First Look at Futurama Hit and Run, a Total Conversion Simpsons Mod That Feels Like a Lost Sequel

Twenty-two years have passed since The Simpsons: Hit and Run hit store shelves, and it’s about time that a group of super-fans got their hands on a project that captures the same type of wild, Simpsons-esque fun in a flying saucer-filled future. Slurm Team, a group of nine die-hard fans, began sketching out their idea in 2019 and recently released a demo for Futurama: Hit and Run, a total conversion mod that flips the original game’s Springfield streets on their heads to bring them to life in the chaotic world of New New York.

The mod’s core gameplay is similar to what made the 2003 game so popular: a mix of open-world exploration and story-driven chores. You get into six of the coolest bespoke vehicles you’ve ever seen – damaged delivery ships, elegant racers – and drive to the quarter-scale metropolis that looks exactly like the one from the program. The four major objectives immerse you in Fry’s world; one has you chasing down a runaway robot through a tangle of pneumatic tubes, while another has you scurrying around for missing Slurm cans in the undercity. Each one builds on the previous one, revealing more of the map every time, thus every drive unveils new corners crammed with all sorts of strange things like glowing billboards and rickety old skywalks.

Beyond the core storyline, there are enough of extras to keep you going back for more. Anyone with keen eyes will notice a bonus mission waiting to be discovered, as well as three street races in which you must outmaneuver Zapp Brannigan’s ego almost as much as his ship. A small wager race adds another element of excitement to the mix, allowing you to bet on cargo hauls on tight corners and near misses. And if you’re the type who likes to collect everything, there are 25 wasps dispersed around rooftops and back lots just waiting to be bashed. And if that wasn’t enough, there are 9 tiny side gags waiting for you, such as clicking a button to get a remark from a passing Bender, one of which remains well concealed until you’ve dug into every nook and corner.


The Slurm Team worked hard to make New York feel like it belonged in a true Futurama episode. Every building, from the Planet Express headquarters to the dingy old MomCorp factory, is a fresh new 3D model that they handcrafted. There is no sloppy re-use of existing assets here; they are the actual stuff, complete with quirky buildings and flashing neon signs typical of the program. The sewers are alive with scary creatures that emerge as you drive slowly, while up above, suicidal aliens are just waiting to be driven into. And the best part? It’s all powered by the original game’s engine, so you get that same old low-poly charm that feels like a conscious throwback to the PS2 days when this type of fun was the standard.


Sound pulls you deep into the 31st century; it’s a wild adventure. We have a custom soundtrack that begins with a few key Futurama theme snippets and is paired with a bunch of synth horn tracks that really get going when you’re careening through the city in a high-speed chase… but it mellows out a lot when you’re just cruising around looking for some alley graffiti to admire. The vehicles are even more believable with the traditional growl of the engines combined with the futuristic ‘whooshing’ sound of the anti-grav boosters. We have voices bringing the characters to life, and while the demo currently depends on stand-ins, smooth AI approximations of Fry’s typical deadpan delivery and Leela’s no-nonsense attitude do the job until the professional actors arrive to clean things up. Even with stand-ins, they bring the banter to life and help the cutscenes capture the show’s particular dry wit.


Getting behind the wheel of this mod is simple, even if you haven’t played the original in a long time. The Donut Team’s mod launcher makes installation simple, stacking everything on top of a legitimate copy of Simpsons: Hit and Run on your PC. Once you’re all set, Fry’s four costume options come in handy – you can switch from his red jacket to a hazard suit if you need to manage any chemical spills, and the handling is perfect for relaxed cruising or precision drifting. The missions increase in difficulty without becoming too annoying; you’ll get a few chances to learn the fundamentals of tube jumping, but later ones will have you chaining boosts together while dodging crumbling bridges.