Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto is the biggest open-world franchise of all time. Ever since GTA 3, the series has been a cornerstone of the gaming landscape, with each new release being a landmark event that is guaranteed to dominate everything for months, if not years. At this point, 13 years have passed since a proper new entry, but GTA 6 is scheduled to drop in November 2026. Will it rank among the best GTA games? Or, will it sit somewhere in the middle?
Except for one compilation that we will get to in a moment, there are no bad GTA games, with even the top-down releases having something to offer. However, there is still a pretty big gap between the quality of the “great” entries, and some titles are influential but have not aged extremely well. Therefore, let’s rank all the GTA games!
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Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition
One Of The Most Disastrous Rockstar Launches Of All Time
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy
- Released
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November 11, 2021
Fans were disappointed to the moon and back when Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition launched. The compilation was a lackluster effort to upscale the classic 3D games for the next generation and was lambasted by fans and critics alike. The titles were plagued with bugs, and, due to being based on the mobile version, they looked worse than the original games. Even with all the patches that have addressed the many issues in this title, this cash grab is still probably Rockstar’s biggest blemish when it comes to proper games.
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Grove Street Games released several updates to address its many issues, and modders also helped to fix the PC iteration, so the trilogy is playable nowadays. However, GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas deserve full-scale dedicated remasters, and the remastered versions will be the entry points for new generations who did not grow up with the PS2.
11
Grand Theft Auto
The Almost Unrecognizable Originator
The game that started it all had clunky controls, which made driving near impossible, but it had charm regardless. The ability to get into any car made Grand Theft Auto a hit and set the bedrock for this franchise to dominate the gaming industry in a few years’ time. To this day, it’s hard to believe that this series became a reality because of a simple glitch that helped developers uncover a fun gameplay loop that had a ton of potential.
Driving recklessly through intersections and colliding with other vehicles provided an exhilarating experience unlike anything out there, with players having to do everything in their power to avoid the cops in breakneck chases that still feel tense to this day. This top-down perspective game laid the foundation for what would later become one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
Players who had a great time messing around in the original Grand Theft Auto will be glad to know that an expansion was released for the same that let players roam around the streets of London in the late 60s. Most of Grand Theft Auto‘s gameplay is left intact, with the change in setting being the most notable thing about this expansion.
Some people felt like this expansion didn’t do much to change the issues that were present in the game itself, but players who loved the simple arcade-like gameplay of the original game will love what London 1969 has to offer. This expansion received a standalone release in the UK, which proved that a lot of people enjoyed this unique addition to the legacy of the game that started it all.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961
Along with the first expansion, Rockstar launched a second freeware expansion titled London 1961 that features the same map but with a different story and characters. The map is pretty much similar to the first one, making it easy to see why Rockstar didn’t charge anything for this additional chapter.
Still, this shouldn’t take away from the sheer fun players can enjoy as they wreak havoc in London once again. This expansion may not be a huge change from the norm, but it is worth checking out for fans of GTA‘s fun gameplay, where players are encouraged to go bonkers and create as much chaos as possible.
10
Grand Theft Auto Advance
A Less Challenging Take On The Series’ First Game
One of the lesser-known Grand Theft Auto games follows a similar style to Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2. Contrasting with the first two Grand Theft Auto games, Grand Theft Auto Advance has vehicle-based missions and is easier to play than the original games. Given how difficult these classic GTA games were, this was a welcome change for fans.
Smart gameplay, combined with vibrant graphics, keeps the game enjoyable. Grand Theft Auto Advance is a fun portable version of the classic GTA formula, and the only reason why it’s ranked the lowest on the list is because of its hardware limitations as opposed to the quality of the title itself.
9
Grand Theft Auto 2
A Fantastic Sequel, And A Clear Bridge Between GTA and GTA 3
People love Grand Theft Auto 2 for its improvements to police chases, weapons, driving, locations, and the camera. No longer was a shaky camera getting in the way of causing mayhem in Anywhere City, with the sequel being a massive improvement over the original in every way, shape, and form.
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The cars have gained speed, and the police force is more relentless than ever before. The action in this game is genuinely exciting, and it’s more than a game about driving cars. Grand Theft Auto 2 is more similar to Grand Theft Auto 3 than Grand Theft Auto, which is why it appeals to a broader audience. This is one classic game players can’t miss.
8
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
A Prequel To The Classic GTA: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a prequel to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City that was released for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) and later for the PlayStation 2. Due to its limited availability, relatively few people got a chance to play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. It received favorable reviews on the PSP but mediocre reviews for the PlayStation 2. The latter can be attributed to its upscaling, which didn’t turn out well. Also, multiplayer modes were removed, which makes the PSP version stronger.
This is the Lance Vance Dance!
