Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Simpsons: Road Rage delivers a frantic, arcade-style driving experience that perfectly captures the manic energy of its inspiration, Crazy Taxi. Players hop into iconic Springfield vehicles—be it Homer’s pink sedan or Bart’s neon-colored skateboard cart—racing against the clock to ferry passengers across town. The simplicity of the controls makes it easy for newcomers to jump right in, but chaining together long-distance fares and discovering shortcuts adds a satisfying depth for more experienced players.

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Each character’s vehicle handles uniquely, encouraging experimentation. Marge’s station wagon feels heavy but stable, ideal for tight cornering, while Bart’s tricked-out board zips through traffic with ease. As you progress, you unlock secret routes—like sneaking through Springfield Gorge or cutting across Mr. Burns’s nuclear plant yard—adding fresh challenges and strategic variety. The dynamic passenger requests pop up in real time, requiring quick decisions: do you take the high-paying yet faraway fare to Moe’s Tavern, or stick to shorter hops around Kwik-E-Mart?

Beyond the standard timed modes, the game offers bonus objectives that inject humor and replayability. You might be tasked with picking up only Springfield’s children in school uniforms or crashing through a series of Duff Beer barrels without a scratch. These missions leverage The Simpsons’ zany worldbuilding, ensuring no two runs feel identical. Leaderboards allow you to compare your high scores with friends, pushing you to refine your routes and optimize every second on the road.

Graphics

Visually, Road Rage authentically recreates the vibrant, hand-drawn aesthetic of the beloved TV series. Character models are instantly recognizable, complete with exaggerated features and signature color palettes. Vehicles sport bright, cartoonish details, from Mr. Burns’s nuclear bus emblazoned with “B-Bus” logos to Lenny’s battered pickup truck. The game world pops with familiar landmarks: Springfield Elementary’s crooked façade, the ever-glowing Kwik-E-Mart sign, and the ominous silhouette of the power plant chimney.

While the game’s engine dates back to the early 2000s, clever use of cel-shading techniques keeps edges bold and colors flat, preserving the show’s look without relying on high-end hardware. Day-night cycles and weather effects—rain slicking the roads or fog drifting across Krustyland—add visual variety and occasionally influence handling, such as reduced traction in wet conditions. These touches elevate the overall presentation and contribute to immersion in Springfield’s living, breathing environment.

Screen clutter is minimal; HUD elements like timers, fare indicators, and mini-maps are transparent and color-coded to avoid obscuring the action. Cutscenes, though short, showcase animated sequences that transition between missions, often featuring quips from the Simpson family and other residents. This level of polish makes the city feel cohesive and lively, even if polygon counts are modest by modern standards.

Story

The narrative premise is delightfully simple: Mr. Burns, ever the corporate tyrant, has monopolized Springfield’s public transit by introducing exorbitantly priced nuclear-powered buses. Fed up with fossil-fueled tyranny, the citizens revolt by commandeering their own vehicles and setting up independent cab services. This setup offers minimal plot distractions, focusing attention squarely on the high-octane driving action while peppering in Simpsons-style humor.

Between races, recurring cutscenes depict Burns’s frustration as his profit margins plummet and his nuclear buses sputter in disrepair. Meanwhile, Homer records his taxi exploits for “Homervision,” Marge frets about insurance premiums, and Bart gleefully evades Snake’s get-rich-quick schemes. The result is a lighthearted storyline that serves as an amusing backdrop, with enough sight gags and one-liners to keep fans of the show chuckling without bogging down the racing mechanics.

Minor side missions introduce brief dialogues with characters like Chief Wiggum (who blocks off roads for “emergency donut runs”) and Apu (who offers hidden power-ups in the Kwik-E-Mart). These narrative vignettes reinforce each district’s unique personality and encourage players to explore every corner of Springfield. Though there’s no deep character development, the game’s tongue-in-cheek writing and series-accurate humor provide just enough context to make each fare memorable.

Overall Experience

The Simpsons: Road Rage stands out as a joyous mash-up of fast-paced driving and irreverent comedy. Its pickup-and-play nature makes it accessible for short bursts of fun, yet it rewards dedication with route mastery, hidden shortcuts, and bonus objective completion. Whether you’re a die-hard Simpsons fan or a casual racer, the game’s charm lies in its ability to blend familiar characters and locales with addictive arcade gameplay.

Replay value is strong: every character swap dramatically alters the driving feel, and the pursuit of perfect runs on each of Springfield’s districts can occupy hours. The soundtrack includes authentic snippets of Danny Elfman’s theme and looped background music tailored to each neighborhood. Voice clips from the original cast punctuate successful fares and amusingly reflect the Springfield citizens’ personalities, further immersing players in the universe.

While budget-friendly by today’s standards, the experience feels rich and complete. Its minor graphical limitations are overshadowed by tight controls, inventive level design, and quotable dialogue. Whether you’re racing to revitalize Springfield’s transit or simply enjoying a sunny drive past Moe’s Tavern, Road Rage delivers endless laughter and adrenaline-fueled chases—making it a worthy addition to any arcade racing collection.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10