Simpsons Hit & Run Remaster Looks Just Like The Cartoons
If you're a regular here at GGRecon, you'll know we're big fans of fan-made The Simpsons: Hit & Run remasters. We first reported on modder Reubs managing to remake the 2003 game in under a week. Although it was pulled just days later due to "copyright concerns," the idea has found a new lease of life and sparked another project from someone else.
In 2022, The Simpsons: Hit & Run remasters are back behind the wheel of the Plow King and carving themselves a legacy that's almost on a par with the OG game. It's been nearly 20 years since Radical Entertainment delivered this GTA-inspired trip to Springfield, and observing its legendary status as a cult classic, many are asking where is our Hit & Run remake from those up high.
What's Going On With The Simspons: Hit & Run Remaster?
We've been keeping up with what's going on, as both Reubs and El Gato Del Tejado have a series of developer diaries that reveal what's going on with two different The Simpsons: Hit & Run remasters. El Gato's latest showcases some impressive visuals that look like they're pulled directly from Matt Groening's record-breaking cartoon.
Given Hit & Runs place in history, the graphics are looking a little dated these days. Fear not, El Gato is here to fix that. In the video, they explain, "I would love to see the cutscenes of Hit & Run with current 3D technology like [the] Crash Bandicoot remake or Battle for Bikini Bottom. I don't have much experience in 3D animation, so better to choose 2D." Hit & Run's 3D stylings helped make it what it was, but in terms of modern tech, just doesn't cut it.
Apparently rotoscoping only works for backgrounds instead of the actual characters, meaning the only choice is to draw them by hand using Groening's actual work. It's a labour of love but appears to be working. We might've lost the 3D look of the original Hit & Run, but we've got to admit El Gato's version looks just as good as a homage to the cartoon. It's easy to imagine what a proper remaster of Hit & Run could look like - even if we're unlikely to ever see one.
Why Hasn't There Been An Official Hit & Run Remaster?
Hit & Run remasters are everywhere right now... just not from the right sources. Reubs' recent updates have shown off its open-world potential and how it borrows GTA's bird's eye feature, but the developer has confirmed it will never be available to the public. El Gato hasn't revealed when their mod could release, but with a Patreon page launched to support the project, you can keep up with its progress.
In 2021, Game Producer Vlad Ceraldi admitted he'd love to see an official Hit & Run remaster but remained sceptical that'll it'll happen due to the team and rights being scattered. At the moment, the actual rights to Hit & Run are lost somewhere at Electronic Arts. The Simpsons co-showrunner Matt Selman has also thrown his weight being a remaster, but for the time being, the cars remain in the garage as we pin our hopes on fans like El Gato to make our dreams a reality.
