Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas coming to Android in December

November 26, 2013

Rockstar continues to support mobile, this time bringing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to Android. While no launch date was announced, Rockstar notes the game will be released in December, so be sure to ask for Play Store gift cards this year. If you need any more motivation, Rockstar has actually improved not he game, rather than make it a straight-up port.

Rockstar says they’ve redone the graphics, bringing better shadowing and an “enriched color palette”. They have also improved the character and car models to make GTA:SA “the best-looking version of San Andreas yet.” The game originally came out in the PlayStation 2 era, and we’ve come a long way since that time, even with mobile graphics. Now would be the time to consider how amazing it is that a tablet can outshine a console, even if it is a decade or so old.

If you still want that console feel, fear not. GTA:SA comes with full controller support, so bringing that Xbox or PlayStation controller to the game isn’t going to be a problem. In our experience, we found that wired work best for GTA: Vice City, where we used an Xbox controller. A controller also contributes to battery drain, so keep that in mind as well.

If you want the true mobile experience, Rockstar has improved the controls for GTA:SA, including a “contextual control option”, which sounds like it will stray a bit from the traditional D-Pad button. That is still around, though, giving you a few options for game play. Rockstar also says they’ve improved the checkpoint system for easier progression, making those with short attention spans take notice. We’ll be sure to update you when the game is released, hopefully soon.

VIA: The Verge