Still, if players can manage to get their hands on a PlayStation 2 or PSP, the game can be bought at a bargain, and people can experience the gaudiness of Vice City once again. After all, the main title is easily one of the greatest open-world titles of all time, and getting the opportunity to explore a fictional version of Miami is a ton of fun in its own right.
7
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
The Other GTA Prequel On The PSP, This One Is Canon With GTA 3
After the massive success of the 3D Grand Theft Auto titles, Rockstar decided to add to the universe of these games by releasing prequels to both Grand Theft Auto 3 and Vice City. The former arrived first in the form of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and is one of the better and more notable games on the PSP.
Again, the placement of this game on the list is mainly due to the limitations of the PlayStation Portable itself, especially since many people agree that Liberty City Stories is a fine addition to the legacy of the GTA franchise. Once players get accustomed to the new controls of this game, playing through Liberty City Stories is nothing short of a blast.
6
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
A Fusion Of Old And New, And An Elegant Look Back At The Series’ Roots
Chinatown Wars is the best Grand Theft Auto spin-off game. Created for the Nintendo DS and PSP, Chinatown Wars marries classic-era GTA with the more popular modern releases, providing a top-down open-world experience that comes really close to capturing the chaotic magic of mainline entries like GTA 4. The change in perspective takes a while to get used to, but fans who love the GTA gameplay loop will get familiar with Chinatown Wars in no time.
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Chinatown Wars is played from a top-down perspective, providing an experience reminiscent of the first two Grand Theft Autos but more profound. Leaving a trail of destruction in the player’s wake in Chinatown Wars is GTA lunacy at its finest. To this day, players find it hard to believe that this cathartic open-world action-adventure game ran on portable hardware despite how ambitious it was.
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Grand Theft Auto 3
The Most Groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto Game
Grand Theft Auto’s first adventure in 3D was way ahead of its time, and it basically wrote the blueprint for modern open-world games. Now, like nearly every pioneer, GTA 3 was surpassed quickly by its successors, including Rockstar’s own Vice City and San Andreas. Nowadays, Liberty City is not only tiny but also devoid of much life; however, we cannot analyze GTA 3 just from a 2026 lens. In 2001, no other PS2 game was as massive, ambitious, and jaw-dropping as this masterpiece, and its legacy far overshadows its longevity.
Welcome to Liberty City. Where it all began. – Rockstar
Should you play GTA 3 nowadays? Yes, but keep expectations realistic. Clause’s entry in the Leone family makes for a pretty darn solid crime story, even if it might not be quite as iconic as some of the later entries. Despite its limitations, the sandbox is still fun to mess around in. That said, if you don’t enjoy GTA 3, that doesn’t mean you should skip Rockstar’s other PS2 GTA games.
4
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
The True Originator Of The Modern Day GTA
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, players rise from rags to riches as Tommy Vercetti. Including an airport, marinas, and a taxi cab company, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City captures the essence of Miami. The ability to purchase companies that generate money gave the game more replayability.
One feature that makes Grand Theft Auto: Vice City stand out is its shopping mall. An even more interactive shopping mall should be a part of the next Grand Theft Auto game. Whether players are doing pizza boy deliveries, taking the law into their own hands during its vigilante missions, or searching the locale for stunt jumps, there is plenty of content to keep players busy in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
3
Grand Theft Auto 5
The Most Successful Game Of All Time
In Grand Theft Auto 5, players are brought back to San Andreas, only this time around, players play as three different characters as part of a shared storyline. Bold and ambitious, Grand Theft Auto 5 is a massive game filled with numerous activities like golf, darts, visiting an amusement park, tennis, and more. With a budget of over $250 million, the game had stellar execution, which is why many players still frequent the game years after its release.
Surviving is Winning – Michael
Grand Theft Auto 5 is an open-world action-adventure game that is full to the brim with content and deserves the moniker of being the best game in the series that players can check out. The addition of a first-person mode, along with a wealth of other changes, means that players always have an excuse to replay this title, especially with the single-player campaign being incredible. It’s easy to see why this game ended up selling boatloads and continues to be talked about fondly to this day, even if some people are tired of this game’s constant re-releases on modern platforms.
GTA Online
There’s a reason why episodic DLCs didn’t make the cut for Grand Theft Auto 5, despite many reports stating that the plan was for Rockstar to pursue this course of action. The rampant success of GTA Online pushed Rockstar to devote all its resources to make this game mode as perfect as possible, with players loving the idea of exploring this massive world with their friends and allowing players to live out a virtual life that is laden with crime off the wazoo.
Players can engage in heists, race around, and just kill players without a care in the world if they wish. There’s something infinitely enjoyable about this game mode, making it clear why Grand Theft Auto 5 has been released on three separate console generations — the online component is that popular and continues to draw in numerous fans to this day.
