To do: See if there's any more post-E3 prerelease stuff
Not much is known about Road Rage's development, except it was developed in eleven months which led to some serious deadlines having to be met.
Though it got mixed reviews from critics, it still fared enough to pave way for a much more superior spiritual successor. Retrospectively, it's seen as a decent return to form for Simpsons games after The Simpsons Wrestling.
November 8 - The Simpsons: Road Rage is released in Europe.
November 20 - The Simpsons: Road Rage is released in North America.
Early Development
One of the initial ideas at the very beginning of development was a kart racer, but that was rejected because every other IP was doing that genre. Another idea was a clone based on Crazy Taxi, where a playable prototype for the game was sent to FOX, allowing them to go ahead with development.
This was also one of the first few games to be developed on new hardware, specifically the Xbox and GameCube, which would be released later on in 2001.
circa. April-May
Pre-E3 2001 Screenshots
The following images are dated to May 28-30, but some of them have slight differences in comparison to the build shown at E3 2001.
The graphical style is more cartoonier, closely resembling the show. This was changed in the final, due to the creator Matt Groening wanting it to look like a video game rather than a "carbon copy of the show" after reviewing it.
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
The license plate of Marge's vehicle originally said "MUTHA", rather than "MOMMY" in the final.
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
The passengers were displayed in a "dome" before it was changed to a spotlight, and eventually to a "dome" again.
A placeholder "map" appears on the bottom-right side of the images, likely as a placeholder due to it being found in the final as an unused graphic.
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
Prerelease
E3 2003 Build
Final
May
E3 2001
To do: Upload videos and coverage anyway.
The Simpsons Road Rage was revealed. The E3 build has been dumped, and is documented here.
Videos
PlayZone Coverage
GameSack E3 2001 Coverage
Screenshots
Those screenshots were uploaded later on July 12, 2001.
circa. June-July
Xbox Alpha Development Kit Build
An early build of the game can be found on certain Xbox development kits which is likely from a similar date to the E3 build, although it has major differences.
Main Differences
The game opens with a cutscene of Homer jumping into his car and reminiscing about a scene in the Simpsons episode "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer". The scene, which uses 3D animation like the rest of the game, features Marge and Homer arguing about Homer going to a chilli cook-off.
The logo at the beginning of the game is different to the final version. It is very similar looking to the Simpsons Racing placeholder logo, but shows Homer and Mr. Burns looking angry at each other.
The loading screen shows Bart at a blackboard writing lines in the same style as the show's chalkboard gag that appears in the opening credits.
Like the E3 demo, the title screen shows the game's boxart. The screen also notably shows the game's final logo, instead of the aforementioned prototype logo.
The selection screen provides a "Quick Start" option.
The Head-to-Head selection screen shows an image of Ganesha holding gasoline pumps.
The Mission Mode selection screen shows Apu holding hot dogs next to the words "Hotdoggin Around".
The Entertainment District level is called "Moe's".
The graphics in this state appears to be branching into a slightly more realistic style as in the final game.
Gameplay Differences
Characters do not have lines and instead speak with robotic placeholder lines such as "Homer driver start of game 1" and "Homer driver big bump 3". An exception to this is Mr. Burns.
A thumbs up appears over characters who want to be picked up.
The drop off location is indicated by a UFO instead of clouds.
Like the E3 build, Mr. Burns' limo is stronger than the player's vehicle.
Like the E3 build, the Road Rage mode music uses the same music as Sunday Drive.
Map Differences
The Evergreen Terrace level has a broken bridge at the beginning which appears to be used to cut it off from the Springfield Mountains level.
The HUD map is green and brown instead of blue in the final game.
The Springfield Dam level is incomplete. There is no water and the player can drive out of the map.
July
Late July Build
Five images were released on IGN, dating to July 26, 2001. Downtown Springfield appear to be very unfinished at that state.
