5 things that GTA San Andreas did better than GTA Vice City

GTA San Andreas and Vice City are two of the most beloved Grand Theft Auto titles. Both feature memorable maps, iconic characters, and riveting storylines. However, it cannot be denied that San Andreas is superior to Vice City in several aspects. This is probably because the former was in development for a longer time than the latter, which came out just a year after Grand Theft Auto III.

Nevertheless, both of them can provide hours of entertainment and are impressive in their own ways. With that said, let's take a look at five things that Grand Theft Auto San Andreas did better than Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Character customization, bigger map, and three other things GTA San Andreas did better than Vice City

1) Gameplay mechanics

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has many fun gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to learn different fighting styles, ride bicycles, and talk with pedestrians. All of them are absent from its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

In fact, players cannot even swim in Vice City despite the abundance of water bodies. This issue was carried over from Rockstar Games' 2001 release. On the upside, players can not only swim in San Andreas but also dive underwater. They can even improve the protagonist's lung capacity and other statistics over time, which is one of the best features in GTA San Andreas.

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2) Character customization

There is a lot of emphasis on character customization in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. Players can buy different clothing items for the lead character, CJ, customize his hairstyle, apply or remove tattoos, and even change his physique by eating more food or hitting the gym regularly.

This was the first time such in-depth character customization was featured in the Grand Theft Auto series. While GTA Vice City features different outfits for its protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, they are very limited and cannot be tinkered with, which is one of the few drawbacks of this game.

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3) Bigger map

Grand Theft Auto Vice City's map is based on 1980s Miami. While it is one of the series' most iconic settings, it is pretty small, and there isn't much to do in it. On the other hand, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas' map is significantly bigger. It features three major cities—Los Santos, Las Venturas, and San Fierro—based on Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, respectively.

Besides these three cities, San Andreas' map also includes a decently sized countryside. There are many things to do at these locations besides story missions. There are also plenty of easter eggs to discover, which provides a reason to explore.

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4) Car customization

Players can customize cars in GTA San Andreas in many ways. They can change its color, modify parts like the hood, roof, spoilers, and wheels, and even add a nitro boost to the ride. Unfortunately, nothing of this sort is present in GTA Vice City, where the only customization allowed is a vehicle's color. This can be done by visiting Pay 'n' Spray, but the hue you get is completely random.

Grand Theft Auto 5 and Online also feature in-depth car customization and players hope that it is a part of the next game as well. Although not much is known about it as of this writing, many interesting things were revealed by the GTA 6 leaks.

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5) Enterable buildings

There are very few entertable buildings in Grand Theft Auto Vice City, another drawback of this title. Oddly enough, this is also a problem in Rockstar Games' 2013 release, Grand Theft Auto 5. However, GTA San Andreas features many buildings that can be explored from within. This helps in providing a more immersive experience.

Restaurants are a great example of this. Not only can players go inside, but they can also choose meals from its menu. This is another feature that should return in Grand Theft Auto 6.