<s>
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hit	I-Application
&	I-Application
Run	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2003	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Radical	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Vivendi	O
Universal	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
American	O
animated	O
sitcom	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
,	O
and	O
is	O
the	O
twenty-second	O
installment	O
in	O
the	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
series	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hit	I-Application
&	I-Application
Run	I-Application
began	O
in	O
late	O
2001	O
as	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Radical	O
Entertainment	O
's	O
previous	O
game	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Road	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
heavily	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
series	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
re-purposed	O
the	O
open-world	O
design	O
and	O
nuanced	O
character	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
September	O
2003	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
then	O
ported	O
to	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
two	O
months	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
it	O
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
video	O
game	O
critics	O
,	O
with	O
praise	O
particularly	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
interpretation	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
television	O
series	O
as	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
,	O
its	O
parodical	O
take	O
on	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
and	O
graphics	O
,	O
while	O
criticism	O
mostly	O
surrounded	O
some	O
aspects	O
of	O
gameplay	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
bugs	O
and	O
glitches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
often	O
considered	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
best	O
Simpsons	B-Application
tie-in	O
game	O
and	O
has	O
gained	O
a	O
cult	O
following	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
,	O
it	O
earned	O
Greatest	B-Device
Hits	I-Device
,	O
Player	O
's	O
Choice	O
,	O
and	O
Platinum	B-Device
Hits	I-Device
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hit	I-Application
&	I-Application
Run	I-Application
features	O
seven	O
levels	O
over	O
three	O
separate	O
maps	O
,	O
each	O
with	O
missions	O
and	O
a	O
sub-plot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
driving	O
missions	O
are	O
also	O
similar	O
to	O
those	O
of	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hit	I-Application
&	I-Application
Run	I-Application
has	O
a	O
warning	O
meter	O
that	O
indicates	O
when	O
the	O
police	O
will	O
retaliate	O
for	O
bad	O
behavior	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Located	O
in	O
the	O
bottom-right	O
corner	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
,	O
the	O
circular	O
"	O
hit	B-Application
and	I-Application
run	I-Application
"	O
meter	O
fills	O
up	O
when	O
the	O
character	O
runs	O
people	O
over	O
or	O
destroys	O
objects	O
,	O
and	O
decreases	O
when	O
they	O
cease	O
doing	O
so	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
full	O
,	O
several	O
police	O
cars	O
chase	O
the	O
character	O
for	O
the	O
duration	O
of	O
the	O
hit	B-Application
and	I-Application
run	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
level	O
contains	O
items	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
collect	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
coins	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
gathered	O
by	O
either	O
smashing	O
Buzz	O
Cola	O
vending	O
machines	O
,	O
Buzz	O
Cola	O
boxes	O
or	O
wasp	B-Application
cameras	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
of	O
which	O
become	O
more	O
elusive	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
progresses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
apprehended	O
during	O
a	O
hit	B-Application
and	I-Application
run	I-Application
,	O
they	O
will	O
be	O
fined	O
50	O
coins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mysterious	O
happenings	O
are	O
occurring	O
in	O
Springfield	O
;	O
a	O
horde	O
of	O
robot	O
wasps	B-Application
descend	O
upon	O
the	O
city	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
new	O
and	O
improved	O
"	O
brand	O
of	O
Buzz	O
Cola	O
is	O
launched	O
by	O
television	O
personality	O
Krusty	O
the	O
Clown	O
and	O
introduced	O
to	O
store	O
shelves	O
,	O
and	O
black	O
vans	O
begin	O
appearing	O
around	O
town	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apu	O
and	O
Bart	O
learn	O
that	O
the	O
wasp	B-Application
cameras	O
are	O
filming	O
the	O
antics	O
of	O
Springfield	O
for	O
Kang	O
and	O
Kodos	O
 '	O
struggling	O
intergalactic	O
reality	O
show	O
,	O
Foolish	O
Earthlings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
cola	O
seeps	O
into	O
the	O
ground	O
,	O
it	O
releases	O
the	O
undead	B-Application
from	O
the	O
Springfield	O
Cemetery	O
,	O
who	O
invade	O
Springfield	O
on	O
the	O
night	O
of	O
Halloween	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Homer	O
collects	O
supplies	O
to	O
protect	O
his	O
family	O
and	O
home	O
from	O
the	O
marauding	O
zombies	B-Application
,	O
he	O
decides	O
to	O
pursue	O
an	O
alien	O
probe	O
vehicle	O
to	O
the	O
Springfield	O
Nuclear	O
Power	O
Plant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developer	O
,	O
Radical	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
received	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
create	O
games	O
for	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
franchise	O
when	O
they	O
demonstrated	O
a	O
playable	O
prototype	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Radical	O
released	O
its	O
first	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
game	O
in	O
2001	O
,	O
called	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Road	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
felt	O
that	O
everything	O
else	O
needed	O
a	O
new	O
approach	O
,	O
while	O
only	O
the	O
driving	O
portion	O
of	O
Road	O
Rage	O
was	O
worth	O
keeping	O
;	O
in	O
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
,	O
enhanced	O
traffic	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
is	O
introduced	O
,	O
which	O
makes	O
computer-controlled	O
vehicles	O
react	O
better	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
driving	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
internal	O
development	O
name	O
for	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
:	I-Application
Hit	I-Application
&	I-Application
Run	I-Application
was	O
simply	O
