5 intriguing GTA San Andreas features that Rockstar should bring back

GTA San Andreas is one of the most iconic titles in the Grand Theft Auto series for multiple reasons. Not only does it have a charismatic protagonist and a thrilling storyline, but it also has certain features that were never used in sequel titles. This was quite disappointing for the fans who spent countless hours in the game roaming around the map and utilizing these gameplay mechanics.

While GTA 5 has several advantages over San Andreas, it still lacks many things that the latter has. Rockstar Games added things like Gang Wars, enhanced fighting styles, and a gated open world to keep the game interesting for players. They should introduce these features to GTA 6 to make it even better than what it is rumored to be.

This article lists five such gameplay mechanics that players would love to see in GTA 6.

Note: The article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

---

5 amazing features from GTA San Andreas that Grand Theft Auto 6 would benefit from

1) Dynamic body shape

The most iconic feature that everyone misses from GTA San Andreas is the dynamic body. CJ, the game's protagonist, could change his body shape and either become fit and muscular or fat. This gameplay mechanic was not just for the aesthetics either.

Players would fail certain missions in the game if CJ's muscle-to-fat ratio was out of control. He'd be unable to chase the enemies and run out of breath quickly. Hilariously, Big Smoke, one of the most out-of-shape characters in the game, would call and taunt him for failing these tasks.

---

2) The NPC interactions

Most NPCs in the Grand Theft Auto world simply work as target practice for players. However, the pedestrians in San Andreas had great AI, and player interactions could end up in different situations.

If CJ was polite, the NPC would be friendly as well. However, if players decide to be disrespectful, then the NPC might pull out a weapon or start throwing hands. These hilarious interactions were missing from the newer games, and fans would appreciate seeing them in the upcoming title.

---

3) Variety in melee combat

Melee combat doesn't just mean throwing random punches or kicks. GTA San Andreas understood this and had a variety of martial arts and other melee combat forms that players could learn and use against their enemies.

Once learned, they can use amazing combos to win fights without firing a single bullet. This allowed the combat to stay fresh and interesting. Other than San Andreas, only GTA 4 has this variety in melee combat and other similar features.

---

4) Gated open-world system

While the freedom to explore the whole map from the very beginning is great, it also means that most of the map becomes boring once players have to go through them to complete missions. However, Vice City and San Andreas handled this in a great way by blocking certain areas.

These locations would only unlock after players reach a certain level and mission. This means that traveling across the map still felt amazing and refreshing even when players had spent a lot of time free-roaming. Since GTA 6's map is rumored to be humongous, gating some parts would work in the game's favor.

---

5) Gang Wars

Gang Wars is a side activity that players can participate in in San Andreas. While it was not necessary to fight the rival gangs each time, doing so would allow CJ to further expand Grove Street Family's territory, increasing their fame.

However, Ballas and other rival gangs are always on the lookout to take back their land and will attack the players at any given moment. This worked as a nice distraction between long missions, allowing players to relax and take back the territories.

---

Since the GTA 6 trailer release date has been confirmed, players are hoping to see some of these features in the first trailer video.