While we wait for Simpsons: Hit and Run to leave PS2 purgatory, one modder flawlessly brings the cult-classic open-worlder to PS Vita

The Simpsons: Hit and Run might not have found its way onto modern consoles, but one modder has been working hard to get the yellow peeps onto two handheld systems.

Using the game's source code, modder ZenoArrows has unofficially ported the cult classic game to the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch. All you need to do is have the actual PC version's source code downloaded - not the leaked source code, because those aren't from "the final version" - and then head over to GitHub to follow the install instructions.

"The full game should be playable, including local multiplayer in the bonus game," ZenoArrows notes, though "the port is still incomplete, so some glitches can be observed and some visual effects are missing compared to the PC version."

Either way, as you can see from Good Vibes Gaming's video below, the port seems to run almost perfectly on the PS Vita, with Homer casually causing mayhem and kicking poor old Springfielders in much the same way as he did back in 2003. As the video below points out, the unofficial port seems to have better asset quality that Sony's own PS2 classics that were ported to its failed handheld with the Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter collections.

Those holding out hope for an official, beautified port for the open-world game might need to wait a little longer. The Simpsons: Hit and Run was originally published by Vivendi, a company that later merged with Activision, which later merged with Blizzard, and the entire corporate blob was then swallowed up by Microsoft just last year. The most recent tie-in game that I'm aware of is The Simpsons: Tapped Out from EA. And the overall license is owned by Disney after it basically doubled in size with its Fox acquisition. So, who knows which company owns the rights to The Simpsons: Hit and Run specifically? It's all a bit of a mess. But let's all agree to hound them for a remaster when the culprit comes forward, okay?

20 years on, The Simpsons Hit and Run designer reflected on the enduring legacy of the beloved “GTA for kids.”