5 unique gameplay features of GTA Chinatown Wars that are missing in the latest games

GTA Chinatown Wars was an innovative game with plenty of cool features not present in the latest titles of the franchise. The title was initially released on the Nintendo DS, which led to some of its mechanics being heavily intertwined with touchscreen controls.

While touchscreen controls won't be as effective in some modern consoles, the actual features can still be reasonably incorporated if Rockstar Games wants them to return.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Hotwiring vehicles and other cool features from GTA Chinatown Wars that should return in future games

1) Disabling police cars to remove Wanted Levels

An example of a player with a Wanted Level in this game (Image via Mike The Goon)

There are several ways to get rid of Wanted Levels in GTA Chinatown Wars. However, there is one that is non-existent in every other game within the series: disabling police cars.

Basically, you bump into these vehicles at high speed to disable them, which will put a red 'X' over their icon in the top-right corner. Using weapons won't count in this instance.

The number of police cars you need to disable is equal to your current Wanted Level (i.e., 6-stars require six of those vehicles to be wrecked). This is a pretty interesting system that changes how players experience the game.

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2) Scratch Cards

Scratch Cards, as they appear in the PSP port (Image via GTA Wiki)

Some of the things present in GTA Chinatown Wars yet absent in modern games aren't necessarily big in scope. Scratch Cards are a perfect example.

This feature is essentially a minor way to gamble. Rewards vary based on the card you use. Some of the stuff that lucky players could win include:

• Money
• Health
• Armor
• Weapons
• The Star Plaza Hotel Suite

The Scratch Cards' price would vary from $4 to $15. While the novelty of using a touchscreen to scratch off foil wouldn't be possible in modern consoles, the idea behind this feature's concept is still more than doable.

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3) Hotwiring vehicles

Most Grand Theft Auto games see the player automatically break into a vehicle and drive it without a problem.

GTA Chinatown Wars has a unique twist to this famous feature. In this title, you have to play a quick hotwire minigame should you plan to steal a common car from the street. It only takes a few seconds to complete, but the action helps add some good immersion to the game.

Players who prefer realism might appreciate something like hotwiring returning in a future title.

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4) Refilling Molotov Cocktails

There was a minigame where you could refill Molotov Cocktails (Image via Rockstar Games)

Molotov Cocktails tend to be difficult to obtain in modern Grand Theft Auto games. It's different in GTA Chinatown Wars, which involves the player going to a gas station to fill them up. The minigame is pretty interesting, as players have a certain amount of money they can put in to get fuel for their Molotovs.

Skilled players can quickly restock a good number of Molotov Cocktails without losing too much money. A nice aspect of this feature is that it encourages players to go to gas stations. These stores are largely useless in most modern games, apart from the occasional robbery.

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5) Dumpster Diving

Another interesting minigame in GTA Chinatown Wars is Dumpster Diving. There are two types of dumpsters in the game:

• Green: These containers hold random stuff like food, money, and drugs.
• Red: These containers have weapons.

The goal is to remove trash bags to find an item. Not everything that players find will be useful, but some great stuff, like a Sword, can be found in a red dumpster.

It's unfortunate that this GTA Chinatown Wars feature isn't present in modern games since it would be perfect for a character like Trevor Philips.