The Best Grand Theft Auto Game You’ve Probably Never Played

The Best GTA Game You’ve Probably Never Played

Grand Theft Auto as a game series is closing in on twenty-five years, and while many people haven’t been there from the very beginning, most fans of the franchise don’t miss a release.

Or do they?

There’s been a handful of side efforts within the Grand Theft Auto universe that didn’t break into the mainstream like their peers, typically due to the nature of platform restriction in the early 2000’s, as well as the fact that the same level of quality wasn’t there.

How Many Grand Theft Auto Games Are There?

Not including remasters, next-gens, and collection releases there are fourteen different Grand Theft Auto games with the earliest game being released in 1997, and the latest release being 2013. The next anticipated installment is a re-release of the PS2/XBOX era legacy trilogy dubbed The Definitive Edition.

Just so we’re all on the same page, below is a list of all the Grand Theft Auto Titles divided into two categories: most frequently played and most unknown.

The Golden Years (or The GTA’s You’ve Likely Played)

1. Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
2. Grand Theft Auto Vice City (2002)
3. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (2004)
4. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
5. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

The Early GTA Days & The Extras (or GTA’s less sampled catalog)

1. Grand Theft Auto (1997)
2. Grand Theft Auto London (1999)
3. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
4. Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004)
5. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005)
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006)
7. Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009)
8. Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
9. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)

I’ve played 9 of the 14 titles, and of those 9 I’ve played 7 all the way through the story missions.

You may have noticed, the less sampled catalog has more games; While this would be doom for any other game studio the timing and nature of these games (most were for Nintendo Gameboys or PSPs), especially in contrast with their AAA offerings massive successes, allowed these passed over titles to go by without too much stigma.

I’m here to tell you that there’s ONE, yes, ONE title within that whole list of 9 Grand Theft Auto games that is worth taking the time to check out, and the reason it’s worth checking out?

It fulfills the fundamental promise behind all of the Grand Theft Auto series that most of the titles come up short on.

Grand Theft Auto: Open World Crime Video Game Sort-Of

Since its breakthrough in 2001 with Grand Theft Auto III, the series has operated on the promise of an open-world crime video game. And while Rockstar was practically defining the genre at the time, now over a decade later, it’s more fair to say they’d developed an open-environment crime game, but not open-world.

Let me explain: crime is tied to a motive, and Grand Theft Auto means to emphasize the money motive. And at the same time, Grand Theft Auto as a series is extremely restrictive with how players can make money.

In fact one of the major criticisms for the series is the similarity of narratives. Players start as an errand boy, but quickly are involved with elaborate and violent crimes that don’t have a decent payday attached to them ($5000 goes quick at Ammunation).

Until the game decides to give you a a serious pay day, you’re hamstringed along, but in a truly open world crime game you should be able to make money quickly from the start.

Even when the GTA series began introducing “owning” businesses, in-game ownership was as simple as waiting for money to accumulate to running business specific tied missions (you guessed it, errands). There wasn’t a money-making system a new game file character could jump into within the first 10% of the game, and start making serious money.

Except for one: Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

GTA: Chinatown Wars follows the story of Huang Lee who following the murder of his father is tasked with a simple mission: deliver an ancient sword to his Uncle Kenny to ensure his family retains control of the Triad gangs of Liberty City.

Instead of smooth sailing, Huang is robbed and left to die, which sets off his quest for revenge, riches, and honor in the world famous Liberty City.

While the storyline is similar to many other GTA games, the unique gameplay elements and design (thanks to originally being developed for the Nintendo DS) have allowed GTA: Chinatown Wars to stand the test of time.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – Real Open World Crime

If money is the motivation, and crime is the means, all that’s left to solve is a vehicle or system for the player to do so.

Almost every other Grand Theft Auto title relies on missions either entirely, or in order for a player to first accumulate money to open a “side business”, but not GTA: Chinatown Wars.

Before even unlocking the shotgun players can get started in the family business (drug dealing) and start making serious in-game money.

How to Make Money in GTA Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is one of the most realistic depictions of drug trafficking fundamentals in a videogame. Players purchase from suppliers where prices are low, and sell where the demand is high, driving all over Liberty City to secure product at the lowest prices, and make sales for the highest profit.

The bigger the deal, the bigger the risk of being raided by police, and if a player is arrested during a raid they’re fined and lose all the contraband in their duffle bag.

Players that understand the system can quickly grow their in-game wealth. My first time playing I had already purchased a separate safehouse property as well as a full arsenal of weapons before even meeting the entire cast of characters.

And that’s the thing about playing GTA: Chinatown Wars, it’s fun because you’re free to criminal enterprise as you wish and the mini-games are totally unique to the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

The Best (And Last) Thing About GTA: Chinatown Wars

Due to first being released for the DS when touchscreens were still relatively novel, GTA: CW’s mini-games have held up and translated well to mobile phones. While it isn’t the only Grand Theft Auto on modern mobile anymore, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is still by far the best one to play on your phone.

You won’t regret dropping the $5 to start running Liberty City with your duffle bag, and a dream. (iOS/Google).