5 things that make GTA Chinatown Wars so special

GTA Chinatown Wars is a unique entry to the Grand Theft Auto series. The game has some distinctive features that are still not present in many other mainstream GTA titles. Rockstar Games released it in March 2009, and while it is still popular among veteran players, newcomers to the franchise might be unaware of its influence in the past.

The availability of the game is also relatively limited now, but it's still considered a cult classic in the community. This article lists five things that make GTA Chinatown Wars a special title on its own.

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

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5 unique things that make GTA Chinatown Wars a special game

1) Best GTA title for mobile gamers

Chinatown Wars offers the best experience on handheld devices (Image via Rockstar Games)

If you are a mobile gamer, then GTA Chinatown Wars is one of the best Grand Theft Auto titles you can play on Android and iOS devices. Rockstar Games also developed and released the game for Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable, making it better optimized for handheld devices.

GTA Chinatown Wars was also designed with touchscreen devices in mind, so you can enjoy it on your smartphone or tablet without compromising on the gameplay. You can also connect a controller to your device if you want.

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2) Top-down perspective

While Rockstar Games departed from the 2D top-down perspective with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, the feature returned in GTA Chinatown Wars. Despite being an HD Universe title, Chinatown Wars does not give you the option to use third-person or any other perspective.

The entire game has to be experienced from a top-down perspective. This is also visually striking since the developer made tall structures (such as buildings and bridges) have 3D depth effects. This is a unique feature that veteran fans still admire.

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3) Unique mini-games

One of the most prominent features of GTA Chinatown Wars is its mini-games. While selling drugs to street dealers has become common in Grand Theft Auto Online, it was first introduced in the 2009 title as a mini-game.

Moreover, you even have to play a mini-game when stealing cars. Rockstar Games made the hotwiring process manual and you were required to use the touchscreen controls for it. These mini-games are fun and add a unique flavor to Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars.

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4) Unique cutscenes

While Grand Theft Auto games are known for their impressive in-engine cutscenes, GTA Chinatown Wars takes a different path. The cutscenes and important messages in the game are portrayed through dialog slides — similar to comic book panels.

The cutscenes show a cinematic still image of the character with changing dialogs. While there is background music, it lacks voiceover and you will have to read everything on the screen. Nonetheless, the title is still pretty immersive and you'll definitely enjoy the intriguing narrative.

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5) Adds a new perspective to the lore of Liberty City

Chinatown Wars shows us a unique version of Liberty City (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA Chinatown Wars brings us back to Liberty City after Rockstar Games showed us the HD Universe version of the same place in Grand Theft Auto 4. While the 2009 version of Liberty City has some similarities to its predecessors, it is still a unique map on its own.

The events that occur in GTA Chinatown Wars also add to the lore of Liberty City in general. Hence, if you are a fan of the fictional city, you should play the 2009 title.

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