S1E31 - The SImpsons Hit & Run

Welcome back to another episode of discrete air, the podcast where every week we dive into the extensive and fascinating library of the greatest selling video game console of all time, the PlayStation two. I'm Derek Kicker.

I'm Ian Golding.

Doe. Doe. Yeah. Giving up the ghost here. This week we're playing simpsons hit and run best simpsons game.

I think probably I don't think there's an argument. I think it is the best simpsons game.

Wait, no, you know what? I think there's an argument to be made here. What I think the best simpsons game might be simpsons tapped out.

I don't even know what that is. That a Raslin game.

It's the mobile game.

Oh, shit. I know people who have been playing I don't even know if it's still going. Who were playing that for years. Yes.

So simpsons tapped out might be the best simpsons game, but on a console, I think it's pretty obviously hit and run.

Yeah. Not even close. Which is sad when you think about it, because this is a PlayStation two game and we're on.

Know it does it does kind of get itself.

Yeah, it absolutely does.

This game was released on GameCube PlayStation two and xbox in north America on September 16, 2003. So we're coming up on its 20th anniversary.

I have a little anniversary party for it.

Yeah. In pal regions. It was released on Halloween for some reason.

Okay.

Really?

OD choice.

Yeah. Super weird. Maybe Halloween is different over there.

Sure.

It was published by is this two in a row? The vendi games. Is this two games in a row?

Did they do fight club?

I think that's what it was, right?

Yeah, I think they did. Yeah. Wow. Okay.

They did one of the blockbuster month games.

They sure did. They for sure did.

For sure. They published it. But it was developed by radical entertainment, which didn't ring a bell to me, but they actually have a pretty interesting history.

Okay.

And a pretty interesting lineup. So their first game was in 1992, and this is kind of a banger for the first game. I mean, as much as a banger as an NES game can be. They did the adventures of rocky and bullwinkle and friends.

I don't know that game, but I'll.

Bet it for NES. It is a pretty good game.

Okay.

They also did the terminator for NES.

Oh, shit.

Yeah. And they did a weird game. Do you remember when they randomly nintendo randomly let other developers kind of do mario games?

Sort of, yeah.

So this company did mario is missing.

I remember mario missing was a good.

Fucking game for the NES.

Yeah.

So this is, like, in the vein of missing mario time machine.

Yeah.

They did the NES and game boy versions of wayne's world.

Wayne's world. Excellent.

They also did mario's time machine.

Okay.

So they were the NES, not the SNES version, it seems.

Okay.

In fact, they didn't do a lot. For the SNES.

They did.

Speed Racer mountain bike rally. Al, answer. Jr's.

Road. Oh, that was a good fucking racing game. I was into that.

They did Beavis and Butthead for the Sega Genesis. I don't think a lot of people know this. There was, like four Beavis and Butthead games, all called Beavis and Butthead.

All different.

All different games. All completely different games.

Absolutely.

Then they kind of, like, leaned into a little bit of sports games. They did a lot of hockey games. They did the Independence Day game for the PlayStation and the Saturn.

Oh, boy. That was a dog. Yeah.

Yes, sir. And then in 2000, randomly, they do Jackie Chan Stuntmaster, which is a game I have fond memories of, but I can't imagine is actually any good.

Oh, it can't be. It can't be.

Yeah, I remember having a lot of fun with it, but there's no way it's held up.

No, not at all.

And then when the PlayStation Two comes out, they really kind of hit their stride. They do simpsons. Road rage.

Okay.

Which is another decent Simpsons decent.

It's decent.

And they do Dark Summit, which is like an action adventure snowboarding game.

Okay. Stay tuned. Maybe.

Yeah. And then they do for GameCube and Xbox, they do Tetris Worlds, which is a good game.

It's a very good game.

For the PS Two and Xbox, they do the video game adaptation of James Cameron's Dark Angel, which I loved that show. That show was so ahead of its time.

Absolutely was. If that show comes out five years later, ten years later, it's going ten seasons. Yeah.

It was just too early. So it only got its 220 something episode seasons.

Yeah. Interesting.

