ClassicsJun 8, 2026
GTA HD Universe vs 3D Universe, Explained
The HD universe GTA games and the 3D universe GTA games are separate continuities. Here is what divides them and where every title fits in the canon.
GTA Intel Newswire Team 5 min read
Three cities, one state. CJ, Grove Street, and the most ambitious 3D GTA ever shipped.
120 articles tagged for San Andreas.
The HD universe GTA games and the 3D universe GTA games are separate continuities. Here is what divides them and where every title fits in the canon.
The GTA map evolution traced across every era, from the 1997 top-down original through Liberty City, San Andreas, Los Santos, and the State of Leonida.
The best GTA villains ranked, from Frank Tenpenny to Big Smoke. A look at the most memorable antagonists across the Grand Theft Auto series and why they hit.
The best GTA heists ranked, from Cayo Perico and the Diamond Casino to the Big Score, with verified payouts across GTA 5 and GTA Online.
The best GTA city is up for debate, so we ranked Liberty City, Vice City, Los Santos and San Andreas on design, atmosphere and lasting appeal.
San Andreas's side missions are not filler: Paramedic, Firefighter, Vigilante and Taxi runs hand out permanent upgrades like extra health, armor and fireproofing. Here is every odd job and exactly what it gives you.
San Andreas was the biggest GTA map of its era: a whole state with three cities, desert, forest and farmland between them. Here is how the map is laid out, what each region is for, and how it unlocks.
Every gun in San Andreas levels up as you use it, and hitting Hitman level unlocks dual-wielding on four weapons plus run-and-gun aiming. Here is how the system works and how to grind it.
San Andreas does not hand you cash, but a few reliable methods keep CJ funded for property, mods and gambling. Here are the best ways to make money, from asset properties to the casino heist payoff.
San Andreas has three car-modification chains, and each one handles different vehicles. Here is where every mod shop is, which cars it accepts, and what you can actually bolt on.
The Definitive Edition rebuilt San Andreas with modern visuals and GTA V-style controls, but it also cut songs and interiors and launched rough. Here is exactly what changed, the good and the bad, so you can pick the version that fits you.
GTA San Andreas lets you buy 29 safehouses and a handful of income-generating assets across the state. Here is what they cost, which ones actually pay you back, and the order that makes sense.
The Jetpack, Hydra jet, and Rhino tank are San Andreas's three most-wanted toys, and all three trace back to the same restricted base. Here is how to get each one legitimately, plus the cheat codes if you would rather skip the work.
GTA San Andreas hides four sets of collectibles across the state, and each one pays out real rewards: maxed stats, free weapons, and tens of thousands in cash. Here is what every set does and where to focus.
GTA San Andreas turned CJ into an RPG character with muscle, fat, stamina, lung capacity and skill stats. Here is exactly how each one works, how to raise it, and which ones actually matter.
Three different Grand Theft Auto protagonists worked for Salvatore Leone at three different points in his life. Toni Cipriani in 1998. CJ in 1992. Claude in 2001. The Leone don is the single connective thread holding the 3D-era timeline together, and Frank Vincent's voice is the reason it works.
Liberty City has been Rockstar's go-to fictional New York since 2001. But the GTA III version and the GTA IV version are different cities sharing a name, in different fictional universes, with rebuilt geography and different mafia families. Here's the full mapping.
Rockstar is returning to Vice City in November 2026, forty in-fiction years after Tommy Vercetti's empire. Here's what the original 1986 setting established, what GTA 6's trailers show that's clearly carried forward, and where Rockstar has made a deliberate break.
Vice City's Tommy Vercetti was the first speaking protagonist in Grand Theft Auto history. Ray Liotta gave him a voice that, twenty-four years later, still defines what a Rockstar protagonist sounds like. Here's the partnership behind one of gaming's most iconic performances.
Melvin 'Big Smoke' Harris is one of the most infamous traitors in video game history. The signs were there from the first hour. Here's every clue Rockstar planted before The Green Sabre, who he was actually working with, and what his final monologue really says.
