GTA: San Andreas - Console vs. Tablet
If you’ve been living under a rock, on the moon or much more likely, in GTA Online’s Los Santos, then you may not have heard that the genre-defining PlayStation 2 game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is available now for iOS devices. You can grab it right now on iPad (or on iPhone). Before we take a look at some of the new features under (in and around) the hood, let’s have a moment of silence to thank Moore’s Law for the sheer technical might required to take the sprawling-crime-epic from home console heavyweight, to pocket-sized playground. Respect!
The first thing you’ll notice when booting up San Andreas - which scored an honourable mention in our 50 Best iPad Games of 2013 article - on your iDevice for the first time is the shiny new paint job. It may be a noticeable step down from the hi-definition Los Santos streets we’ve been cruising for months now in GTA V, but it’s a noticeable step up from the original PS2-era visuals.
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The game sports new, hi-resolution textures that are richer in detail, a brighter, more vibrant colour palette and better lighting and reflections than the somewhat dated looking original. That’s not to say that this version of San Andreas still doesn’t look dated next to something like République. Despite the graphical improvements and some genuinely better character models, for the most part, this is the same San Andreas you know and love. Check out the two pics below:
PS2 Version
iPad Version
And that’s ok. There’s a certain charm to the game’s blocky models and wooden animations and thanks to an improved draw distance you can see more of it in all its retro glory at any one time. It’s a great way to revisit a place you may have already spent a lot of time in, and if you haven’t, then it’s the perfect way to become acquainted with this epic.
Touchscreens haven’t been particularly kind to the complexities of GTA ports and San Andreas is sadly no different. The various configurations of touch controls available are workmanlike, but the missions that require specific inputs can be tricky and require some pretty precise manoeuvring; at the best of times, this game was hard to control with a DualShock controller back on PS2.
Purchasing an MFi (Made For iPod) controller (like the current models offered by Logitech or Moga) considerably drives the App Store’s paltry price tag of $7 up to more like $107, which is a bit of a shame. But if you already have one or are looking to get one then San Andreas should definitely be on your wishlist, as this is definitely the preferred control setup.
Fans of GTA V’s mission checkpointing system will be pleased, too, with Rockstar overhauling San Andreas’ original, cumbersome mission system. No longer will you have to painfully trek back to a mission marker after being unavoidably hit by a truck while riding a bicycle.
Another welcome feature of the mobile edition is cloud save support for Rockstar Social Club members, so you can access your save game across all of your iDevices.
Rounding out the changes present in the iOS version, and a feature sorely missing from last year’s fifth entry in the series, is the ability to create a custom playlist that can be accessed with the in-game radio. Not a big deal for some, but the opportunity to set up your own radio station, without resorting to some sort of jerry-rigged-audio-setup-mumbo-jumbo, is a big plus in my book.
A game of this scope and nature is always going to be better suited to a big screen, a comfy couch and greasy controller, but that’s not to say that the iPad version isn’t a whole state’s worth of fun. The expansive San Andreas (featuring three cities and acres of countryside) is as explosive and enjoyable as always and with a refreshed visual style and a ridiculously low price point you really shouldn’t need any more convincing to go back to where it all began, and see what life was like for CJ in 90’s Los Santos, well before Michael, Franklin and Trevor were climbing the criminal ranks.
Grab GTA: San Andreas here. (or on iPhone)
You can also check out other GTA games on iPad, including:
Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto Vice City
