whole family.

      My father-in-law decided that it was alright for my 5 year old nephew to play Vice City whenever he comes over, which is pretty much every day. Shortly after he started playing he picked up the nasty habit of stabbing my brother-in-law with pencils/corkscrews/whatever is handy. Now, I don't want to sound like a preachy anti-violence-in-games nut, but I wonder if there might be a connection? There's a reason for those ratings. Not to mention that anytime he plays videogames, violent or not, he turns into a complete terror, screaming and throwing fits about pretty much anything.

      You need a license to own a dog, but any fool can have children.

  7. Could be good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This could be lots of fun, but it screams for cell-shading. Zelda and Viewtiful Joe have spoiled me.

  8. Looks good, but... by kmak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Anyone remember the following merges?

    Simpsons + Crazy Taxi = Simpsons Road Rage
    Simpsons + Tony Hawk = Simpsons Skateboarding

    and now

    Simpsons + GTA?

    I don't know.. but if the other two games are of any indictation...

    I just wish they remake the original Simpsons arcade game..

    --

    I'm not the devil.. just his advocate.
    1. Re:Looks good, but... by hawkbug · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I agree with you - simpson's skateboarding and simpson's wrestling both completely sucked. However, I crack up everytime I play Simpson's Road Rage - the sayings they put in that game are hilarious, so if this GTA combo game is like that one with decent grafixx, I'm gonna get it.

    2. Re:Looks good, but... by Ian_Bailey · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I just wish they remake the original Simpsons arcade game...

      I seem to remember that game as:

      Simpsons + Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles = Simpsons Arcade game.

      Of course, TMNT was just a rehash of Battletoads, which was a rehash of Double Dragon, which was a rehash of ...

    3. Re:Looks good, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You realize, of course, that "Simpsons: Hit & Run" is created by the same development team that made "Simpsons: Road Rage" ...

    4. Re:Looks good, but... by kmak · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Heh, don't get me wrong, I like all the Simpsons reference of Road Rage, but being a Crazy Taxi expert (80k+ scores...), the collision detection was so horrible at times it was frustrating to play..

      And ya, it's true, Simpsons arcade was just Double Dragon + Simpsons, but it was done really well, instead of the past few titles, which felt very rushed out the door, preying on Simpsons fans (like me)...

      Seeing how I own most of these games for PS2, I'll remain a bit skeptic on this one..

      --

      I'm not the devil.. just his advocate.
    5. Re:Looks good, but... by hawkbug · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that is true - the game play itself is a bit lacking in Road Rage. I loved Simpson's arcade like you said as well, so I'm hoping for a newer version of that type of game with this GTA port, but we'll see I guess.

    6. Re:Looks good, but... by tregoweth · · Score: 1

      I just wish they remake the original Simpsons arcade game..

      Which was just Simpsons + Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or the generic side-scroller of your choice). Feh.

    7. Re:Looks good, but... by NaugaHunter · · Score: 1

      Road Rage is pretty fun in 2 player mode. It does get repetitive, and while I'm no slacker I can't seem to get much more than $10,000 in a game, so I don't expect to unlock those last two cars anytime soon. So I guess my biggest complaint is the low maximum starting times.

      I'm borderline on Skateboarding. I rented it, and it seemed decent enough, but I'm not a big fan of skateboarding to begin with so until it's ~15-20 I'm not likely to buy, being a big Simpsons fan notwithstanding.

      Personally, I'm looking forward to this game. Other previews have indicated that not only is it voiced by the actors, but it is scripted by the show's writers and Matt Groening to stay true to the characters and history.

      --
      R: That voice. Where have I heard that voice before? B: In about 365 other episodes. But I don't know who it is either.
  9. A better preview at Gamespot by Randar+the+Lava+Liza · · Score: 4, Informative
    Check out the preview at Gamespot.com for more information. They also have screenshots and video clips up.

    I'm not sure if this page is subscriber-only or not (I subscribe to gamespot), so here's the text of their review just in case:

    At a recent Nintendo press event, Vivendi Universal had on display a playable GameCube version of The Simpsons: Hit & Run, its new mission-oriented action and driving game based on the long-lived animated franchise. We sat down to play the game for a few minutes with little idea of what to expect, and frankly we were surprised to learn that Hit & Run is best described as Grand Theft Auto: Springfield. Indeed, the newest Simpsons games shares a whole lot of gameplay mechanics with the most recent GTA games, and from what we gathered while playing it in its early state, Hit & Run may just marry the Simpsons franchise and the GTA formula successfully.

