5 things that GTA San Andreas did better than GTA 4

GTA San Andreas (2004) was the predecessor of GTA 4 (2008). While Rockstar Games shifted to the HD Universe of the Grand Theft Auto series in the latter title, the 3D Universe title did better edged out in many areas. The HD Universe titles are typically regarded as better as they have superior graphics and gameplay mechanics. However, San Andreas still beats Grand Theft Auto 4’s gameplay in many aspects.

This article lists five things in GTA San Andreas that are far better than Grand Theft Auto 4.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer’s opinions. The listing is not in any order.

---

5 ways where the GTA San Andreas gameplay beats GTA 4

1) Inclusion of RPG elements

The RPG elements in San Andreas kept the gameplay experience unique for all (Image via Rockstar Games)

The RPG elements in GTA San Andreas made it one of the best titles in the Grand Theft Auto series. You could customize and upgrade the abilities of Carl “CJ” Johnson, which included both skills and visual changes. Some of the notable RPG elements in the game were as follows:

• Stamina improvement
• Driving skills improvement
• Getting skinny, bulky, or fat
• Improve weapon skills

Grand Theft Auto 4 lacked the RPG elements in general. While Niko Bellic could show some new combat skills, they were spontaneous and not earned like San Andreas.

---

2) San Andreas Offered different categories of vehicles

Even though Grand Theft Auto 4 was bigger than GTA San Andreas in almost all aspects, the 2008 title had fewer vehicles. Rockstar Games added 189 vehicles to San Andreas and 177 vehicles in the GTA 4: The Complete Edition.

Moreover, the 2004 title had 20 different categories of vehicles, whereas the 2008 title had only 14. Rockstar did not include any flyable planes in the latter game, which was disappointing. The lack of different and unique vehicles was one of the reasons why GTA 4 is not as popular as GTA San Andreas.

---

3) CJ has access to more weapons

It was unfortunate that Rockstar Games added fewer weapons to Grand Theft Auto 4 compared to GTA San Andreas. The following is a breakdown of how many weapons the protagonists had access to:

• Carl “CJ” Johnson: 37 weapons, 12 weapon slots
• Niko Bellic: 17 weapons, 8 weapon slots

CJ could use a chainsaw, Katana, flamethrower, minigun, remote explosives, and various other lethal weapons. Even though Niko Bellic was a war veteran, he was never seen using any heavy weapon other than the Rocket Launcher.

---

4) Gang wars

Gang wars were a unique activity that made San Andreas popular among grinders. After certain missions in the storyline, Carl “CJ” Johnson had to fight with enemy gang members to maintain Grove Street Families’ reputation and expand the territory. These action-packed missions were a beloved activity as they were also a part of the RPG element.

However, Grand Theft Auto 4 did not include any such feature in the game. Even though the 2008 map was bigger, Niko Bellic could freely roam the entirety of it without having to face any enemies. Rockstar should have brought back gang wars, as the game had the potential to include them.

---

5) Fun side activities

San Andreas offered more side quests than GTA 4 (Image via Rockstar Games)

The side activities in GTA San Andreas were more fun compared to GTA 4. The following are some of the notable activities that you could do in the 2004 title:

• Playing basketball
• Pimping missions
• BMX challenge
• House robberies
• Stadium events

While Grand Theft Auto 4 also had side activities, they were fewer and somewhat monotonous.

---