Grand Theft Auto 3

Grand Theft Auto 3 was one of the most popular games in the GTA series when it was released back in 2001, and this ported version for the Android mobile platform is exceptionally true to the original game. Many ports of this nature have a hard time finding the right balance of updates and classic appeal, but GTA 3 has struck the perfect equilibrium.

GTA 3 takes place in the fictional Liberty City, which is more or less modeled after New York City. The main character of the game is named Claude, and the objective of the game is to slowly climb the rungs of the criminal ladder within Liberty City in an attempt to get revenge on an ex-girlfriend for her betrayal while they were both robbing a bank.

One of the most appealing aspects of the game is its open-world nature. Grand Theft Auto 3 was one of the first to employ this 3D sandbox technique in a more visceral and violent way, and that earned them the popularity that the series still knows today. Many video game experts claim that GTA 3 paved the way for the video game industry to experiment with other open-world games, which are almost the standard in the current video game industry.

The original GTA 3 was released for PS2, and the graphics in this mobile version rival those in that console-based version. The game relies on cut scenes with voice acting to progress the plot, but those scenes are very well done and have been ported with exceptional detail. The player can even change the radio station in vehicles as they drive, and each station is different.

The biggest difference between this ported version and the original is the method of controlling the character. The original was controlled by a console controller, but this mobile version had to adopt a touchscreen system to offer the same options. Players can control the character with multiple buttons that trigger different actions, like punching, shooting, running, and more. Swiping across the visual area of the screen controls the camera angle, and steering vehicles is controlled by a pair of buttons. Android users can switch to a tilt-based system if they would like since the controls are completely customizable.

As most players are probably aware, GTA 3 is an adult game with graphic violence and adult themes throughout. For instance, players can pick up and interact with prostitutes, and they can steal cars, shoot innocent victims, and do basically anything else they can imagine. That's why it is recommended that no one under 17 play this game.

There are some issues with this game in terms of bugs since it is a port, but that is to be expected. The app still runs exceptionally smoothly considering it is based on a console game from more than 15 years ago, and the glitches are minor at worst.