Pedestrians play a crucial role in making GTA San Andreas feel alive.
Without them, it would be an empty open-world game. These NPCs might play little to no role in the main storyline of GTA San Andreas, but it's their role in the free roam that players still fondly remember.
The uniqueness of each individual pedestrian tends to stand out to many players. The most memorable pedestrians often have:
- Unique designs
- Funny dialogue
- A mythos surrounding them
A minor fun fact that some players know is that GTA San Andreas was also the first game in the series that allowed players to speak with them. It was done in a limited yes or no capacity, but it still contributed to fans caring about these incredibly minor NPCs.
Top five most iconic GTA San Andreas pedestrians
5) Mr. Trenchcoat (DWMOLC2)
Bizarre pedestrians tend to attract attention. For example, GTA San Andreas myth hunters have created all kinds of conspiracies involving the pedestrian with the file name DWMOLC2. Aside from his file name, the most popular nickname associated with him is Mr. Trenchcoat.
His dialog often references some higher entity watching him and everybody else. Many players assume he's rambling about aliens, especially since he references probing.
He also appears in various fake myths as a serial killer, but it's worth mentioning that he isn't any more likely to kill other NPCs compared to other pedestrians.
4) Los Santos Cop
Cops aren't that funny in GTA San Andreas compared to other NPCs, but their ubiquity makes them hard to forget. Los Santos is the most important region in the game, making the LSPD the most common one that the player will see.
They appear in various missions as enemies that CJ has to eliminate, making them one of the most memorable pedestrians. Aside from that, they will also try to ruin a player's fun when they cause havoc in Los Santos.
3) Fat GSF member
Fun fact: This pedestrian's voice actor is Shawn Fonteno, who would later voice Franklin Clinton in GTA 5. Some GTA San Andreas fans don't know that, although the above video does include some voice lines that might sound familiar to the player. The 14-second mark includes him saying in a voice very similar to Franklin's:
"Hey dawg, what's up."
Aside from that neat little bit of trivia, this NPC is part of the Grove Street Families. This gang is easily the most recognizable in GTA San Andreas (and arguably the whole series).
2) Benny (CWMYHB1)
Benny is the name of the bald guy with missing teeth in the GTA San Andreas mission, Key to Her Heart. CJ eliminates him to take his place during his romantic rendezvous with Millie Perkins.
Outside of that mission, his ugly appearance tends to stand out to players. There were various myths back in the day about him being Leatherface or a zombie of some kind.
Naturally, none of those old rumors were true. That still didn't stop fans from thinking about this GTA San Andreas pedestrian many years later. He's also known as Tío Gilipollas in Spanish-speaking communities.
1) Orange 12
"I smoke cus it gives me knowledge."
The random pedestrian with the orange hoodie donning the number 12 is easily one of the most recognizable pedestrians in GTA San Andreas. Some of the reasons why he tends to stand out to players are because he:
- Has funny quotes
- Has a memorable voice
- Possesses an iconic design
- Spawns near the Johnson House (making him common to see)
Some fans also assumed he was meant to be a part of the Orange Grove Families (which later became the Grove Street Families). One of his quotes toward CJ even references that:
"I thought we were the same set!"
Unsurprisingly, plenty of Redditors at the GTA subreddit also fondly remember the random Orange 12 pedestrian. The whole thread also involves conversations about other iconic pedestrians in the series, so fans of wacky ones should check it out.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.