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Unfortunately for this portable entry, GTA Advance is a forgotten series footnote; barely anyone remembers this game.
Back in 2004, Rockstar Games worked with Nintendo to release GTA Advance on the Game Boy Advance. Needless to say, it wasn't anywhere near the success of Chinatown Wars on the Nintendo DS. GTA Advance was poorly received by the fanbase and has largely faded from memory.
Rockstar Games doesn't acknowledge the game in any way. Currently, none of the exclusive characters or stories in GTA Advance are referenced in future installments.
Mike isn't even mentioned in the GTA 4 Easter egg about previous protagonists. Unfortunately, this game failed for several reasons.
Five reasons why GTA Advance was a critical and commercial failure
#5 - It came out on the same day as GTA San Andreas
The vast majority of the fanbase were looking forward to the next installment in the series - GTA San Andreas. It had significantly improved features, a far bigger map to explore, and an enjoyable cast of entertaining characters. The game promised to break ground, and it delivered with a bold statement.
GTA Advance had the utter misfortune of sharing its release date with San Andreas. Keep in mind the latter was on the ultra-popular PlayStation 2, which remains the best selling console of all time.
San Andreas itself was the highest selling game on the platform at 17 million copies.
As a giant among men in the gaming industry, San Andreas left a large shadow over GTA Advance. Nobody bothered to play the latter when the former was simply too much fun. Everybody was paying attention to the better game.
#4 - Technological limitations held it back
The biggest problem with GTA Advance is the hardware limitations of the Game Boy Advance. While it is admirable for Rockstar Games to put the GTA experience on handheld devices, it wasn't the same.
For starters, there is no voiced dialog. Instead, it uses text-based artwork to convey story cut-scenes. Music selection is rather scarce, as it only uses eight looped instrumentals. Considering the importance of radio stations in GTA, it's hard to look past these restrictions.
#3 - It was on a handheld Nintendo device
It's well-known that Nintendo tends to cater to a younger demographic, thanks to cartoon-looking characters and colorful game design. Much to the detriment of mature players from the early 2000's, Nintendo didn't really focus on violence and sex in their selection of games. If they did, there was barely any advertisement.
GTA Advance suffers from a lack of a target audience. Rockstar Games rarely works with Nintendo on the GTA series. Most of its dedicated fanbase was on other platforms.
There is no reason to play a run-down version of GTA when it can be played on the PlayStation instead.
The development team did their best with the Game Boy Advance. Nonetheless, it was doomed to failure. If they wanted Nintendo fans to play GTA, a handheld device would be a major barrier.
At the time, consoles were more viable for open-world experiences like GTA.
#2 - GTA players didn't want to go back to 2D
GTA 3 already let the lightning out of the bottle - there was no putting it back in. The transition from 2D to 3D was a major game-changer for Rockstar. For many players, going back to the series roots felt like a downgrade.
A top-down perspective is difficult to adjust to when players only know about the 3D games. The visual limitations also take a lot of time to get used to. Due to the blocky textures of GTA Advance, there wasn't much life in Liberty City.
A lack of variety led to several places looking the same.
#1 - The game had mixed reviews
Upon release, GTA Advance did not fare well with critics. It was a mixed bag among the fanbase. While it did capture the old-school feeling of the original GTA titles, the flat visuals were a hindrance. Most fans didn't want to go back to it, especially after GTA San Andreas.
The main problem with the game was the audio department. Rockstar Games did a decent job with the driving sections. However, players have such a limited range of music to listen to. It gets repetitive very quickly, which takes away from the driving experience.
The songs themselves are not memorable.
Despite its faults, GTA Advance gave Rockstar Games some experience with handheld titles. They will put their skills to better use with the 2009 release of Chinatown Wars. It removes several of the weaknesses from GTA Advance while focusing on the strengths (particularly the artistic visuals).
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
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