If you ever find yourself wanting to go down a Wikipedia wormhole, look up James Cameron's Dark Angel not the game, the show, and start clicking on the Wikipedia links of the people who directed the episodes.

Gonna be some familiar names in there.

Some very familiar names, including what's his name? Miguel Sapachnik, the Game of Thrones guy who did all the greatest Game of Thrones episodes. Battle of the Bastards and shit like that.

Right.

And who was the showrunner on the first season of House of the Dragon?

Very cool.

Then they do Hulk. They do the Eric Bana Hulk game for PS two. Also not a bad game.

I haven't played it.

Then they do simpsons hit and run. They do a couple of CSI games for Windows. They do probably one of the only good or at least decent crash bandicoot games on the PS Two. They do crash, tag, team racing.

That is a good fucking game.

They do Scarface The World Is Yours, the Scarface game. That's them.

Holy shit. Okay. These guys, they got some juice.

Yeah. They did a Crash of the Titans, which is a crash bandicoot game. Crash mind over mutant, which is another Crash bandicoot game. And then we reach the end, as Vivendi is acquired by Activision and sucked into the black hole that is Activision Blizzard.

Yep.

Radical entertainment is whipped into that. Have half their staff fired, but they still manage to crank out what I think is probably, like, a somewhat legendary PS Three game. Prototype.

Oh, fuck. Okay.

They do prototype.

Wow.

Then the last game they produce as their own thing is Prototype Two. And then the last game they ever make is they work as a support team for bungie on the first destiny.

Okay. Wow. It's a storied history for these guys. Yeah.

There's a very interesting stuff about them working on a Jason Bourne game called Treadstone. Oh, wow.

That'd be fun.

They were working on a Simpsons hit and run. Two was canceled. They were working on a Scarface Two that was canceled. Prototype Three that was canceled. Spiderman Four with what Hit and Run.

Is I won't say how good yet. And so many more games and the technology jumping and more kind of GTA ness to pull from. How good would a sequel to Sid Hit and Run be?

Incredible.

It's going to be one of those fucking holy shit good games.

And this is a game. So this game has been remade by fans.

Yes, I knew that.

With, like, a current GTA engine. I would love to see an actual release of a remake of this game.

Absolutely.

That would be pretty great. I think a lot of people would really love that.

Yeah. I think this game has a fond history. Remembered fondly, I'll say that.

Yeah. I think this is kind of like a cult classic kind of game.

Yeah, absolutely.

I think it sold okay. I think it sold fine. But it's a game that never I mean, people don't talk about it all the time still.

No.

Except for the people that know. People in the know.

Yeah. I feel like when this game came out, it was one of those games where, you're know, this is before Internet reddit, all that shit. You would hear from a friend, hey, you got to get this game. Or you'd see your friend playing it, it's like, oh, my God, it's fucking Simpsons, but GTA. And you're like, Holy fuck, I got to play that. And you just bought it. Yeah.

And the development of this game started in 2001, and it was supposed to be, like, the spiritual and it feels this way. It feels like the spiritual successor to Road Rage. It's a better version of Road Rage. Road rage is more crazy. Taxi. This is more GTA.

Got it.

And I don't mean like, this game is kind of like GTA. Like, there's cars and you can crash into stuff. I mean, this game is basically, like, a rip off of GTA.

It's so close to GTA, I'd almost.

Call it a parody.

Do you know what? Like, I forget the thing where it's like remember it was called, like, Rage or whatever, where you'd have to kill as many you do stuff like that, but it's more simpsons esque. You know what I mean? It's not murder.

You say that because I'm reading right now that there were some critics that did call it a parody of grand theft auto. And it is, which is great, which makes it even more in line with what the I mean, there's obviously tons of different types of humor and layers of humor in the simpsons, but when I think simpsons, I think it's making fun of the absurdity of everything.

Exactly right.

Like, everything is nonsense. Everything is absurd. The world itself is just insane. And the simpsons is just constantly poking fun at that, at the excess of know. It's making fun of America quite a bit.

Oh, yeah. That is indeable.

