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[Grand Theft Scratchy]

The Simpsons Game for Xbox was a tech demo created as a pitch to FOX in hopes of acquiring the license to The Simpsons.

The build covered on this page was built on March 8, 2004. The HDD it was found on (bought and dumped by Tdijital on October 28, 2019) also contains two earlier Simpsons executables, dated January 14 and 28, 2004, but they don't seem to work with the March demo files. A different Xbox development HDD also owned by Tdijital had a Simpsons build from March 31, 2005, but most if not all of it had been overwritten and what remains is nonfunctional.

Judging by the build dates, it's likely that EA pitched this idea directly after the release of The Simpsons: Hit & Run. They officially got the license in late 2005, which would be when development on The Simpsons Game really started.

The Simpsons (Xbox) - The Cutting Room Floor

tcrf.net

I came across the above video and it made me think it would be cool to play a new open world The Simpsons game. A noticeable difference between Hit & Run and The Simpsons Game was that while you could freely roam the town outside (in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions) you couldn't drive any vehicles. EA still has the license to make video games based on the show but unfortunately they seem content with keeping it locked to the mobile platform (see Tapped Out).

Still, how would you feel if EA decided to one day re-release or remaster older games like Hit & Run?

 

[ManaByte]

It's been too long since we've had a Simpsons game.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

I’m surprised Telltale never made a Simpson’s game

Still hope one day we get a Hit & Run remake/remaster

 

[Diddy X]

The Simpsons has now been a shit series for longer than it was good (great).

 

[pixelation]

It's odd that it looks like the character models are based on the very first Simpsons episodes (butt ugly).

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

I think it's kind of charming.

 

[HUELEN10]

I’m surprised Telltale never made a Simpson’s game

Still hope one day we get a Hit & Run remake/remaster

With Apt and his playable chapter? Unlikely in today’s climate.

 

[Piku_Ringo]

It's been too long since we've had a Simpsons game.

It's been too long since we've had good Simpsons content.

 

[godhandiscen]

Wasn’t Hit & Run a 360 game? This (OG Xbox version) looks better than the game I remember playing.

 

[Neff]

Part of me still lives in a time where Konami got the licence to make games of every movie and TV show in existence including The Simpsons

 

[German Hops]

Looks exactly like the Simpsons game I've always wanted to play.

 

[kiphalfton]

I love exploring open world games like the simpsons, dbz kakarot, etc.... but then the novelty wears off within an hour BECAUSE there isn't anything to do in the game (read the side quests suck). That's how I felt watching this video, going "man this is cool" to being like"okay the world looks big, but is there anything to do besides run around the map and look at landmarks". This is a prototype, but that's how most finished games are. And it's evident by the quality of the side quests that they're an afterthought and are probably included at the last second.

 

[jaysius]

I’m surprised Telltale never made a Simpson’s game

Still hope one day we get a Hit & Run remake/remaster

Thank fuck, their lousy elementary school reading level choose your own adventure shit was awful, the writing was terrible and their lazy fucks could never be bothered to optimize their fugly engine for any console. When they attempted humour like in that awful Borderlands game, it was retched. Not only was it poorly optimized, but every game was buggy shit, and there was no excuse because the games were so linear they only needed to optimize for a very limited number of outcomes. They also clung to their fugly engine way beyond what was in good taste. Even sites like dtoid couldn’t justify handing out padded scores to them near the end(padding scores of “small” and indie devs is their specialty).

Yea, I’m still mad at them for soiling the Jurassic Park IP for years, but they really were over hyped because the writer was bffs with all the major reviewers in the biz.

Simpsons is so unfunny today I don’t think a game would sell well on IP alone.

 

[dolabla]

That looks good. Would love to have gotten the chance to play it.

 

[yohan12]

Interesting seeing the 007: Everything or Nothing loading screen at the start.

 

[Spukc]

 

[brap]

Delete that racist bullcrap right fucking now, chud.

