5 things that made GTA 3 so popular

GTA 3's release in 2001 was a milestone event for Rockstar Games. The game was so popular and iconic that it paved the way for the GTA series as it is today. While the studio had released other titles before, this one set new standards for the entire gaming industry. Whether it was the primary gameplay or the additional elements, Grand Theft Auto 3 has many iconic things.

This article lists five notable things that made GTA 3 popular within the gaming community.

Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

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5 remarkable factors that contributed to GTA 3's popularity

1) First 3D GTA game

Rockstar Games kickstarted the 3D Universe of the GTA series with Grand Theft Auto 3 (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 3 was the first 3D open-world video game in the Grand Theft Auto series. Before this, Rockstar Games had released the following GTA titles:

• Grand Theft Auto 1 (1997)
• Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969 (1999)
• Grand Theft Auto: London, 1961 (1999)
• Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)

However, all of these video games belong to the 2D Universe with a top-down camera angle. Grand Theft Auto 3 brought players to the ground level, giving a more immersive third-person perspective. Additionally, the developer included a cinematic camera angle and a limited first-person view.

The strategy worked and the 2001 title became very popular within the gaming community,

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2) Inclusion of a living-breathing city

While the Liberty City has been a part of the GTA series for years, Rockstar Games remarkably developed it in GTA 3. It was a living-breathing digital world with pedestrians, vehicles, public transport, gangs, litter, and many other things.

The open world felt very lifelike as per 2001’s standards. You could find NPCs talking, police roaming the streets, and metro trains running on their routes. Even the criminal gangs attack Claude if he gets spotted within their areas. aThe radio stations also helped Liberty City become a lively world.

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3) Easter eggs

Easter eggs are an integral part of the Grand Theft Auto series, and GTA 3 had a handful of them. Most Easter eggs in the game are included as comic elements and provide a good laugh between missions. Some noteworthy Easter eggs are

• Billboard referring to GTA Vice City.
• References to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chuck Norris.
• Badfellas, a Goodfellas parody.
• Rockstar Games logo on various places.

If you ever get bored with the main plot, try finding out all the Easter eggs scattered across the map.

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4) Intriguing storyline

Grand Theft Auto 3 taught us about betrayal and revenge (Image via Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games composed an intriguing storyline for GTA 3, and it can still be regarded as a banger after 24 years. The story revolves around Claude and Catalina, and how the protagonist took revenge on the latter for her betrayal.

The story remained as it was for three years. However, fans got to know more backstory when both Claude and Catalina appeared in GTA San Andreas. Rockstar gave a new twist to the 2001 storyline in 2004, making it more interesting.

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5) Additional gameplay elements

GTA 3's gameplay is very small compared to many other titles in the series. However, the developer did not forget to include additional content and missions that increased the game’s overall volume. Some of the notable additional gameplay elements are

• Firefighter, Paramedic, Taxi Driver, and Vigilante missions.
• Off-Road Challenges.
• Rampage missions.
• Unique Stunt Jumps.
• Pay Phone Missions.
• Vehicle Import/Export Missions.

While the main storyline can be completed within five hours (if you play continuously), the side activities will keep you busy for a while.

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