One of my favorite episodes is when Homer goes to Japan.

Oh, fuck, yeah. Fish bulb. Fish bulb head or whatever.

Oh, my God. And he's on the box of the god.

This could easily turn into what's your favorite Simpsons episode? And there are opinions, but everyone loves Lisa's vegetarian. I'm a cat burglar episode guy, but whatever. With Sam Neal. Love that episode.

That is a good one. I really love the episode where George Bush moves in across the street.

Fuck yeah. Keeping in mind I've already talked about what happened to my hair.

And then he spanks Bart, which is very funny.

Very fucking funny.

You have no idea how often in my life I go, oh, see, you've played knifey spoony before.

God damn it. And it's an interesting just a little bit more sense of talk. But I find symptoms interesting because there's the classic thing where everyone says saturday night live has been going for obviously longer, but everyone's, like, everyone thinks the best cast and the best era was when they were in junior high and early high school. Simpsons isn't like that. There's a dividing line where simpsons were almost universally everyone agrees it got bad and it's not good anymore.

Yeah, I think canonically, the best seasons, right, are four through ten.

Four through ten, absolutely.

That's where all the bangers are. Steamed hams.

Steamed hams. What is that, 23 short films about Springfield or something? That episode that's what? That one? That one is so fucking good.

Thought we're having steamed clamps.

No.

You misheard me, Seymour.

The house is on fire.

It's the northern lights.

No, mother, it's just the northern lights. Holy shit.

That's fucking good.

God.

So good.

So good.

I think it's the rare instance where yes, those are, like, the best seasons, but I think that even now, even season what, 34? Yeah, it's easy for me to keep track of the seasons because the first season came out the year I was born. So however old I am, that's very how many seasons they're on. There are still good episodes.

Yeah, sure. Absolutely.

There are still good episodes. And I think that the Simpsons Movie is actually pretty great.

I think it's pretty good. I don't think it's pretty great, personally, but it's good. But I do think that's the dividing line for a lot of people of where it went to shit.

That bit where he gets stuck between a rock and a hard place yeah. Is so good. Also, you can't beat the line I was elected to lead, not to read.

Fuck yeah.

Oh, God. Well, not talking about The Simpsons Show. No anymore.

No.

Let's get in to the story.

Sure. Hey.

Hey. I'm endorsing a new cola, kids. And this one isn't poisonous to anybody.

That we know of. Okay.

So the game follows the Simpsons family and Apu Nahasapima pimta fuck.

I thought I was going to get.

That in one take. I thought apu. Nahasapima. PEM Petalon.

Fuck.

They basically see a bunch of weird shit going on in Springfield. There's these mechanical robo wasps that are flying around mysterious vans, crop circles. And then we're hit in the opening sequence with, right off the bat, a banger bit from Crusty the Clown, where he introduces the new and improved Buz cola.

Yes.

The new edition not poisonous to anyone, but it does cause insanity. Of course, they decide that they're going to figure it all out and realize that, of course this is all being caused by Kang and codos. And that's basically the whole a story. Like Grand Theft Auto has a story.

Yeah.

And I don't mean San Andreas, which is probably the only Grand Theft Auto with, like, a meaningful story that fucking matters.

Four had a pretty good story arc.

I felt, with I mean, maybe I didn't get crazy into Four. Definitely never beat four.

Four had a I'd say, like, they really leaned into a storyline for a character. Yeah.

Keep an ear out for boomerang controller. The PlayStation Three Podcast.

Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

So that's all about the story. But where this game shines, where this game becomes a classic, where this game is worth talking about is the gameplay.

Fuck yes.

So let's get into that's.

How can I sleep with that camera? Old, sexy girls could be watching me on the Internet. Stupid cameras. You should be smashed. I'll destroy you at your power source.

So pretty simple. You play as Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Apu.

Yep.

You run, you jump, you smash shit, you kick shit, and you drive.

That's it.

And this game is a pretty classic example of a collectathon big time, which is incredible. Now, I don't know about you, so one of the first things that you can collect, right, is coins.

Coins.

