3 overlooked GTA San Andreas features that should return in the series

GTA San Andreas is often hailed as the most ambitious and innovative Grand Theft Auto title ever. It was the most successful title in Rockstar's 3D Universe Grand Theft Auto series, and it also had the most number of features and improvements. Some of these features never made it to any of the sequels, and as such, fans want Rockstar to implement them in the upcoming game.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to release in 2025, and it's expected to be far more advanced than any GTA title launched before. With the game having been in development for so many years, fans expect to see several advanced features, some of which are expected to return from previous titles like San Andreas. Here are the most crucial ones that have gone unused in all titles since then.

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3 underrated GTA San Andreas features that should return in the next game

1) Dynamic body (muscle/fat)

Among the many features that should return in GTA 6, this one may be the most advanced. In Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, CJ, the main protagonist, can change his body shape depending on his activities, the food he eats, as well as the intensity and type of workout he does. The game had several gyms, fast food outlets, and restaurants, where players could work out or eat, respectively.

Strength training at the gym makes him muscular, which in turn increases his melee damage. Meanwhile, doing a lot of cardio upgrades his stamina and helps burn fat while also losing a bit of muscle. Food also has a role to play in this, as eating healthy food (like salads) will help in burning fat, and eating too much junk food makes CJ obese. If CJ gets too fat, he will tire out easily and will be unable to jump over some obstacles.

This dynamic body change is a feature that was way ahead of its time when it was first introduced. In fact, Rockstar has never attempted to bring this back, which is why the next game could be the perfect opportunity to do so. Not only would it add a unique aspect to gameplay, but it would also allow for greater player customizability.

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2) Extensive player customizability

GTA San Andreas easily outshines all other games in the series when it comes to customizability. While Grand Theft Auto 5 and its multiplayer counterpart brought back several customization options like tattoos, haircuts, and countless types of clothing, it's much more restrictive. For instance, players can't equip a certain type of top with a particular type of trousers, and so on.

This is in stark contrast to Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, where CJ could mix and match almost anything. There aren't many hairstyles in Grand Theft Auto 5 or GTA Online either. While this can be excused in Story Mode, where each protagonist gets a different set of hairstyles depending on the type of hair they have, it's unacceptable in multiplayer.

There's also no way to color a character's hair in the latest game, although this is possible in Grand Theft Auto Online. As such, overlooking character customization options is one mistake GTA 6 should avoid at all costs.

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3) Dating

Dating was one of the most innovative features introduced in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. Not only did it introduce an interesting roleplay element to the game, but it also provided some truly unique side missions that prevented the game from being too repetitive. CJ can have several girlfriends who are spread across the map, with some of them being unlocked in the later stages.

By progressing the romance with the girlfriends, CJ can unlock vehicles, outfits, and even some bonus rewards. The 2022 GTA 6 leaks as well as the official trailer indicate that the two protagonists in the upcoming game — Jason and Lucia — are in a relationship. This means that there might not be multiple partners that the protagonists can choose from.

However, the dating activities are highly likely to return, as all previous HD Universe games have some outings with friends, including the iconic bowling activity in GTA 4.