    The Hit & Run demo began simply by casting the player as Homer Simpson and sending him out into the world of Springfield looking for tasks to complete. The game very overtly guides you toward your next goal--it tells you which character you need to speak with to initiate the mission, and then once your objective is understood, it indicates on a minimap where you should go and also overlays the road with arrows pointing toward your destination. For the first task, Marge sent Homer to the Kwik-E-Mart to buy a new supply of ice cream, and subsequent missions had Homer racing Principal Skinner to the elementary school or searching for Ned Flanders' purloined possessions. You'll get around Springfield mostly by car, starting with the Simpsons' familiar pink sedan. Of course, in true Grand Theft Auto style you can also run into the street and nab other motorists' vehicles if you get bored with or destroy your own car.

    Graphically, Hit & Run is looking decent, and its style is about what you'd expect from yet another 3D Simpsons game. The character models are solid and the frame rate is quite smooth, although the demo was fraught with camera anomalies. These will surely be cleared up before the game's release, though. It seems that the entire voice cast of the show has recorded new dialogue for the game, which is always refreshing. The constant stream of wisecracks and one-liners adds a lot to the Simpsons-like atmosphere, from what we heard.

    Vivendi says that a variety of characters will be playable later on in The Simpsons: Hit & Run, although we only got to see Homer in action during our brief time with the game. In addition to driving to and fro, you can also collect a sort of coin scattered around town, attack hapless pedestrians, and double-jump your way to obscure areas. Though the quality of past Simpsons games may have been dubious, we have to say that there's something strangely likable about Hit & Run. You can drive all over Springfield, talk to famous town residents, and go inside and explore fully modeled and recognizable locations from the TV series, and even apart from the actual mission structure of the game, these things are enjoyable for fans of the show. Of course, we'll have to wait for the finished product to find out if the mission-based gameplay actually holds up over many hours of playtime. The Simpsons: Hit & Run is currently scheduled for release in September. Stay tuned for more coverage.

    --
    Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin
    1. Re:A better preview at Gamespot by Impotent_Emperor · · Score: 1

      Gamecube Europe has a trailer (in Quicktime) of the game. No need to register.

  10. Well... by leifm · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now that it has the coveted CowboyNeal seal of approval I will have to buy it!

    --

    "Windows Me offers tremendous reliability and stability improvements..." -- Paul Thurott
  11. Great, now we can finally... by stienman · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Does it have the nuclear power plant where Homer works?

    If so, can we finally push the big red button and find out what it does?

    -Adam

  12. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  13. Maybe by Quill_28 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    >That said, this game actually looks like I would play it, which says a lot.

    A lot about you or a lot about the game. :-)

    Oh ye lover of:

    Swingerz Golf
    Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates

    1. Re:Maybe by simoniker · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, this post was from CowboyNeal, who is a sophisticated Pokemon fan, not a sophisticated Swingerz Golf fan like myself. There, that's much better, isn't it? :)

    2. Re:Maybe by N0decam · · Score: 1

      Be ye havin' a problem with the Puzzle Pirates now?

      My brother, who makes his living playing Age of Mythologies (and training others on how to play well) has become seriously addicted to Puzzle Pirates. I've gotta admit - I spent far too much time pillaging this past weekend myself...

  14. I was waiting for the wrong game! by oasis3582 · · Score: 1

    Here I was waiting for GTA5 (or whatever they call it), when they announce a Simpson's ripoff version of it. Gee, why would I want Ray Liotta in the starring role when I can have the dramatic flair of...Homer Simpson...yeah I think I'll pass on this one.

  15. I'll play as Marge by Rudeboy777 · · Score: 3, Funny

    This game should be fun just for the car-crushing fun of driving the Canyonero. Maybe the commercial will come on the radio a la GTA:VC

    Can you name the truck with four wheel drive,
    smells like a steak and seats thirty-five..

    Canyonero! Canyonero!

    Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down,
    It's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown!

