Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS (see GAMESPOT Review or official game page) is an interesting take on the franchise for the DS. It’s a lot more than a simple ‘port’ of the game to the portable gaming console, though. It brings new things to the GTA franchise.

While it may look like early GTA games, the features make it more like GTA 3 and GTA4, or maybe even a little more removed from them. The Nintendo DS doesn’t offer a lot for graphics, so there’s a top down view, but don’t let the looks fool you (and remember there was a reason the early games were popular too…)  It’s all about the gameplay. and GTA: Chinatown Wars definitely delivers.

The game is set in Liberty City and is a pretty faithful replication from GTA 4. The controls are a little different, but the screen is used in pretty interesting ways. If you’ve liked any of the GTA games, you’re going to feel at home playing this game.  It’s very open ended, with a lot for you to do in Liberty City, although you do get a nudge here and there for the overall storyline.

There is a multiplayer version, but it only supports two people. You can simulate playing with in-game characters, though, with a PDA like interface. The two player games are interesting and fun, though, giving you a lot of control over the type of game or experience you want to have – car chases? shooting? There are lots of different modes to keep everyone happy.

Overall, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is NOT just a clone of the game to the Nintendo DS. Designers took their time to craft a game that’s special and unique and should be a great hit to GTA fans all over.

If you’ve played GTA: Chinatown Wars, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

Until next time, keep it real on those Chinatown Streets.