Always. Let's talk about the coins. Collecting coins is very satisfying. I think this game nails the they give you so many coins, and the pricing of stuff is just enough to where it doesn't feel like a slog to collect coins for stuff. But it also doesn't feel like you have unlimited coins.

No, the shit's not handed to you.

It's honestly like a perfect balance.

I think. So. I think that's one really underrated aspect about this game is the economy is fucking really good.

Yes. And with these coins, you can buy new outfits.

Yeah.

You can buy new cars.

That's right.

You can buy new cars. You can get new outfits. Now, for new players, this is what I recommend. You're going to get your first mission. Your first mission is going to go to the quickie mart. Before you do that, just run around back at the Simpsons house and collect all those coins.

Grab them coins.

Because there is a coin like machine. It's a shirt. It's a floating shirt. In the quickie mart, you can buy your first outfit.

Yeah.

I don't know about you, but I immediately bought a costume, of course. And I bought homer and Amumu one of the best episodes of all time. When homer realizes obesity is a disease and that he can work from home.

Yeah. That he can collect a disability and work from home.

It has one of the best technology jokes of any simpsons episode where the computer says, press any key to continue. And homer looks at the keyboard like, where's the key?

I'm getting tired. I should just order a tab. And he hits the tab key. That's fucking good. Yeah.

It's so good. So, of course, I played most of this game as homer running around in a MooMoo. It is a classic, classic bit.

Fuck.

Yeah.

I played a lot as bartman, I'll be honest.

Oh, of course. Indubitably. That's one of the things, like, this game does really well, is like if you're a simpsons head.

Yes.

Look, if you're not a simpsons head, this game is fun.

It's still fun. Yeah.

You don't need is it incredible?

No, maybe not. No.

But if you like the Simpsons, if you were a 90s kid and you have that certain brain disease where you relate everything to the Simpsons like I.

Do.

You have no idea how many times I've seen someone with bad makeup on him and it looks like they use the makeup shotgun.

It was set to whore.

Then. This game is hitting a certain pleasure center in your brain.

Oh, absolutely. It is.

And it is so good because there's so many little jokes. There's so many little one liners. The original dialogue for this game is great. The jokes that bart makes while walking you through the tutorial spot.

Oh, so fucking think.

And I think that's what makes this game the best Simpsons game is because it feels like the Simpsons.

It feels like an episode. It really does. In that it's held together by a simple storyline. And it's got good.

Kind of it does this weird, tightrope act of not being just an episode and also having a fun gameplay loop.

Yes.

There's a little bit of platforming in this game that's also really fun.

It is fun.

When you get to the Quickie Mart, you can jump on top of that duff truck and then jump on the steam vent. And steam vents make you shoot up into the air. And on the roof of the Quickie Mart, there's little stuff like that. There's coins, there's collectibles everywhere.

The exploring you can do in this game, and I don't know if it's map accurate to the town of, you know, I'm sure on the internet be like, oh, that's not supposed to be there.

But it sure is fuck more map accurate than Simpson skateboarding.

The absolute fucking lootly. But just the exploration you can do it's like GTA. And you can just get in a car and drive around Springfield and go past the fucking Lard Lad sign, all that shit. It's fucking awesome.

So, yeah, you run around, you collect coins, you collect cards, you destroy boxes with the wasps in them. There are hidden vehicles in each level that can be used if you find them. The main missions of the game are all pretty much universally driving.

Yes, always.

And that's where it feels like this is going to be a hot take. I think maybe the driving is better in this game than in GTA.

In GTA three or the series.

Yeah.

GTA three. I think it is.

Honestly, it's better.

I think GTA three. Yes, I think it is. I think the cars feel more fun, they feel more arcade. They don't feel like you're trying to be because I feel like GTA Three did have a sense of like, well, all the cars got to handle differently, so there's a difference. And this does too, but in a more forgiving and fun way.

Yes. And you can fuck up your car and you got to find these wrenches around the map to fix the car, which is great. And there are just enough of them to have it be like you won't panic if your car is starting to get fucked up.

No, not at all.

But it's also not like you're seeing endless wrenches.

No.

If you hit people, though, that's not good.

