Summary
- Grand Theft Auto games revolutionized open-world gaming, emphasizing fun, freedom, and chaos.
- Each game in the franchise offers unique experiences, missions, and characters that enhance the overall fun factor.
- Grand Theft Auto Online remains a thriving multiplayer mode, packed with content and endless criminal opportunities.
Grand Theft Auto is one of the greatest video game franchises of all time, single-handedly turning Rockstar into one of the biggest studios in the industry. There's a reason why fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, with the impending debut already causing quite a bit of excitement.
8 Most Fun Exploits In GTA Games
These are some of the most fun exploits players can achieve in GTA games.
Every game in the Grand Theft Auto series is a ton of fun to play and shows why players love the freeform nature of this sandbox. While some titles are bound to be more enjoyable than others, that should take nothing away from the fun factor each title brings to the table.
8 Grand Theft Auto 3
The First 3D GTA Game Sparked An Open-World Revolution
Grand Theft Auto 3
- Released
- October 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto 3 set up the building blocks for something special and single-handedly turned open-world games into the most popular genre in the video game industry. Some missions can be frustrating in this game, but the overall fun factor is off the charts and was revolutionary back in the day.
Along with the classic gameplay loop of causing chaos and attracting police attention, players could initiate one of many missions, find fast cars to gallivant in, and complete odd jobs to earn a ton of cash. The sheer number of things to do in this game was mind-boggling and served as a taste of things to come in the franchise.
7 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
The PSP GTA Games Were A Lot Of Fun
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
- Released
- October 25, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Sandbox
The PSP's controls can be a bit tricky to get used to for a GTA game, but fans who put in the effort will have a blast playing Liberty City Stories. Rockstar had become more comfortable with this engine by this point and had improved their mission structure considerably, too.
This helped Liberty City Stories stand out as one of the best games on the PlayStation Portable. Unlike Claude, Tony Cipriani has a voice that helps his personality shine and enhances the fun that players experience as they witness a cinematic scene that sets the stage for yet another action-packed mission.
6 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Players Will Jump At Any Excuse To Get Into This Game
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
- Released
- October 31, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Third-Person Shooter
Vice City Stories is an obvious improvement over its portable predecessor, featuring improved water physics and a better targeting system. Given that violence in a Miami-inspired city requires both elements to be top-notch, it's easy to see why fans were impressed by what this game brought to the table.
8 Best Friendships In Grand Theft Auto Games, Ranked
The Grand Theft Auto series is known for its cast of colorful characters. These are the best friendships across all of the GTA games.
The novelty of controlling Lance Vance's older brother was enough to convince most players to check this game out. As long as they adjust to the PSP's control scheme, Vice City Stories will prove to be one of the most fun portable gaming experiences fans can subject themselves to.
5 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
The Stylish Vibes Of Vice City Are A Joy To Explore
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Released
- October 29, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is one of the most stylish games in the series, with the eponymous city bursting with character. The game is also clearly inspired by media like Scarface and Miami Vice to make the experience more cinematic and engaging than ever.
At the heart of this game is Tommy Vercetti, a gangster released from prison who makes a name for himself in Vice City against all odds. Completing a bevy of action-packed missions and acquiring properties is more engaging than it has any right to be, cementing Vice City as one of the best Grand Theft Auto games ever made.
4 Grand Theft Auto 4
Niko Bellic's Adventures Were Mind-Blowing Back In The Day
Grand Theft Auto 4
- Released
- April 29, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto 4's take on Liberty City is amazing and lets players have a great time as they explore this reimagining of New York. It helps that this game boasts one of the more serious and mature stories in the series, with Niko Bellic establishing himself as a great protagonist fans will love to go berserk with.
On the gameplay side, Grand Theft Auto 4 is a clear improvement in everything from driving physics to combat gameplay. Players love how this game balances realism and arcade gameplay to let them enjoy the best of both worlds. Along with this, the impressive close-combat system is a surprising highlight that fans will love to mess around with.
3 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The Game Has So Many Systems That Fans Will Never Get Bored
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Released
- October 26, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
To this day, there's something about San Andreas that keeps fans coming back for more. The amazing cast of characters, a story full of betrayal & redemption, fun light RPG elements, and a massive world all combine to enhance this title's fun factor.
Grand Theft Auto: The Fates Of Every Mainline Antagonist
GTA's most brutal villains from San Andreas, Vice City, and GTA5, meet fitting ends after betrayal, power plays, and underestimating the wrong people.
Players can genuinely lose themselves in this game as they improve CJ's skills and make him more competent than ever before. The simulation elements also enhance a player's fun, with CJ having to eat, work out, and perform other activities to sustain his body.
2 Grand Theft Auto 5
Oozes Style As Players Explore A Massive And Beautiful World
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto 5 was a massive step forward for Rockstar and showed just how far this developer had come in a short span of time. Three protagonists and the biggest open world in a GTA game were just indications of the sheer chaos and fun players could enjoy in this sandbox.
Los Santos and its surroundings are jam-packed with detail and endless opportunities for players to go ballistic and commit every crime in existence. The missions are also more cinematic than ever before, especially when it comes to the amazing heists that show this game at its very best.
1 Grand Theft Auto Online
There's A Reason Why Players Can't Get Enough Of This Multiplayer Mode
Grand Theft Auto Online
- Released
- October 1, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto Online is one of the biggest multiplayer titles that is still played devotedly by fans more than a decade after its launch. It helps that Rockstar released a ridiculous amount of content in this mode, to the point where players can easily lose hundreds of hours living out their virtual life of crime in Los Santos.
From player-created races to the many multiplayer heists in this title, it's easy to see why Grand Theft Auto Online enjoys such a massive player base. Even if single-player fans may hate Rockstar's reliance on this money-making machine, they can't deny that this online mode is feature-rich and full of endless opportunities for players to have a ton of fun.
8 Darkest Endings In The Grand Theft Auto Games, Ranked
The best Grand Theft Auto games involve plenty of crime and violence, so it's no wonder that some of their endings are truly dark.