The Simpsons: Hit & Run

"Grand Theft Homer...A good thing?"

The Simpsons, video game speaking, never got the glory it deserved. Well, Hit and Run just gave them a huge boost. Mocking GTA (kind of) you are given a number of levels to play as the whole Simpsons family. This is, of course, the best Simpsons game since the arcade.

Graphics 9/10
The graphics are crisp clean. They put a lot of effort into the animation look of the Simpsons and the surroundings. So why didnt I give it a 10? Well, Lisa's head looks...weird in 3-D. Buildings look nice, though, the animation sheme was brillent.

Sound 7/10
Okay, the only reason I didnt give this a 1 was the funny voiceovers. The music is like something you would hear in Marry Poppens. The voiceovers, on the other hand, are funny. But the music you probly wouldnt have to worry about, since almost all the missons are timed. Speaking of missons...

Missons 6/10
This is where the Simpsons plunges, as usual. Every misson you find yourself being told the same thing. collect this, destroy that, it gets old after a while. Some missons are different, though, but you will only find a mission like this once a level. The good thing is the first 3 missions gives you kind of a variaty of tasks, so its not until the 4th mission until it seems like a repeat.

Like most timed missions, they temd to be boring, fusterating, and a chore. I would say to buy a car thats REALLY fast (and dont waste your money on clothes.) If you get bored of missons, you can simply go around, terrorizing Springfeild.

Controlls 10/10
Like all Gamecube games, the controlls are fairly simple. You wont have to worry here. Its just basic driving and walking.

Story line 8/10
The story line is... different. Kang and Kodos, the aliens, brainwash Bart and then try to take over the world. Its kind of funny if you follow it. But like I said, nothing new.

Entertainment 10/10
While the missions arent much of a blast, you are also able to collect coins and purchase clothes and cars. Some missons make you pay for cars or clothes. So if you ever get stuck on a mission, you can collect coins to get a new car (clothes dont have much of a purpose in the game. Exept casual Homer. Thats just funny). While you cant stoot people, you can kick them over and over until the cops get on your butt. If so, you will have to cough up 50 bucks.

Replay Value 8/10
There are a few reasons you might want to play again, like trying to buy all the clothes and cars. After playing the missions once, they are a breeze the second time, so dont worry about those.

Rent or Buy:
Id say rent and see if you like it. If you HAVE to buy it, wait until its maybe 35 to 40 bucks. I got it as a gift, so if you have all the Gamecube classics already, this is a must buy.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/01/04