In the summer of 2005, a Dutch modder unlocked hidden sexual content inside Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Within six weeks the ESRB had revoked the game's rating, three retailers had pulled it from shelves, and a US senator had filed a bill aimed at the games industry. Here's exactly what happened, and why the games industry is still living with the consequences.
Lester Crest never pulls a trigger, never picks up a duffel bag of cash, and never sets foot inside the buildings he plans the jobs against. He's also the single most important NPC in the entire HD-era Grand Theft Auto universe. Here's everything the games confirm about him.
Done correctly, Lester's five assassinations in GTA V can push each protagonist's bank balance past a billion dollars. Done incorrectly, you leave hundreds of millions on the table. Here's the exact play, in order, with the right stock and the right market for each.
Grand Theft Auto IV closes on a single choice: take the deal, or take revenge. Roman dies in one path. Kate dies in the other. Eighteen years on, the cross-references in later Rockstar games quietly settle the question of which ending counts.
Eighteen years after Grand Theft Auto IV's April 2008 launch, Niko Bellic still reads as the most layered protagonist Rockstar has ever written. A Yugoslav war veteran chasing a cousin's lie about the American dream. Here's everything the game actually tells you about him, and what the dialogue gets right that most players miss.
Nine playable mainline GTA leads, one ranking, plenty to argue about. CJ at the top. Niko right behind. The GTA V trio splits in places that will start fights. And the two we can't rank yet.
Two number 9s. A number 9 large. A number 6 with extra dip. A number 7. Two number 45s — one with cheese — and a large soda. Twenty-plus years later, we know exactly what Big Smoke was ordering.
"Hardest" is subjective, but San Andreas has a near-unanimous answer — and it isn't the one everyone memes about. Supply Lines vs Wrong Side of the Tracks, and the real contenders.
Five mainline Grand Theft Auto games, two decades of sales records, and one game that isn't out yet. The whole series by the numbers — documented history, plus where GTA 6 is projected to land.
SA-MP froze a decade ago, open.mp picked it up, and MTA:SA never stopped. Here's the factual state of GTA San Andreas multiplayer in 2026 — and whether you can still play it.
A guide to the GTA 4 villains: Dimitri Rascalov, Mikhail Faustin, Ray Boccino and Jimmy Pegorino, and how both endings trace back to Dimitri's betrayal.
GTA 4 stunt jumps explained: all 50 unique stunt jumps by borough, the best bike for the long ones, landing tips, and how they tie into 100 percent.
GTA 4 weapons guide: the full GTA IV roster by slot, every Underground Gun Shop and free pickup, plus the gold and explosive episode weapons.
GTA 4 girlfriends explained: how GTA IV dating and the relationship meter work, plus the Carmen, Kiki and Alex perks and where to take each date.
The fastest cars in GTA 4, ranked by top speed: Bullet GT, Turismo, Comet, Infernus, Coquette, Banshee, Sultan RS and F620, plus where each one spawns.
All GTA 4 safehouses mapped: Niko's apartments, how they unlock, their save and wardrobe functions, plus the safehouses in TLAD and TBoGT.
GTA 4 pigeons explained: where the 200 flying rats hide across Liberty City, how to spot and shoot them, and the Annihilator reward at the MeTV building.
GTA 4 100 percent completion explained: every story mission, the 200 flying rats, 50 stunt jumps, friend tasks, and the exact reward you unlock.
How to make money in GTA IV: Stevie's car list, police-computer bounties, the Fixer's assassinations, vigilante work, store cash and mission rewards.
GTA 4 cheats are dialed on Niko's phone. Every cheat code phone number for weapons, health, armor, wanted level, weather, and vehicles on PC, PS3, Xbox 360.
Area 69 San Andreas is the desert military base hiding the Black Project jetpack. Here is every restricted zone, how to break in, and what to steal.
A GTA San Andreas beginner guide with 14 starting tips: eat to avoid starving, build muscle and stamina, save at the Johnson house, recruit homies, and more.
