Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (Nintendo DS, 2009)

Chinatown Wars is, indeed, a great game – an awesome game! Having played the trilogy on PS2, as well as a bit of both GTA I & II, I can tell you there isn't a ton new here in terms of missions and the general premise. However, this is one of the tightest GTA experiences I've ever had. They've taken all that was good about past games in the series, left behind pretty much everything that didn't quite work, and added some truly innovative mechanics to make this easily one of the best GTA games ever, console or otherwise.

You play as Huang Lee, the son of a fallen Triad higher-up, and when your family's “sacred” sword, the Yu Jian, is stolen and you're left for dead, the thrust of the story becomes retrieving the sword, as well as finding your father's killers. Though the cutscenes are presented through hand-drawn art stills, Huang, in my opinion, is perhaps the most likeable character in the series so far (having not played GTA IV). Unlike Tony from VC, he's not overbearing, and unlike CJ (SA), Huang isn't quite as apathetic. Huang is a bit beaten down yet cocky; he's honest and sincere, but he's also willing to use a chainsaw to slice dudes in pieces. The conversations are often funny and smartly written, though they can also be way over the top with unnecessary uses of profanity.

The missions are a lot of the same things we've done in other GTA games, but there's a tightness here that, along with really great controls, makes for some of the best missions I've played in any of the other games. Driving is fantastic fun. You start out with an option called Steer Assist turned on, and it guides whatever vehicle you're driving into a straight line when not actually steering. It works great, but it's equally enjoyable to drive without it. You'll likely find yourself using both options.

All of the mechanics are very much the same as other GTA games. Control Huang and steer vehicles with the D-pad; B button to accelerate or run; Y to break, reverse, or roll/jump when on foot; A is your attack button; and X lets you hop in vehicles. You jack cars same as before, though many of the parked vehicles in the game require you to play through a touch-screen mini-game, such as hotwiring, cracking a security system, or more crudely, using a screwdriver to force the ignition. All three minis are good fun, though hotwiring is easily my favorite; I could do that all the live-long day.

Other uses of the touch screen include defibrillating patients when transporting them to the hospital during ambulance missions, lobbing grenade-type explosives, using your PDA/GPS, as well as sniping dudes. I don't have a single complaint about any of it. To me, it all works great and is fun. But the PDA/GPS system in this game is simply amazing! I mean amazing! It makes everything so much more convenient, and takes pretty much all of the unnecessary minutiae out of the GTA experience. If I need to get somewhere, I simply plot a course on my GPS, and finding my way is easy as pie. Want to find a good deal on heroin? I just consult my trusty turf map, and I can plot a course to the closest dealer selling smack.

Oh, did I not yet mention the drug dealing? It's addictive! (Sorry for the pun.) After the first few missions, I must have stopped playing missions for a good five hours once I discovered drug dealing. I couldn't help it. It was too much fun and there was too much incentive to make tons of cash. Dudes will email you when they're either buying or selling something

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series is easily the epitome of the open world "sandbox" game design. Other studios have tried to capture that same vibe in their own titles with various levels of success, but for better or worse none have been able to dethrone GTA as the game that's synonymous with the open world genre. So when Rockstar branches out its series in new directions, you take notice: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a GTA game specifically tailored for the Nintendo DS platform, and while the Nintendo DS may be the weakest current generation system in terms of hardware power, Rockstar doesn't let that get in the way of producing one of the deepest and extremely fulfilling chapters in the Grand Theft Auto saga.

We've already seen handheld renditions of the Grand Theft Auto open-world design: the PlayStation Portable has supported two games in the series that came extremely close to the quality of the PlayStation 2 renditions. The same team responsible for the PSP versions hunkered down to build a unique GTA experience for the Nintendo DS platform and succeeds admirably. GTA: Chinatown Wars might shift some things around and pair the big picture down, but the scope remains the same: it's a tremendous game, both in scale and in fun.

Chinatown Wars opens with Huang Lee on his way to Liberty City to deliver a symbolic sword to his Uncle Kenny. Huang's father, a Triad boss, was mysteriously slain and this sword must pass from his possession to his brother. Unfortunately for Huang, he's ambushed upon arrival, his sword stolen, and he's tossed for dead into the harbor. That's where the player begins their Liberty City underworld career on the Nintendo DS. The story takes some bobs, weaves, twists and turns in the single-player campaign, and we'll leave the surprises for you to discover on your own. No spoilers here.

The phenomenally successful Grand Theft Auto series roars onto Nintendo DS in style in the very impressive Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars. Using the same outlay of Liberty City that was featured in Grand Theft Auto 4, the game tells the story of Huang Lee who is tasked with delivering a sword to his uncle after the murder of his father. The sword is a key symbol that will allow his family to maintain control of the local gangs.

Things do not go as planned as Huang is beaten and left for dead soon after his arrival in town and has the sword stolen from him. This forces Huang to fight to avenge his honor and seek riches and revenge.

If you like the GTA series of games then you will love this DS title. It has all the things you would expect in a GTA game with the graphics being the exception but they do look good considering the limitations of the DS. This game is well worth the money and should not be missed, unless you are under age because this game does contain cursing, blood, heavy drug references, etc. It's GTA, what do you expect? Have fun!

When I first heard that there was a Grand Theft Auto game to be released for the DS, I was sceptical. When I heard it would be a top down view, I almost face palmed. Now that I have played the game, I'm sorry I ever doubted it. This is possibly the best GTA game I have played, and definately one of the best games on the DS. The game is perfectly suited to this system, and seamlessly combines everything good from past GTA releases with many touch screen related options. In fact, one of the great things about this game is how much the touch screen is included. There are a host of minigames to be found involving the touch screen, and it can also be used to navigate menus, or interact with the minimap. The graphics are impressive for the system, and on closer inspection, the game world is incredibly detailed and rich. The story missions do not bring many new ideas to the table, but they are perfectly adapted for Nintendo's handheld. This game entertained me for many hours, and I would recommend it to anyone 17 and up who is not easily offended.