5 advantages that GTA San Andreas has over later games in the series

Newer games aren't always better than their older counterparts; for some fans, GTA San Andreas still stands above its successors.

There are several reasons why somebody would prefer GTA San Andreas over later titles in the series. The GTA series has always been unique in that every game offers something worthwhile to check out.

It just so happens that GTA San Andreas has far more incentives to check it out compared to its contemporaries. The later games have several notable advantages over them, so it's worth seeing what GTA San Andreas offers by comparison.

Five categories that GTA San Andreas excels in compared to later games in the series

5) Customization

There is a lot of unique ways to make CJ stand out in this game (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 and especially GTA Online have more substantial customization options than GTA San Andreas. However, games like GTA 4, its DLC episodes, and Chinatown Wars have significantly less customizable options than GTA San Andreas.

That's not even mentioning Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories, which also don't have much in the way of customization.

4) Other unique features that never return

Working out in a gym is a mix of several unique features (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA San Andreas has a slew of features that never appeared after its release. Some of these features include:

Basketball
Burglary
Different fighting styles
Fat & muscle stats
Gaining the ability to dual-wield specific weapons
Gyms
Local co-op
Recruiting gang members to follow the player around

Some of GTA San Andreas's features were absent for a few games before returning in a different one; its advanced customization is a prime example.

3) Nostalgia

A simple quote that still resonates with fans today (Image via Rockstar Games)

Older fans might feel more nostalgic for GTA San Andreas than they would for the more recent games. It's not a fault for the newer games by any means, but it's still worth mentioning that some fans feel that GTA San Andreas is the best GTA game due to nostalgia.

The only single-player GTA game to sell more copies than GTA San Andreas is GTA 5. Hence, only the latter game (and by association, GTA Online) would evoke similar feelings of nostalgia for younger gamers.

2) Accessibility

The Oculus Quest 2 will be the latest system to feature this game (Image via Meta)

GTA San Andreas is already available on the following platforms:

Android
iOS
Fire OS
Mac OS X
PS2
PS3
Windows
Windows Phone
Xbox
Xbox 360

That's not to mention backward compatibility, either. For instance, players can enjoy GTA San Andreas on the Xbox One. Likewise, GTA San Andreas is still ported to new consoles.

Fans of the classic title will eventually be able to play it on the Oculus Quest 2, which is the first time a GTA game is officially available with VR.

The GTA Trilogy also includes GTA San Andreas, albeit there are differences between it and the Definitive Edition. That said, it still allows a whole new generation of gamers to enjoy this classic title.

1) It easily runs on low-end PCs

Its PC requirements, according to Steam (Image via Steam)

One of the main reasons why GTA San Andreas resonates so strongly with gamers worldwide is that it runs fine on low-end PCs. A high-end PC isn't impossible to obtain by any means.

However, one has to consider that some gamers don't have the luxury or opportunity to play a game on a more modern system. That means several gamers can still rely on GTA San Andreas for a fun time.

It's still an excellent game for high-end PC players to play, so it's an example of a game that any PC player can enjoy. Modern GTA games like GTA 5 and GTA Online don't run well on low-end PCs (or at all).

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.

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Poll : Which GTA game do you like more?

GTA San Andreas

GTA 5

75 votes

Edited by Sijo Samuel Paul