That's not good.

Unlike you're hitting run, meter fills up and when it's full, the cops come. Just like GTA.

Right?

You can also smash Buzz Cola vending machines. You can collect Itchy and Scratchy cards. There's seven cards in each level. And when you get all seven cards, it unlocks a bonus game racing minigame. And when all of them are unlocked, all 49 cards, because there is seven levels, you unlock the Itchy and Scratchy video, which you can just find on YouTube.

Yeah, you just watch it. It's from a different time where that was a thing. Yeah.

Like sonic injuries make you lose coins. If you get picked up by the coppers, you lose 50 coins.

Which is fair. It's fair.

Yeah. This game's not brutal. This game is very casual in the best way, but it's not stupid. Like dog's life.

Right. Exactly.

Right where that game was like, in fact, I would say there's a lot of similarities between hit and Run and Dog's Life.

I think Dog's Life could have learned a lot from Simpsons hit.

Absolutely. Dog's Life is like the awful bizarro version of this game.

Right? Exactly.

With no cars.

Yeah.

But you're a dog. Like, you can run really fast.

Well, maybe the comparison breaks down a little, but whatever.

Yeah. This game has the most satisfying physical mechanic that any game could have, which is the double jump.

Yes. You have a double jump.

Any game that has a double jump, that's like writing your name on the SATS.

Right.

It's an automatic 500 points.

100% true.

Absolutely. But to be honest, there's not a lot to the gameplay of this game either. And that's what kind of makes it brilliant, is you kind of just get in this world, you do these missions. The missions are fun and varied enough to keep you interested. And there's a million gags around which gags are also something you can collect, which is kind of funny. Like when you go to a swing set and you can click on it and it'll collapse or there's like little show related bits. It's very good in that way. But it is simple. There's not like a ton to this game.

No.

And I think that some games would maybe lean into trying to have too much going on and that would destroy this.

I mean, it could have been luck that they wound up, but the balance they found of make it like GTA. But don't overload don't overload us the players. Yes.

You know what this game also kind of remind me of? This is a fucking reach. This is a poll right here. I don't think it's a reach. I think these games actually could be very comparable. Unless I'm talking insane. I haven't played this other game for two decades. But this game kind of reminds me makes me think of Rugrats Search for Reptar for the PS one.

I never played it, but I'll take your words.

So if any of you think I'm full of shit or like, oh, my God, that's right, please hit us up on Instagram and let me know, because I think that's an apt comparison here, which I love that game. Maybe it's nostalgia goggles, but possible. So I think it's pretty clear that we love this game.

Love this game.

And I don't think it's any surprise that a lot of people love this game. But let's see what the critics had to say about it.

Super curious to hear what the thoughts of the times were.

Oh, my goodness, if only kids would.

Play more video games about sharing barge. You know I abhor crazy plans. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go spy on my boss.

Would you be surprised to find out that the Simpsons hit and run received generally favorable reviews generally favorable.

A little surprised it'd be generally not universal.

Here's the weird thing. The PS Two version, which I feel like is the definitive version right, is the lowest rated on Metacritic.

I, in full disclosure, played it originally on original Xbox, and really? Yeah.

That is the second highest rated.

I actually feel like it might have been a little better nostalgia. Goggles. Don't remember. Don't have any way to compare it, but when I was playing it this time, I was like I felt like it was better on Xbox. Maybe.

I don't know. I never played I played it on GameCube.

Okay.

Which I don't remember it being any better than the PlayStation Two version, but the PC is the highest rated, 82 out of 100. The Xbox is 81 out of 100. GameCube is 79 out of 100. PS Two is 78 out of 100. I think this also might be a case of more people reviewed the PlayStation Two.

Absolutely. I think that's 100% true.

I think there's sort of, like, skewing of the ratings because of how many reviews many consider to be the best Simpsons game to date. I can agree with that.

Many.

Other than tapped out. Other than tapped out, sure. Over 1 million copies of the game were sold as of June 2004.

Wow.

Which is a pretty quick turnaround. And 3 million as of July 2007. Yes, sir. The PlayStation Two version received a diamond sales award from the ELSPA Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, which.