 

[Spukc]

Delete that racist bullcrap right fucking now, chud.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Looks better than Hit & Run. Writing probably would have been bad but it was guaranteed post-Season 8.

 

[Panajev2001a]

The Simpsons (Xbox) - The Cutting Room Floor

tcrf.net

I came across the above video and it made me think it would be cool to play a new open world The Simpsons game. A noticeable difference between Hit & Run and The Simpsons Game was that while you could freely roam the town outside (in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions) you couldn't drive any vehicles. EA still has the license to make video games based on the show but unfortunately they seem content with keeping it locked to the mobile platform (see Tapped Out).

Still, how would you feel if EA decided to one day re-release or remaster older games like Hit & Run?

This was a really nice and surprisingly polished demo/pitch... this is the level of quality some devs would stop at to be fair (not much more than this) hehe. Great job!

 

[caffeware]

this looks pretty good for og-xbox

 

[RoadHazard]

That looks amazing. Visually I mean. You don't see full cel-shading very often, and you definitely didn't back then. Looks so much better than Hit & Run.

 

[MAtgS]

Basically looks the same as the 2007 game:


In fact, with only a 3 year difference it probably was retooled into that game.

 

[VulcanRaven]

They should just remake Hit & Run with better graphics and gameplay.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Looks good. Id like an open world Simpsons or South Park game

 

[Bakkus]

The Simpsons has now been a shit series for longer than it was good (great).

By a long shot. Season 1 & 2 = dry, boring, unfunny (for the most part). Season 3-8 = fantastic Season 9 = great. Season 10-12 = alright. Season 13-31 = Horrible for the most part.

 

[cormack12]

Basically looks the same as the 2007 game:


In fact, with only a 3 year difference it probably was retooled into that game.

I fucking hated Lisa's buddha powers in that game

 

[Paulxo87]

Open world futurama game. Imagine the possibilities esp with the spaceship involved

 

[Romulus]

this looks pretty good for og-xbox

If it was exclusive to the og Xbox, it doesn't surprise me too much. That thing was an absolute beast when optimized.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

There are like 4-5 good/decent Simpsons game in total. Fits the mixed quality of the series.

 

[sinnergy]

Uh looks very good for that time , a shame it wasn’t released.

 

[MaestroMike]

A Futurama game might be fun.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Wasn’t Hit & Run a 360 game? This (OG Xbox version) looks better than the game I remember playing.

No, but I think Hit & Run was backwards compatible on the Xbox 360.

Interesting seeing the 007: Everything or Nothing loading screen at the start.

Yeah, EA Redwood Shores (Visceral Games) developed 007: Everything or Nothing and The Simpsons Game around this time.

If it was exclusive to the og Xbox, it doesn't surprise me too much. That thing was an absolute beast when optimized.

In the end, there was no original Xbox version of The Simpsons Game, so probably what we saw in the video was the most they could do with the hardware to try and secure the license. Then when development started in 2005 they brought it over to the PS3 and Xbox 360.

One thing that's interesting is that they changed the camera in the final release. In small interior areas, they're fixed to one side or another including the ceiling, and when you're outside, the camera follows you but it's still farther away from you than what we saw in the video.

 

[MarkMe2525]

The Simpsons has now been a shit series for longer than it was good (great).

Cool hot take.

 

[blastprocessor]

Man that looks so good.

 

[carlosrox]

I really enjoy the look of that.

Wtf is that 2007 game? Did I forget it existed? It's not Hit & Run??? 2007 one doesn't look that bad!

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

I really enjoy the look of that.

Wtf is that 2007 game? Did I forget it existed? It's not Hit & Run??? 2007 one doesn't look that bad!

The cartoony visuals age well. 2007 had a lot of great games though and I think most people just kind of forgot about this one.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I'd like to see someone work a deal to get the rights from EA.

 

[intbal]

A Futurama game might be fun.

Why not try it and see?