San Andreas Zero missions are the toughest side quests in San Fierro. Here is how to beat Air Raid, Supply Lines and New Model Army, plus the RC Shop reward.
San Andreas import export at the Easter Basin docks: every vehicle on all three export lists, where to find each car, the completion payouts, and the reward vehicles you unlock.
A guide to the key San Andreas characters beyond the Johnson family: The Truth, Wu Zi Mu (Woozie), Madd Dogg, Ryder and Mike Toreno, with roles and voice actors.
Niko Bellic, the McReary family, the Pegorino mob, and the betrayer hunt — Grand Theft Auto IV's full plot, primed for replay.
The 100% completion flag in San Andreas requires every mission, every collectible, every school. Here's the complete checklist for the most ambitious GTA completion run.
All 11 GTA San Andreas radio stations ranked, with every genre, host and DJ confirmed, plus the standout tracks on each dial position.
Coming back to GTA III in 2026? Here's the full story — Claude's revenge arc, the gang chart, the betrayals, and how 2001's Liberty City set up everything that followed.
San Andreas gambling explained: build your gambling skill safely, play the Las Venturas casino games, and learn how to gamble in San Andreas without going broke.
Sandy Shores, Paleto Bay, Mount Chiliad, the Alamo Sea — Blaine County is GTA V's rural backlands and one of Rockstar's most-detailed open-world regions.
All GTA San Andreas weapons by slot tier, the Poor/Gangster/Hitman skill levels, which guns dual-wield, and the free pickup spots at the Johnson house and Ammu-Nation.
Every Grand Theft Auto V cheat that still works in 2026 — typed codes on PC, button combos on console, plus phone-number alts. PAINKILLER, TURTLE, BUBBLES.
Each GTA V heist gives you crew slots — gunmen, drivers, hackers. Here's who to hire for each heist, what they cost, and which crew composition pays out the most.
The fastest cars in GTA San Andreas, ranked by top speed, with exact spawn locations and how nitro and engine upgrades at the mod shops change performance.
Some of GTA V's best vehicles spawn rarely, in specific locations, at specific times. Here's the canonical hidden-car list — Z-Type, Adder, Truffade Adder.
GTA San Andreas cheat codes for PC, PS2, PS3 and Xbox: weapons, health, money, jetpack, Hydra, Rhino, weather and wanted level, plus what each one breaks.
From the Adder to the Banshee 900R to the Pegassi Zentorno — every iconic Grand Theft Auto V vehicle, what to buy, and which ones are worth the GTA$ investment.
GTA V's three-protagonist system lets you switch between Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Here's who each one is, what makes each playstyle distinct, and which one to lead with.
Eighteen radio stations and the West Coast Talk Radio / Blaine County Radio talk programs — every Grand Theft Auto V station ranked.
GTA Vice City story explained, spoilers and all: the 1986 Forelli deal ambush, Tommy Vercetti's rise, the betrayals, and the Vercetti Estate ending.
GTA V's 57 Random Events scatter across the map, triggered by your protagonist driving past specific spots. Here's the complete list with reward and replay value.
Vice City Definitive Edition vs the original, broken down: the visual and lighting overhaul, GTA V-style controls, mission restarts, removed songs, and a rough launch.
GTA V's optional Strangers and Freaks side missions add 60+ hours of content and some of the campaign's best-written setpieces. Here's the ranking.
The Vice City Hunter location and every rare car and boat: the Sea Sparrow, the Rhino, the Deluxo and the Sabre Turbo, plus exact unlock conditions.
Kill Trevor, kill Michael, or save them all — GTA V offers three distinct endings. Here's what each one delivers, which is canonical, and how to unlock the Deathwish path.
Niko's friend list isn't just contacts — each friendship gates real gameplay rewards. Here's how the GTA IV friend system works and which relationships matter most.
A GTA Vice City beginner guide with 12 starting tips: grab early hidden packages for free armor, buy assets, save often, and dodge the water.