It'S a.

Weird name for an association.

Very weird, yeah. Indicate.

Oh, it's British. That's why there indicating sales of at least 1 million copies in the UK. Fucking British entertainment. Leisure software publishers. Ministry of Entertainment and leisure.

Just for leisure, mate.

Praise focused on the move from the Simpsons television series to the video game format, while criticism targeted some aspects of gameplay. Hit and Run won the award for fave video game at the 2004 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.

Bam.

That holds quite a bit of weight with me, because kids in general, I mean, kids back then didn't like shitty games.

True.

These days, I wouldn't trust that for shit. All these dork ass kids would just pick Fortnite Mr.

Beast game.

Yeah. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid kids. God. Get a vasectomy, people. Good God.

Nicely done.

Let's go through the reviews. All Game did not rate it. Never mind.

Skip that.

EGM gave it a 7.17 out of ten, which is odd.

Odd.

Eurogamer gave it a five out of ten, proving once again that the Europeans have no taste.

Fuck Eurogamer. What the fuck?

Game Pro gave it a four out of five stars.

There you go. Game.

Revolution gave it a b. Game Spot gave it an 8.3 out of ten. Game Spy gave it a four and a half stars.

Okay.

They gave every version of it four and a half stars.

Yeah, as well they should.

Game Zone gave it an 8.6 out of ten here's. Interesting. They gave the Xbox version a nine out of ten.

Wow.

I know. IGN gave it an eight out of ten. The GameCube version, nintendo Power gave it a 3.8 out of five. PlayStation Magazine gave it a four out of five stars. The Cincinnati Enquirer, okay, famous for their game reviews, gave it a four out of five stars. And Entertainment Weekly gave it a B. Yeah. Let's see what Entertainment Weekly said. Jeff kaylee. Now, here's where I know something's fucking wrong here.

Hit me. Hit me.

How do you think he spells his name?

Kaylee?

No, Jeff.

Oh, is it g? Is it Geoff?

He's a fucking g off.

He's a goddamn Geoff.

Look at this Geoff.

These fucking Geoffs all up in here.

Hate them. Gave it a B and said, if some of the missions seem repetitive, others stand out. Like the one that has you confiscating copies of a particular violent video game. Wink. Wink corrupting Springfield's youth.

Fucking genius. Yeah.

No, it's great.

Yeah. What's wrong with that? Geoff?

Yeah. Why'd you give a B, bitch?

Should be a B plus, Geoff.

Good God. During the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences I guess America's stupid with the way they name shit too. Nominated hit and run for console action adventure game of the year.

Okay.

Yeah. And fun little note in pal regions. Sierra Entertainment published it, of course.

Yeah, they're just going to keep popping up. Just randomly. Fucking Kings Quest folks going to keep popping up.

Game Revolution bush let's see, what is his name? Bush. And Mr. Tickle of Game Revolution pointed out that Hit and Run had a few gameplay issues and graphical shortcomings that include strange artificial intelligence behavior don't care. And a broken camera system, which they felt hindered the overall experience of the game. The camera system is a little wonky.

It could be better.

It is a little weird. I think that's why I want a remake with modern controls. I think this game would be just.

That'S what I was saying with, like.

Hours of fun if they did it online.

Yeah. Fuck.

Think GTA online. But it's Simpsons hit and run. Absolutely.

Fucking events and shit.

Okay, Ian, what do you rank on this game?

I don't even care that this is probably mostly nostalgia goggles. I am going to rate Simpsons Hit and Run on my patented patent pending thousand point rating system. I'm going to give it an 886 doll out of 1886.

Nice. I like that. Yeah. I also don't care if this is nostalgia goggles. I'm going to give it an eight and a half out of ten invasive species of toads. And that's the final word.

All right? I mean, that's going to do it for Simpsons Hit and Run. Thanks, everyone, for listening.

Make sure you follow us on social media.

Bam.

You can hit us up on instagram at discrete error Pod.

You.

Can find me at funeral. Casual games.

I'm at Ian Golding Games.

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