What strange times we live in. What was once a marvel of console wizardry is now available to play on your goddamn phone — in glorious hi-res, no less. While this is unquestionably an impressive technical achievement, is anyone actually planning to re-tackle this sprawling game in portable form? Or is CJ’s opus as played out as Flavor Flav?
To get the most out of this game, you’ll probably need to splurge on a third-party controller such as the Logitech Power Shell. We can’t imagine getting much joy out of the touch screen; especially if you’re using a smaller iOS device.
Despite being tooled up with peripherals, I’m still struggling to come up with a reason to revisit this PS2 classic. Completing the game once was enough of a slog as it was.
Is Rockstar aiming this mobile version at younger gamers who never experienced the original? Or is it meant to be a nostalgia joyride that you can occasionally dip in and out of?
I find the idea of video game re-releases fascinating. Unlike movies, they don’t tend to age terribly well — especially in the post 16-bit era, where graphics and story often supplanted gameplay.
So tell me, who out there is planning to play GTA: San Andreas yet again on their iPad? And do you think relaunching old games on new devices is a good idea? Discuss…
Comments
27 responses to “Is Anyone Planning To Replay San Andreas On iOS? …Anyone?”
Not on iOS maybe andoird…
never actually played GTA:SA when it came out,
I’ve got Vice City on my Galaxy S4 and it runs pretty poorly.
Obviously the controls are terrible if you don’t have a controller but I still expected the game to run better than it does. It’s got bad pop-up and the framerate is still appalling.
It would be a bit interesting to re-visit the PS2 era San Andreas in the context of just finishing GTA V, but I’ve got no interest at all in trying to play the game on a shitty mobile phone.
Edit: Just to be clear, SA was a classic in it’s time. I wouldn’t expect that it would have held up well though, most of the GTA games feel very dull in the post GTA IV havoc-physics world. All those crazy events that seemed so dynamic in 2004 just don’t do it for me anymore.
this is just meh. i was excited about Vice City not this.
I am the complete opposite. San Andreas is on my list of greatest games of all times. Vice City was… ok
Vice city stories was better than vicy city………the story of an army guy who got pulled into the 80s drug scene by his idiot brother (I think it was his brother) just made the GTA story more sympathetic.
I also liked san andreas but I would have liked to play as Sweet fighting for the betterment of his Hood and his peoples rather than CJ who just wanted a mansion on the hill and a private jet…….
I’m just waiting for it to be released on Andorid
I’m looking forward to it, San Andreas has probably been my most played GTA, closely followed by Vice City. I’ll be grabbing it on my Note 2 though, and play it using my PS3 controller, and if I am around a TV, output it to the TV and play it on the bigger screen.
I suspect Rockstar is going for a combination of both, players who know GTA IV and V, but haven’t played the earlier titles and the fact that nostalgia pays a lot. I think it will definitely be a decent revenue raiser for them.
Waiting for gta iv on iOS
you’re going to be waiting a while yet
Keen to re-play this on my iPad mini. Are there plans to release a controller case for it? It’s the perfect screen size for mobile gaming I reckon (iphone being too small, and ipad air screen being a touch too big for holding too long).
I would, but after trying GTA3 and VC the controls are so bad (not to mention the gameplay is horrible, apart from driving) that i doubt i’ll play it, or if i do play it it will probably be for a bout 5 minutes and then i’ll go back to GTAV.
I’ve got GTA3 and VC on android, but I soon realised it was mainly for the novelty value, talking with mates “oh man, remember what we used to have to do to get GTA to run on our PC’s, well check this out” /whip out phone…
Gameplay wise the driving is actually pretty ok, and is a bit of fun. But on foot controls are hideous.
Plus, the most important point, is that it’s just not the type of game I play on my phone. I play games which can be enjoyed in short spurts of a couple of minutes at a time. If I’m going to sit down with a long, story driven game, I’ll sit down on my PC or PS3 for that.
I’ve been playing it time and time again once or twice a year on PC since its release. I’ve learnt my lesson from GTA 3 & Vice City on a touchscreen. Don’t do it.
I’ve been playing it a little when I’m bored because it the best game I have on my phone. But the touch screen controls definitely hinder my enjoyment.
I’ve found playing has mostly made me marvel at GTA V and to want to go and replay that.
Patiently waiting for GTAV to be released on PS4…
Its going to be a while…
on android ill play it through, still annoyed that “running down a dream” was removed, maybe i can run my music in the background on my Galaxy S4
Just be lazy like me and wait for someone to upload their game online, i know it’s technically cheating but with horrid controls you can cut out the hard work and get to the best part of any GTA game and that is just dicking around.
I’d much rather see them make a new GTA tailored for touchscreen devices, such as Chinatown Wars.
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE DAMN TRAIN CJ!
That mission was hard enough on the PS2 – nevermind iOS!
Rockstar really dropped the ball on this one, should have released it months ago in the hype build up for GTAV, would have sold heaps.
I’m enjoying it. 2 hours on the train every day, something to do. Good game to play for sure. Touch controls are odd but not too bad once you get used to them, which does take a while.
I love for them to release this on the 3DS, but not on something without buttons!
Having nvever played a GTA, I decided to start playing 3 on the iPad, and I like the controls, but some cars are difficult to control , vut they have been in the original. I’m planning on playing Vice City and San Andreas next.
Anyone? If the controls are good, me.
It’s much better than vice city and GTAIV.
The train wasn’t the worst level though, it was the flying. Got told off for dropping too many f bombs doing the training school activities.
Seriously, Has nobody that visits this site heard of San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP)? It has more players online than GTAO, and is especially popular in Russia.
I doubt the developers will manage to make the mobile version work with their multiplayer platform but there’s always hope. It would probably take a year.
There may be better ways like YouTube or whatever, but I get a kick out of using the phone apps in my car for the radio. For a few bucks having all that material is worth it. Also fun for novelty to drive around and reminisce
Everyone: Meh, it’ll be boring.
Me: Sorry, what?