5 reasons why GTA San Andreas is the best GTA title of all time

GTA San Andreas is a great game, and it reigned supreme during its release and well afterward. It sold over 17.33 million copies on the PlayStation 2 alone (the top gaming platform at the time). By the time it was 2011, San Andreas had sold over 27 million copies across all platforms.

GTA 3 and Vice City definitely paved the way for Rockstar's success and, while the fifth edition of the series is astounding, most gamers remember San Andreas the most. Everyone recognizes it for different reasons. Here's what makes it the best.

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GTA San Andreas is the best, here’s why

5) Map

Three distinct map sections (Image via Rockstar)

The map is a huge point of discussion when it comes to San Andreas vs. other titles in the series. SA featured a huge map that resembled a state and not a singular city like other games. The map was split into three distinct parts: Los Santos, San Fiero, and Las Venturas. They represented Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, respectively.

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4) Plot

All characters were iconic, especially CJ (Image via Rockstar)

San Andreas focuses on the gangsta way of life. One could call it a satirical representation. The plot itself, however, is unique and has a never-done-before appeal to it all throughout. Every character was distinctive, and the interactions between them were very distinguishable. It showed the amount of effort that Rockstar had put into creating it.

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3) Customizability

CJ at the gym (Image via YouTube/fnxrak)

San Andreas broke the boundaries for many reasons. The customizability aspect of the game stood out to gamers the most. It was the first game in the series that had players looking at muscle/fat percentage, sex appeal, weight, etc. Even the vehicles in San Andreas were highly customizable, with different garages for different vehicle classes. It truly felt like a huge game with endless possibilities.

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2) New content

Dual wielding weapons were very useful (Image via GTA Garage)

The game introduced a lot of new things into the series which were never before seen or thought of. San Andreas was the game that finally allowed players to swim into the ocean. It was also the first game in the series, letting players fly planes, RC planes, and jetpacks. San Andreas also had a ton of hidden content like Bigfoot, Leatherface, Area 51, etc. Players also ranked up gun skills after fights with the unlockable ability to wield dual weapons.

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1) Diversity

Saint Mark's Bistro (Image via YouTube/Stilefty)

San Andreas never felt like a grind to gamers. The mission variety, coupled with the dialog and impeccable character acting, never felt washed out. There were easy missions, tough missions, fun missions, silly missions, and a lot apart from that. Some side missions even felt better than story ones. The enormous map with the randomness added to it always kept the level of excitement high.

Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.