5 gameplay features that make GTA San Andreas unique

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is quite a unique installment in the Rockstar Games series as it introduced many eclectic features not present in any of the earlier games or the later titles released after that.

This is also one of the main reasons why GTA fans have a soft spot for this franchise offering in their hearts and make this game a pop culture icon, especially when it comes to memes and references.

Therefore, this article will try to highlight five unique qualities that have given GTA San Andreas a legendary status among gamers.

Note: This article reflects the subjective opinion of the writer.

5 gameplay features that are very unique to GTA San Andreas

1) Customize CJ’s appearance

During the early 2000s, RPGs had a monopoly on giving players the ability to customize their characters. This made sense, as they generally aim to make fans feel like they’re in the game and an essential part of the game. story.

This aspect was also shared by multiplayer games at the time. Yet this is also exactly why GTA San Andreas could really set itself apart from its rivals. This is because, despite being a single-player story-driven title, players can still customize how CJ, the main character, appears in the game in a variety of ways.

This means that all of the customizations, such as his body weight and haircut, are integrated into the game’s world rather than just creating a standalone interface that players can manipulate like RPG games.

For example, if players want to make CJ fat, they will have to eat junk food constantly. This is still a unique way to introduce character customization into the game without breaking the immersion.

2) Skills

Another predominant RPG element that GTA San Andreas introduced was skill recording. These are basically personalized abilities for CJ that players can manipulate and customize with complete control.

There are several skills that players can improve such as driving, shooting, stamina and lung capacity. However, the main aspect that sets GTA San Andrea’s skill feature apart from other games is the surprisingly high level of realism surrounding it.

For example, if players driving skills in GTA San Andreas they have to drive their car as fast as possible without losing control of it. In this way, their driving skills will improve automatically.

In addition, if they want to increase their lung capacity, they have to spend much of their time swimming underwater. Most of the skills present in the game require players to participate in realistic activities related to them, making the whole process beautiful compelling also.

3) Graffiti Tags

Graffiti tags are arguably one of the most unique forms of collectibles that Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has introduced in this series. In this feature, players basically have the option to equip aerosol cans and create GSF graffiti over the boards of rival gangs.

There are over 100 tags scattered around the city for them to find, so it’s a really fun activity to do in the game. Players can even get a desired level if a cop catches them drawing graffiti, it makes this whole activity authentic and true to the tone of this title.

4) Dating

One of the highlights of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas has to be the dating feature that CJ has a girlfriend in the game with.

This is something that has never been introduced, at least not in an in-depth way, with other titles, making GTA San Andreas the only offering to have a dating minigame.

There are over six possible girlfriends players can get for CJ, and they all have their own unique personalities and requirements. For example, Helen Wankstein would demand that he get skinny if he wants to go on a date with her.

This is just one example, as there are a surprising number of small details that players need to consider when dating almost every possible girlfriend in this game. That’s why Grand Theft Auto San Andreas can sometimes even be compared to a dating simulator.

5) Road rage

Many GTA San Andreas players may not even realize that there is a road rage feature in the game. But its ubiquity makes it even more fascinating and important if players manage to notice it.

If CJ hits another car, there is a chance that the driver will come out and try to fight him, especially if the NPC involved is a taxi driver.

Road rage is something that most players have experienced in real life. So this feature is a clear example of how much lifelike detail developers have put into this game to make the world feel closer to reality.

This road rage feature is also quite rare to find in any other open world game, which makes Grand Theft Auto San Andreas unique.