Three Leaf Clover, Snow Storm, Holland Nights — the ten Grand Theft Auto IV missions every fan can quote on cue, and why each one still works.
A guide to the major Vice City characters around Tommy Vercetti: Sonny Forelli, Ricardo Diaz, Ken Rosenberg and the A-list voice cast behind them.
Comet, Infernus, Sultan RS, NRG-900 — every iconic Grand Theft Auto IV vehicle, what it's based on, and where to find it in 2008 Liberty City.
Vice City rampages explained: all 35 rampage locations across both islands, the 2-minute timer, weapon rules, and why every one counts toward 100 percent.
Before GTA Online, GTA IV had its own multiplayer — 16-player free-roam, deathmatch, race modes. Here's the history, the modes, and why the servers eventually closed.
Niko Bellic is the GTA series's most morally weighted protagonist. Here's the full arc — Eastern European backstory, Liberty City decline, and the choices that close the campaign.
A complete guide to GTA Vice City weapons by slot: every melee tool, gun and explosive, where to buy each one, free pickups, and the best loadout.
Eighteen radio stations and the WKTT/PLR talk programs — every Grand Theft Auto IV station ranked, with the Liberty City driving picks worth bookmarking.
How to make money in Vice City: every asset business, its real daily income cap, Sunshine Autos car lists, store robberies and the top mission payouts.
Luis Lopez, Tony Prince, and Liberty City's club scene — The Ballad of Gay Tony is GTA IV's brightest expansion and its most fun on first run-through.
The Lost and Damned puts you in Johnny Klebitz's leather jacket — leading a Liberty City biker gang through the same 2008 timeline as Niko's main campaign.
Vice City hidden packages explained: all 100 hidden packages by district, plus the exact reward at every threshold from body armor to the Rhino and Hunter.
Eighteen years after release, Three Leaf Clover remains the high-water mark of Rockstar mission design — a *Heat*-influenced bank heist with one of the best foot chases in any game.
GTA Vice City 100 percent completion explained: every story mission, all 100 hidden packages, 35 rampages, 36 stunt jumps, assets and side jobs, plus rewards.
The Las Venturas Caligula's Casino arc is the first proper Rockstar heist sequence — predating GTA V's by nearly a decade. Here's the full walkthrough.
Cesar Vialpando is San Andreas's most morally consistent character — Kendl's boyfriend, an Aztecas leader, and CJ's most reliable ally across all three acts.
Denise, Millie, Helena, Katie, Barbara, Michelle — all six San Andreas girlfriends, what they unlock, and the dating mechanics in 2004's most ambitious romance system.
From the Phoenix to the Bullet to the Hydra — every iconic Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas vehicle, the rare spawns, and the unique cars worth hunting.
Three Johnson siblings drive San Andreas's emotional core — Carl, Sweet, and Kendl. Here's the family chart, the deaths that bookend the campaign, and the resolution.
GTA 3 Definitive Edition vs original: the lighting rework, weapon wheel, GPS, checkpoint saves, achievements, the rough 2021 launch, and what the remaster did not cut.
Three vehicle schools — pilot, driving, bike — gate the most useful late-game vehicles in San Andreas. Here's the complete walkthrough for each.
Grove Street vs Ballas territory wars — how the system works, when it activates, what each captured zone earns CJ, and the complete strategy for full Los Santos control.
A GTA 3 beginner guide to the 2001 original: learn the islands, save at hideouts, grab hidden packages, use Pay n Spray, and survive Liberty City.
Eight named gangs operate across San Andreas — Grove Street, Ballas, Vagos, Aztecas, Triads, Mafia, Loco Syndicate, San Fierro Rifa. Here's the complete chart.
How to fly the Dodo in GTA 3: where the clipped-wing plane spawns at Francis International Airport, the takeoff trick, and every rare vehicle in Liberty City.
Lonely Hearts, Entertaining America, Area 53 — every Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas WCTR talk-radio show, ranked by writing quality.
