5 reasons players should try GTA Chinatown Wars

5 reasons why players should go back and try GTA Chinatown Wars

Modified Mar 17, 2021 19:28 GMT

GTA Chinatown Wars is an underrated masterpiece for mobile devices that players should go back and try at least once.

GTA Chinatown Wars is a beloved title that didn't sell as many copies as Rockstar initially anticipated back in the Nintendo DS days. The game itself wasn't bad. In fact, it had very strong reviews and showcased how great a GTA game can be on primitive hardware. Unfortunately, that does mean some players weren't able to play it initially.

It was released on other devices later on, but it might have flown by some players' radar by then. Fortunately, it's quite easy to play GTA Chinatown Wars in the modern era, so the five reasons documented below might convince some players to give it an honest shot. Alternatively, fans of GTA Chinatown Wars might wish to relive this great classic.

Five reasons why players should go back and try GTA Chinatown Wars

#5 - It's the last official GTA game on a Nintendo platform

Although Rockstar's relationship with Nintendo isn't as strong as it once was, it's still something fans of GTA Chinatown Wars appreciate. Technically, GTA Chinatown Wars is also on mobile devices and the PSP, but it's the fact that it's on the Nintendo DS that's quite shocking for some GTA fans. Despite being on a Nintendo platform, GTA Chinatown Wars doesn't shy away from controversial subjects (such as its infamous drug dealing minigame).

#4 - It's a GTA title with a top-down perspective done right

GTA originated as a series with a camera focused from a bird's eye view, regardless of what action was occurring on screen. GTA Advance returns to the top-down perspective some older fans might appreciate, but it's GTA Chinatown Wars that masters the camera system in a non-obtrusive way. It was even described by IGN UK as "a masterpiece of handheld gaming." GTA Chinatown Wars shows that a GTA game can resemble GTA 1 and GTA 2 and still be a masterpiece in its own right.

#3 - Drug Dealing minigame

As previously alluded to, the Drug Dealing minigame in GTA Chinatown Wars was controversial when it was first released. However, as far as gameplay goes, it's one of the defining features exclusive to GTA Chinatown Wars. Other GTA games might have drug dealing in some way (like in GTA Vice City with Mr. Whoopee), but they're not as robust asthey were in then GTA Chinatown Wars.

#2 - GTA Chinatown Wars was made with mobile devices in mind

Playing a GTA game on the go is always fun, but sometimes one can't help but feel as if they're playing an inferior game. Between archaic controls and limited movement options, playing something like GTA San Andreas on a phone, while nice, is still mediocre. Compare that to GTA Chinatown Wars, well it seems more seamless and it isn't limited to just phones and tablets, so older fans can play it on their DS or PSP.

#1 - Excellent controls

Something that's often overlooked in a GTA game is how well the controls respond to the player's actions. In all honesty, most GTA games tend to have sluggish controls in some departments, whether it's in driving or in combat. While GTA Chinatown Wars isn't perfect in its control scheme, it's arguably the best in that department for what it seeks to achieve. Unlike older titles, players should have no trouble adapting to GTA Chinatown Wars' gameplay.

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

Edited by Gautham Balaji