"	O
Simpsons	B-Application
"	O
,	O
as	O
referenced	O
by	O
the	O
executable	O
file	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
Hit	O
&	O
Runs	O
development	O
,	O
20th	O
Century	O
Fox	O
,	O
Gracie	O
Films	O
and	O
Matt	O
Groening	O
,	O
the	O
creator	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
,	O
played	O
important	O
roles	O
in	O
bringing	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
universe	O
into	O
a	O
3D	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tim	O
Ramage	O
,	O
the	O
associate	O
producer	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
publisher	O
,	O
Vivendi	O
Universal	O
Games	O
,	O
considered	O
it	O
a	O
blessing	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
opportunity	O
of	O
working	O
with	O
The	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
cast	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
writers	O
,	O
with	O
Ramage	O
saying	O
"	O
you	O
...	O
have	O
no	O
concerns	O
about	O
quality	O
;	O
you	O
know	O
you	O
’re	O
getting	O
the	O
best	O
there	O
is.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
includes	O
various	O
arrangements	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Simpsons	B-Application
theme	O
by	O
Danny	O
Elfman	O
,	O
and	O
features	O
specific	O
melodies	O
for	O
each	O
playable	O
character	O
;	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
Bart	O
's	O
gameplay	O
is	O
accompanied	O
by	O
hard	O
rock	O
,	O
while	O
Lisa	O
has	O
laid-back	O
motifs	O
that	O
Steven	O
Hopper	O
of	O
GameZone	O
compared	O
to	O
beach	O
party	O
films	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
received	O
a	O
"	O
Diamond	O
"	O
sales	O
award	O
from	O
the	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
Leisure	O
Software	O
Publishers	O
Association	O
(	O
ELSPA	O
)	O
,	O
indicating	O
sales	O
of	O
at	O
least	O
1	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
on	O
all	O
platforms	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
consider	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
best	O
Simpsons	B-Application
game	O
to	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Praise	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
move	O
from	O
the	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
television	O
series	O
to	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
format	O
,	O
while	O
criticism	O
targeted	O
some	O
aspects	O
of	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
number	O
of	O
reviews	O
complimented	O
the	O
transposition	O
of	O
the	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
television	O
series	O
to	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Official	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
Magazine	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
the	O
show	O
justice	O
,	O
and	O
Play	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
essentially	O
the	O
show	O
in	O
real	O
time	O
"	O
,	O
summing	O
up	O
its	O
review	O
by	O
calling	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
"	O
truly	O
great	O
cross-over	O
product	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Navarro	O
thought	O
that	O
the	O
humor	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
offered	O
included	O
many	O
excellent	O
self-referential	O
jokes	O
,	O
and	O
Eric	O
Bush	O
of	O
TeamXbox	O
concluded	O
its	O
review	O
by	O
predicting	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
extremely	O
appealing	O
to	O
gamers	O
,	O
especially	O
hardcore	O
Simpsons	B-Application
fans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Entertainment	O
magazine	O
Variety	O
surmised	O
that	O
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
Simpsons	B-Application
game	O
to	O
include	O
humor	O
comparable	O
to	O
what	O
was	O
in	O
the	O
television	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hit	O
&	O
Runs	O
parodical	O
take	O
on	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
III	I-Application
video	O
game	O
was	O
praised	O
by	O
several	O
reviewers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Zach	O
Meston	O
of	O
GameSpy	O
considered	O
it	O
to	O
"	O
deftly	O
satirize	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
while	O
being	O
almost	O
as	O
entertaining	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
suggested	O
that	O
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
improved	O
several	O
gameplay	O
aspects	O
that	O
it	O
borrowed	O
from	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
,	O
including	O
instant	O
mission	O
restarts	O
,	O
a	O
superior	O
guidance	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
easily	O
accessible	O
collection	O
of	O
vehicles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Official	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
Magazine	O
agreed	O
that	O
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
was	O
an	O
excellent	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
own	O
right	O
,	O
and	O
found	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
"	O
brilliant	O
"	O
clone	O
of	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combination	O
of	O
the	B-Application
Simpsons	I-Application
universe	O
with	O
the	O
gameplay	O
of	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
series	O
was	O
also	O
praised	O
by	O
Douglass	O
C	O
.	O
Perry	O
of	O
IGN	O
as	O
"	O
pure	O
brilliance	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Bush	O
and	O
Mr.	O
Tickle	O
of	O
Game	O
Revolution	O
pointed	O
out	O
that	O
Hit	O
&	O
Run	O
had	O
a	O
few	O
gameplay	O
issues	O
and	O
graphical	O
shortcomings	O
that	O
included	O
strange	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
behavior	O
and	O
a	O
broken	O
camera	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
felt	O
hindered	O
the	O
overall	O
experience	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nick	O
Catucci	O
of	O
The	O
Village	O
Voice	O
gave	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
version	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
nine	O
out	O
of	O
ten	O
and	O
stated	O
,	O
"	O
This	O
delightful	O
,	O
deep	O
,	O
and	O
detailed	O
(	O
but	O
unfortunately	O
not	O
cartoon-style	O
cel-shaded	O
)	O
rip	O
on	O
the	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
series	O
critiques	O
itself	O
better	O
than	O
any	O
untenured	O
academic	O
could.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Famitsu	O
gave	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
version	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
two	O
eights	O
,	O
one	O
seven	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
eight	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
31	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
.	O
</s>
