5 obscure GTA San Andreas features that players forget about

There are so many hidden details in GTA San Andreas, and it's very easy for the players to miss out on some of them.

GTA San Andreas is an open world experience that redefined the genre. The map is not only bigger, but the activities are also better. However, there are certain rather obscure and smaller details which require a closer look.

Rockstar Games is very meticulous with their design philosophy. Most players might not even notice how much work has been put into the game. GTA San Andreas is still an impressive feat to this very day, and these features only scratch the surface of how deep the game truly is.

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Five GTA San Andreas features that players often don't know about

5) Players can toggle the searchlights on police helicopters

Whenever players have a three-star wanted rating, a Police Maverick will chase them. They often use searchlights to spot their suspects. Such a feature is noticeably absent in other helicopters. In order to obtain the Police Maverick in GTA San Andreas, players will have to find a tall building.

Once the helicopter is near the player, they have to hijack it right away. They will now have access to the Police Maverick. Players can use the searchlight to scout their surroundings. They can also move it around on their PC.

Mobile devices lack searchlight functionality, given the lack of button inputs. Instead, players have to connect to a gamepad.

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4) Players can get new cameras in the Badlands mission

During the Badlands mission, players must kill a witness in hiding. They also need photographic evidence so C.R.A.S.H. can rest easy. Normally, they can just take a picture with a camera. Eddie Pulaski offered the player one right beforehand. However, they can replace it with a fire extinguisher or spray can instead.

In that scenario, GTA San Andreas was already thinking one step ahead. Players can still do the mission without a camera. If they kill the witness, they will be asked to retrieve another camera. It will spawn near the safehouse in Angel Pine.

This prevents the mission from softlocking. It's a rather convenient way to allow players to continue. Most players will miss it since they have no reason to return to Los Santos. Spray cans and fire extinguishers are not easy to find in the countryside.

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3) Securicars do not move if players use a police siren

Whenever players use police sirens in GTA San Andreas, other vehicles move out of the way. This is especially convenient for vigilante missions. Interestingly, there is one vehicle that refuses to move.

Securicars do not react if they hear a siren. Instead, they continue moving in their route. All other vehicles will step aside except for this one, and GTA San Andreas players will have to drive around if they want to pass.

These slow-moving vehicles answer to nobody. Instead, they just go on minding their own business.

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2) NPCs have unique voice lines when on a quad bike

Rockstar Games loves paying attention to detail. However, there are hidden conversations that players can miss entirely. In GTA San Andreas, NPCs have scripted dialog if they ride a vehicle with CJ. They will spout unique lines if the player uses a quad bike.

It's very unlikely for players to use quad bikes outside the countryside. Since the most important NPCs live in Los Santos or Las Venturas, players might not even listen to these conversations. One example is Millie Perkins, which can be seen in the video above. She might say the following:

"Have you lost your mind?!"

The only way to activate the hidden dialog is to run over pedestrians. Naturally, an NPC's reaction depends on their personality. Catalina will approve the player's actions, while Ryder and Big Smoke will not.

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1) Ken Rosenberg can save the player from freezing to death

GTA San Andreas is not for the faint of heart. The Meat Business mission forces players to fight their way out of a bloodstained factory. Several mafiosos want CJ and Ken Rosenberg dead. At some point, players can wander into the freezer, and doing so triggers an event.

A member of the mafia will try to lock the player inside. If that happens, CJ will desperately ask Rosenberg to get him out of there. However, if Rosenberg is also locked in the freezer, the mission fails automatically.

Most players won't end up in this situation. By this point in the game, players should be skilled enough with their guns. They will have to intentionally wait before they are locked inside. At the very least, GTA San Andreas makes good use of the location.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.