Simpsons Hit & Run "Remaster" Is Real, And It’s Gorgeous - MCE Notices | California State Portal

There are very few franchises in history that can claim to have had as significant a cultural influence as The Simpsons has managed to accrue over the last almost 40 years. America’s favorite family feels like they have always been there at this point, and that importance stretches far beyond the original television series that so many still tune in to watch.

In the world of video games, there are two titles that most players still remember as the peak of the family’s adventures in digital form. The Simpsons: Road Rage was the first of those, and a very fun game in its own right, though the undisputed crown still goes to The Simpsons: Hit & Run.

The only thing about going back to playing it today is that it has very much started to show its age, but happily, there’s a way around that if you’re looking to play on a PC.

Over on YouTube, the channel Retro Renew shared a video breaking down the work of modder Muckluck, who has finished entirely remastering the game for a modern audience. Without wishing to go overboard, it’s easily one of the most technically impressive fan remasters we have ever seen for a game, maintaining the original, iconic art style and aesthetic, while giving it the fidelity that modern technology offers.

The game has been rebuilt from the ground up for the PC, and by all accounts it’s also running better than ever before, as well as looking great. The control schemes are also pretty much plug and play, meaning you can get it running on the Steam Deck and other devices with relative ease.

Comments were predictably positive, with one saying, “There’s a lot of love for Hit & Run but the thing I find interesting are people discovering it for the first time now and still having a great time, even if they’re like yourself and aren’t the biggest Simpsons fan. It clearly did something very right that not many games replicated.”

While another added, “I’m so happy this game is getting the remastered attention it deserves, and I would like to see an official remastered release at some point!”

The mod is available to download from the Donut Team forums, with the only caveat being that it’s only the first portion of the game that has been completed. You’ll also want to make sure you have a legitimate copy of the game ready to go, just to keep everything above board legally speaking.

Homer in a Severance parody in The Simpsons

Though The Simpsons doesn’t have the pull it once did, it’s still an absolute cultural touchstone for a lot of people, and the games are a great way of interacting with an iconic franchise. Let’s just hope we one day get the official remaster we’ve all been waiting for, however unlikely that may be.