How inappropriate is GTA San Andreas for your kids: A deep-dive into the game's narrative and gameplay elements

Generally speaking, GTA San Andreas is rather inappropriate for most young kids. Every parent is going to have a different idea regarding how to raise their children, so this article will highlight the potentially problematic parts of this old classic. Note that everything discussed here also applies to the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy's Definitive Edition too, as well as all ports of these titles for Android, Windows, etc.

GTA San Andreas is rated M for Mature. That means the title is recommended for people 17 years and older. However, some kids aged 13 and older might enjoy it without the game being too problematic to their psyche, so long as they were raised well to understand basic morals. A full list of potential issues often associated with San Andreas will be presented below.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective.

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GTA San Andreas is inappropriate for most children based on the game's story and gameplay

Much of the game's plot revolves around the protagonist being in a gang (Image via Rockstar Games)

Everything in this series, from the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 to its first game, is not friendly toward kids. GTA San Andreas is no exception to the rule. Here is what this game does that parents should know about:

• Violence: The player can beat up and even kill other NPCs with melee weapons, guns, explosives, and vehicles.
• Romance: There are ways to pick up certain women off the street and pay them for their services. Likewise, certain establishments are se*ual in nature. Note that the romance here is not visual. The controversial Hot Coffee is not available in the base game, but there are mods on PC that bring it back.
• Themes: The main storyline involves CJ, who has to bring the Grove Street Families gang back to prominence. Although he is against hard drugs, there are still various instances where he gets rid of innocent people at the request of others.
• Drug use: Drug abuse is a rampant part of the main story. However, the player cannot partake in these activities and instead fights against the criminals responsible for this epidemic.
• Other crimes: You can steal vehicles, break into people's homes, participate in street races, and vandalize walls with graffiti.
• Foul language: This title has over 200 instances where the S-word and F-word are used.

Common Sense Media, an organization known for reviewing how appropriate a game is for kids, rated GTA San Andreas as being recommended for people 18 years and older. However, parents on that website generally suggest anybody 13 years and older may play the game without being negatively impacted by its content.

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Not everything in the game is about crime

A player enjoying basketball (Image via blahman88)

Although, at first glance, this title may seem somewhat problematic, it is worth mentioning that the game is not entirely about criminal activity. Here are some innocent things players can do:

• Arcade games
• Basketball
• Pool
• Vehicle customization
• Exploring the world for collectibles like Snapshots, Oysters, and Horseshoes

It is worth mentioning that most GTA San Andreas storyline missions involve crime, although the activities in them mostly see a player eliminating some NPC. If a parent is okay with their kids seeing murders of various non-playable characters in non-super-bloody ways, then this game should be fine with them.

On a similar note, parents are recommended to watch some GTA San Andreas gameplay videos to get a clearer idea of how children could see this offering. The above video is 11 hours long, so feel free to skip around various parts to see if there is anything that would offend you as a parent.

Ultimately, it's advised for elders to ensure their children know what's right and what's wrong before they deep dive into this title or its remastered Definitive Edition.