GTA 3 import export explained: the Portland crane and Shoreside Vale garage wish-lists, where to find every requested car, the cash rewards, and the 100% rule.
Every Grand Theft Auto: Vice City cheat that still works in 2026 — typed text codes on PC, button combos on PlayStation and Xbox. Plus PANZER, COMEFLYWITHME, and other classics.
Hidden packages, the Apartment 3C, the Ghost Town, the Domestobot — Vice City's twenty-two-year-old secrets, what's real, and what's twenty-two years of fan myth.
A guide to the GTA 3 characters: Toni Cipriani, the Leone family, 8-Ball, Donald Love, Ray Machowski and the Hollywood voice cast behind Liberty City.
From the bank job to the mall shootout to Keep Your Friends Close — the ten Grand Theft Auto: Vice City missions every fan can quote on cue.
GTA 3 rampages: there are exactly 20 across Liberty City, all required for 100%. Here is where every rampage hides, plus tips for the 2-minute kill and destroy runs.
The Cheetah, the Infernus, the Hotring Racer, the Sea Sparrow — every iconic Grand Theft Auto: Vice City vehicle, what it's based on, and where to find it.
Lance Vance — voiced by Philip Michael Thomas — is Tommy's mid-game ally and third-act betrayer. Here's the full Lance arc and why it still works.
All GTA 3 weapons explained: the full roster from fists to the rocket launcher, what Ammu-Nation sells, and the hideout spawns that hand you heavy firepower.
Vice City introduced the buyable-property system that defined the modern GTA. Here's what each property does, how much it earns, and the order to acquire them in.
How to make money in GTA 3 fast: the taxi, vigilante, ambulance and firefighter side missions, Import/Export crane payouts, rampages and mission cash.
V-Rock, Flash FM, Wave 103, Fever 105 — every Grand Theft Auto: Vice City radio station, ranked, with the iconic 1986 tracks each one made famous again.
GTA 3 hidden packages explained: where all 100 are split across the three islands, the staged weapon and armor rewards at each hideout, and the cash totals.
The 2006 prequel Vice City Stories is set two years before the original, follows Victor Vance, and quietly retconned several Vice City character arcs. Here's the comparison.
From Ocean Beach to Starfish Island to the Malibu Club — every district of Vice City's 1986 map, what it's modelled on, and what to do in each.
GTA 3 100 percent completion explained: every story mission, 100 hidden packages, 20 rampages, 20 stunt jumps, the side jobs, and the exact reward.
Tommy Vercetti is the GTA series's first voiced protagonist — and Ray Liotta's only video-game lead role. Here's the full Tommy primer: backstory, arc, and legacy.
Twenty-five years after release, Grand Theft Auto III remains the foundational text of the modern open-world genre. Here's what it invented, what it perfected, and what every GTA since owes it.
GTA III's three named women — Catalina, Asuka Kasen, Maria Latore — drive most of the campaign's actual plot. Here's how each one reshapes the story.
Every Grand Theft Auto III cheat that still works in 2026 — typed text codes on PC, button combos on PlayStation and Xbox. Plus what each one breaks.
Claude is the only fully-silent protagonist in mainline Grand Theft Auto. Here's what we know about him — name, history, what GTA III tells you and what GTA San Andreas later confirmed.
Twenty-five years on, these are the GTA III missions every fan still remembers — bank heists, betrayals, the dam finale, and the boat ride that introduced 8-Ball.
Banshee, Stinger, Patriot, Cartel Cruiser — the vehicles that defined Grand Theft Auto III in 2001, before customisation, before BMX bikes, before motorcycles.
Portland, Staunton Island, Shoreside Vale — the three islands of GTA III's Liberty City split the campaign into three distinct acts. Here's what defines each.
Liberty City's seven gangs in 2001 — who runs what, who's allied with whom, and how the campaign rewrites the entire balance of power by the end.
Nine in-game radio stations and the talk-radio masterpiece Chatterbox FM — every Grand Theft Auto III station, ranked, with the standout tracks worth seeking out.