Grand Theft Auto is one of those big name franchises that’s basically a license to print money, as evidenced by the fact that the sales for GTA V now measure in the billions. Its first release came back in 1997 with Grand Theft Auto for the PS1, Windows, and the Game Boy Color. That’s right. Game Boy Color. Since then new games and story-based DLC releases have been relatively prolific with 15 installments between 1997 and 2013. And they just keep improving on the design.
But that doesn’t mean that fans aren’t nostalgic for the good ol’ days.
Thanks to GTA Online, fans of the franchise have been able to create jobs based on classic missions from previous GTA games. This includes, but isn’t limited to, GTA III, GTA: Vice City, GTA: San Andreas, GTA IV, and GTA: Chinatown Wars. And that’s just so far. This isn’t the first time fans have gotten all misty eyed in the job creator when it comes to other Rockstar classics. Throwback jobs have been developed that feel more than a little like Manhunt, Smuggler’s Run, Midnight Club. Max Payne 3, and Bully. Some of these games were developed by the companies that grew into being Rockstar before that name existed, including Grand Theft Auto.
Naturally, these homages to past games vary in quality and accuracy when it comes to being a GTA Online interpretation of the originals. But some of them, especially those based on missions from previous GTA franchise titles, are quite the nostalgia inducing experiences. One can only hope that jobs paying homage to Red Dead Redemption or Lemmings are on the way.
Scratch that. Just make me a new Red Dead Redemption game. I’ll still play the GTA Online throwback job for Lemmings, though.
