5 reasons why GTA San Andreas’ Area 69 is the best Restricted Area in the series

When one thinks of Restricted Areas within the GTA series, chances are, they're thinking about Area 69 from GTA San Andreas.

Area 69 is unquestionably one of the most memorable Restricted Areas in the series. One could even argue that it's the best one in the entire franchise. Area 69 is based on the real-world location, Area 51. As far as real-life Restricted Areas go, that's one of the most exciting yet mysterious locations Rockstar could use as inspiration.

It's not just a minor area to incentivize players to explore; Area 69 surprisingly plays a role in GTA San Andreas's main story. The idea of stealing a Jetpack from a top-secret military base is an unusual approach by GTA standards, but it works.

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5 reasons why Area 69 from GTA San Andreas is the best Restricted Area in the series

5) Area 69 makes sense as a Restricted Area

It makes sense for the Kortz Center to be restricted when it's closed, but it's not as exciting as visiting Area 69 (Image via GTA Wiki)

Some Restricted Areas aren't as logical as a military base. For example, entering San Fierro or Las Venturas too early in the storyline gives the player an instant 4-star Wanted Level.

Then there are the anticlimatic locations like the Los Santos Golf Club or the Kortz Center that can give the player a much smaller Wanted Level if they visit it after hours. Comparing a top-secret military base to some of the other Restricted Areas in the GTA series highlights a night and day difference.

4) It plays a role in the game's storyline

Many Restricted Areas serve little to no purpose in the games they appear in. Even GTA San Andreas has locations like police Impound Garages, which don't play a major role in the game's story.

Area 69's role in the storyline is arguably the most memorable within the series. The Easter Basin Naval Station has a role in GTA San Andreas, but it's hard to compete with a location that has a Jetpack as its main objective.

3) Plenty of top-tier military equipment here

It's easy to get the Rhino here (Image via GTA Wiki)

There are some great weapon spawns in the underground area when the player is doing the mission, Black Project, for the first time. However, there are also plenty of top-notch vehicles that spawn here.

GTA San Andreas players can acquire the Hydra and Rhino quite easily here. There are other great Restricted Areas that offer a similar reward within the series but on the flipside, a surprising amount of them don't provide much.

2) Home of the Jetpack

GTA San Andreas players find their first Jetpack here (Image via GTASeriesGuides)

The Jetpack is the single best vehicle in GTA San Andreas. It's not a traditional vehicle by looks or in terms of how the player rides it. That said, it can never break, and has excellent mobility that doesn't endanger the user.

The Jetpack was many GTA players' first experience with a futuristic vehicle. Some players might not like how ingenious it was, but that's exactly why others loved it.

GTA San Andreas players acquire the Jetpack for the first time when they break into Area 69, and it's a fun mission.

1) It's based on Area 51

Area 51 is an interesting topic (Image via History.com)

Area 51 is arguably the most famous example of a Restricted Area in the United States of America (which is what the vast majority of GTA games are inspired by). It's a place of intrigue, with the average citizen having no chance of entering it.

That's part of what makes Area 69 so fun in GTA San Andreas. It allows players to visit a highly classified military base without any danger to themselves in the real world. It's just a cool concept, especially since the other military bases in the GTA series aren't inspired by an area as iconic as Area 51.

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