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The Simpsons Hit & Run is an action-adventure video game based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons. It was released for the GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Windows in the United States on September 16, 2003 and in Europe on October 31, 2003. The game was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal. To make the game more involving, the story and dialogue were crafted by writers from The Simpsons, with all character voices supplied by the actual cast.

The game follows the Simpson family and the citizens of Springfield, who witness several strange incidents that occur in Springfield. When the Simpsons take matters into their own hands, they discover that aliens Kang and Kodos are filming a reality television series about the populace. To make the show more interesting, the aliens release Buzz Cola, a soda drink that makes people go insane, into Springfield's water supply. With help from Professor Frink, however, Homer is able to destroy the aliens' spaceship, and Springfield and its inhabitants are returned to normal. The game received generally favorable reviews from video game critics. Praise focused on the interpretation of the Simpsons television series as a video game and its parodical take on the Grand Theft Auto III video game, while criticism targeted its gameplay and graphics. (more...)