    Canyonero! (Yah!) Canyonero!
    [Krusty:] Hey Hey

    12 yards long, 2 lanes wide,
    65 tons of American Pride!

    Canyonero! Canyonero!

    Top of the line in utility sports,
    Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!

    Canyonero! Canyonero! (Yah!)

    She blinds everybody with her super high beams,
    She's a squirrel crushing, deer smacking, driving machine!

    Canyonero!-oh woah, Canyonero! (Yah!)

    --

    From hell's heart I fstab at /dev/hdc

  16. Canyonero MP3 by Stargoat · · Score: 2

    The Canyonero Song

    --
    Hoist Number One and Number Six.
  17. Might Be Worth A Look Later On.... by shadowcabbit · · Score: 1

    Well, to be honest, my plate's a little full for the fall (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, RPG Maker 2, not to mention everything else I've bought and failed to finish) but this might be good enough to check out after Christmas, when the price goes down. For a game that's been in hiding until now, though, it's probably a bit risky to have a September release date. Unless they've been working on it since Vice City came out, that is.

    --
    "Why Subscribe?" Good question...
  18. Well if things turn all right by AzraelKans · · Score: 1

    If this game turns out to be all right, then we will really have some great news, the first good simpsons game in history! (I'm keeping my fingers crossed!) anyone else thinks this would be a great pc title?

    p.s. Guys seriously don't you think is time for CmdrTaco to stop playing Enter the Matrix? I mean, he is your friend, council him to some grand theft auto vice city, or warcraft III or something. I mean 3 months of playing nothing but that ,just can't be healthy.

    --
    Go ahead MOD my day!
    More opinions here
  19. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  20. Does Bart get a slingshot? by g-san · · Score: 1

    I've been looking forward to this for months now. Love GTV:VC and play Road Rage all the time. It will be nice that the kids can finally enjoy the same fun my friends and I have in GTA. (no way I'm letting them play GTA.)
    But I am curious to know if you apparently have a wanted level, then you can do things wrong. Will Bart be able to bean Milhouse in the head with his slighshot, and will the kids end up doing that over and over for fun, just like we love to get on a nice rooftop with the various arsenal in GTA instead of getting onto the next mission?

    If the world is as detailed as that in Road Rage but with insides and being able to run around that should do it for me. If there are 100 hidden packages, I am going to scream.

    Does Homer get low-yield nuclear glowstick grenades?

  21. Simpsons + GTA? by SamaeLBathorY · · Score: 1

    What about the homermobile? Would anyone try to steal it?? "Homermobile... The Car Built For Homer"

  22. Laugh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That said, this game actually looks like I would play it, which says a lot.

    Indeed, it does. Based on the other games you play (listed below), I wouldn't touch this game with a 20 ft pole.

    Xenosaga
    Suikoden 3
    Pokemon Sapphire

  23. Will this be the first? by Hackie_Chan · · Score: 1

    Will this be the first Simpson game that won't suck since that Beat-them-up Arcade game from the early nineties?

    I can't believe that both Star Wars and the Simpsons, two world wide respected titles, have so many shitty games under their belt it's embarrassing. Why won't they stop making those games?

    --

    What's so bad about being lazy? What if there was a war and nobody showed up?
  24. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  25. two UNDERrated simpsons games... by BTWR · · Score: 1

    Bart vs. the Space Mutants on NES and Bart vs. the Juggernauts for gameboy.

    I loved those games! Oh, and the arcade game was sweet too.

  26. What the? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The guy said "careful driving" running over pedestrians is not careful driving in my book.

    "Now, I don't want to sound like a preachy anti-violence-in-games nut"

    Curious, because thats exactly like you sound like.
    No offense but this is exactly the kind of bullshit we get from the press on a daily basis, do you actually have a nephew who stabbed someone over seing a videogame? (which is utterly ridiculous) I hardly doubt you have ANY family for starters.

    You need a license to own a dog, but any fool can have children.

    Actually it involves being attractive to the opposite sex and be able to retain a relation for more than fifteen minutes it doesnt sound like you have to worry about any of those.
    Actually it would be a good idea to start asking for licenses for posting.

    my sig:
    God must love idiots, he made so many of them! and give them a house right here in the internet!