Every Console Grand Theft Auto Game Ranked

The Grand Theft Auto series has grown from simple top down chaos to some of the most influential open world epics ever made. Each new entry pushed the genre forward in different ways, from the revolutionary jump to 3D in GTA III to the massive scope of San Andreas to the storytelling breakthroughs of GTA IV and the worldwide dominance of GTA V. This tier list ranks the main GTA games you will find on modern platforms to show how each one holds up today and what it contributed to the franchise.

The Best of GTA, the Rest of GTA, and Everything Between

GTA is one of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, but each entry offers a different view of open world design. Some games focus on storytelling, others on scale, and some on pure style and attitude. The series has shifted from top down experiments to fully realized cities with depth, personality, and systems that encourage freedom and exploration. This tier list looks at the core GTA releases on console and handheld systems, focusing on how well they play today, how influential they were at the time, and what makes each one stand out in the long history of the franchise.

S Tier

Grand Theft Auto V

GTA V sits at the top because it represents everything Rockstar learned over two decades. The open world is enormous, detailed, and full of life. The three protagonist structure creates one of the most memorable stories in the series, and switching between characters adds variety that no other GTA game has matched. The missions are polished, the world feels reactive, and the amount of content available even before you touch GTA Online is enormous. It is the most complete and refined GTA experience and remains one of the most played open world games in history.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

San Andreas is the most ambitious PS2 era open world ever created. Three cities, deserts, countryside, RPG style character progression, gyms, barbershops, gang wars, flying, diving, casinos, secret areas, and a legendary soundtrack. CJ is still one of Rockstar’s strongest protagonists, and the game’s scale remains impressive even today. San Andreas defined what open world games could be, and its influence is still visible across the entire genre.

A Tier

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Vice City is smaller than San Andreas, but its style, tone, and atmosphere place it at the top of many fans’ favorites. The 1980s Miami aesthetic is iconic, the soundtrack is perfect, and Tommy Vercetti remains one of the franchise’s most charismatic protagonists. Vice City is not the biggest GTA game, but it has a mood and identity no other entry has ever matched.

Grand Theft Auto IV

GTA IV is the most grounded, character driven game in the franchise. Niko Bellic’s story is heavy and personal, built around loyalty, trauma, and survival. Liberty City is dense, believable, and atmospheric. The writing is tighter, the tone is more serious, and the physics system still feels weighty and unique compared to later entries. While it lacks some of the sandbox freedom of San Andreas or GTA V, GTA IV is a storytelling high point for Rockstar.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Liberty City Stories brought a surprising amount of depth to handheld hardware when it originally released. The mission design is solid, the map is familiar but remixed, and the game bridges story threads between GTA III and other Liberty City narratives. It captures the feel of the PS2 era GTA games with structure and pacing that still hold up for fans who enjoy the earlier style.

B Tier

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Vice City Stories expands on Vice City with new characters, better mechanics, and a bigger look at the city’s criminal underworld. It delivers a strong prequel story, fun missions, and an improved engine over Liberty City Stories. While not essential for all players, it is a great addition for fans who want more time in that world and appreciate the narrative focus on the Vance brothers.

Grand Theft Auto III

GTA III changed gaming forever. The jump to 3D open world design created a template that dozens of studios copied for years. By modern standards, GTA III feels limited with stiff shooting, basic mission design, and a silent protagonist, but its impact is undeniable. Its place in the B tier is not a criticism of quality but a reflection of how far the series evolved after it. For players who want to see the roots of modern GTA, it is still worth revisiting.

C Tier

Grand Theft Auto

The original GTA introduced the open city crime sandbox concept that would eventually become one of the biggest franchises in gaming history. It is fun as a historical curiosity and still offers chaotic freedom, but the top down perspective and simple mechanics make it difficult for new players to enjoy today. GTA laid the foundation, but the modern entries far surpass it in scale and depth.

Grand Theft Auto II

GTA II improved on the original with better mission structure, gang reputation systems, and a more stylized world. Even so, it remains more of a transitional title. It is interesting to revisit for franchise history, but it lacks the ease of play, identity, and world design that made the later 3D games iconic. It is the better of the two classic entries, but still sits firmly in the lower tier for modern players.

Final Thoughts

Every GTA game reflects a different era of Rockstar’s evolution. Some broke new ground, some refined what came before, and some expanded the world with new stories and mechanics. Whether you prefer the neon glow of Vice City, the massive scope of San Andreas, the heavy storytelling of GTA IV, or the polished open world of GTA V, the series offers something memorable at every stage. Looking back at these games shows how far open world design has come and why GTA remains one of the most important franchises in gaming.