I love how every single aspect of Grand Theft Auto 3 serves the primary mechanic of driving.
GTA3 is foundationally a driving game. It's Driver but you can get out of the car and have guns. And the game KNOWS how much you want to drive in this city and does everything it can to make it fun.
The missions you go on are MOSTLY about driving. Sometimes the rules get shaken up.
Drive here quickly.
Drive here being chased by cops.
Pick up x amount of items while driving and take them to this destination.
Follow this trail of items while driving quickly.
Even the side content is about driving. Taxis, ambulances, cop cars, AND firetrucks EACH have their own take on what is essentially GTA's own version of Crazy Taxi.
Y'know. A game about driving.
And the side content is not pointless, you can make BANK while learning routes for the main story.
Feb 3, 2026 04:38Shit, I found a jeep and stole it and the game said "DRIVE THROUGH THE CHECKPOINTS" and I was like "u-UH OK" and it took me offroading and shit
The game knows what it is, and it does it well.
And it lets me do sick drifts in a fucking firetruck.
I like GTA3.
I actually really miss how simple open world games like this used to be. Now GTA feels like a chore to play. It lost the zaniness and the explorative nature. Everything has to be realistic and have its place. Which is certainly a fair design philosophy, but it's a lot less fun.
