This game is absolutely incredible. The world is large and expansive, and the storyline is masterful. It truly lives up to my expectations as a Grand Theft Auto veteran. One thing I would like to comment on is that this game may not be appropriate for younger children (under 13), it is acceptable for teenagers. Though drugs are dealt, the use is minimal, as well as the player only gets vague images of them. Also, the DS graphics do not give the player a good view of the violence. Finally, there is very little sexual content, and the language is nothing more than what might hear in the local high school. Anyway, this is a great game, and My personal favorite DS game.

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I've never played any grand theft auto game before but now I know why so many people love it. I'm addicted to this game after 5 minutes of play. The graphic's cool. There are so many things you can do besides the missions as you walk through the game. You can always rob a car in the street whenever you want, so never worry about transportation. You can always kill someone and take their money, easy to get money, isn't it? You can deal drugs to make money. You can fight cops. If you're old enough and you wanna know what it feels like to do literally whatever you want, dig yourself into this game.

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Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a throwback to what used to be fun about video games for me. The game is well-designed and the entire world layed out within the game pulls you in. There are plenty of funny double-entendres and the characters are interesting enough to keep you guessing. This is definitely a game I would recommend to those who may be feeling some over-load from all the kid-centric games for the Nintendo DS.

As a grown man with a regular job, my gaming time is limited. It has really been limited to two categories: puzzle and trivia games that I enjoy, or multiplayer / party games that I can play with my family, particularly my younger nieces and nephews. As such, it has been rare for me to devote much time to an RPG or mission based game because they require such a time commitment. That's time I just don't have. For GTA Chinatown Wars, I find myself wanting to make the time.

First of all, I have only played this game on the DS. For some reason, the reviews for the PSP version are combined with the DS version here. I have no experience with the PSP version of this game so all my comments are directed towards those considering this game for the DS Lite or some other version of the DS.

Secondly, I also have limited experience with the GTA franchise. Like everybody else in the world, I have played GTA4 on the PS3 and Xbox360. While there are some gaming franchises I have played extensively, GTA is simply not one of them. However, the limited time I spent playing GTA4 was enough for me to realize how different it is than this game. While the basic structure is the same, the character and story are different. Perhaps more importantly, the gameplay is significantly different due to the smaller screens and controls on the DS. Having said that, I think this game was well-ported to the DS platform. I also think my limited experience proves that this game can be picked up by anybody, even relative newbies like myself.

Originally I thought I might just mess around with this game long enough to see if it was suitable for one of my teenage nephews. I ended up enjoying it so much that I kept it for myself. That being said, I must insert my final disclaimer: I have not finished this game. I know there are some people who can play any game through over a day or two and finish every mission with no problem. I am not one of those people. Having said that, I found that even replaying missions that I wasn't able to complete was tolerable.

This game is best enjoyed if you can devote at least an hour at a time, so you can have enough time to finish a mission or two and save your status before quitting. You can certainly finish missions in less time than that, but if you don't get them the first time you will have to decide between playing through the same thing again or starting over later.

The video interludes giving you the plot and your next mission are actually pretty enjoyable. Controlling the character definitely has been the toughest adjustment for me. One of the tough aspects actually comes from the rich design layers built into the game. Driving is particulary tough with these tiny controls, but there are such a variety of weapons and moves that there's a learning curve for those not used to playing these games. It's definitely worth the time invested though.

CONCLUSION

This is the one of the best games I have played for the NDS, and definitely has more of a traditional video game feel than most DS games. I recommend it to any adult gamer, though as a gift I only think it's suitable for mature kids in their late teens.

Enjoy.

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If you loved old school GTA like me, this is like GTA 2 all over again. The map is huge so you'll never get bored with the same locations. Theres tons of fun missions to keep you busy or just cause mayhem with a arsenal of weapons. A+++ Must own game for the DS.

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Great game. definitely a Mature game by the way. My only complaint is that there is no wifi battles, but that is resolved with the hours of storyline, minigames, and side missions. amazing game.

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Well as you can tell from the other reviews this is a great game for the DS and I was suprised by how it really felt like a GTA game from any of the other systems. The graphics are great, I really like the cel-shaded style. They really did a great job populating the city and it really feels alive. The drug dealing within the game is very fun and I easily found myself spending enormous amounts of time between the missions making bank driving all over the city to buy/sell for the best prices.

A quick breakdown of the pros and cons:

Pros

-Very fun game, with lots of variety.

-Missions are short and the "trip skip" option is a nice choice for a portable game.

-Great action, both from gun fights and car chases.

-Day/night cycle works great and really makes the city feel alive

-Nice variety in both vehicles and weapons.

-The touchscreen segments are well integrated but not intrusive

Cons

-Driving fast can be very difficult with the small screen, but the auto-align does help

-Omnipresent police presence (they will often "see" you when they are offscreen)

-No voice acting (this was my biggest gripe but with the DS limitations it is understandable)

Overall, this is one of the best games ever made for the DS and if you enjoy the GTA series then you should definitely pick it up.

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First off, a word of caution. This game is not for children. It is for mature audiences only. With that said, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed this version of the GTA franchise more than any other version out there (San Andreas and GTA IV: Lost and the Damned coming in close).

To enjoy this game, you have to look at it for what it is: a top-down viewed, platformer-esque, free-world game. The graphics are crisp and you know exactly what is happening in the screen. Rockstar included a number of details that we've all come to love and appreciate from the GTA IV series, such as: Boats, light poles falling over when hit, Ammu-nation, and cool duck and hide while shooting system.

So, what actually makes this game better than the rest? I've compiled a list of things that Chinatown Wars has or does better than GTA IV:

- Better vehicle characteristics.

- More involved police hiding system (when you take down a police vehicle, your chances of escaping go up).

- Mini-games, some of which pay you money (Such as stealing a car, cutting into the side panels of vans to look for drugs, scratch lottery games, etc.)

- Ammu-nation delivers to your door.

- Drug dealing is very lucrative (I found that in GTA IV, it was difficult to make money. With a bit of effort, making money in Chinatown Wars is easy).

Don't let the top-down graphics and layout turn you off. It's a large game with a funny story line that will keep you involved for quite some time.

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The DS needed an adult game and this is it. I own many GTA games which I enjoy on my pc, psp and now ds. When I first started playing Chinatown Wars I was a little let down to be honest. I recently picked up a psp and it is a powerhouse for a handheld . After a short time though I have come to really dig the DS GTA game and put my PSP aside for now.

The game seems fresh and new and maybe it is a throwback to the old GTA game. The story is good the controls solid and the fun factor is there. The PSP gta games feel so much like the ps2 counterparts that I almost feel I am replaying a game I have finished a few times already. Don't get me wrong...all gta games are the same basic make up but Chinawars is my passion for now. I even have put GTA 4 aside on my 360 till I complete CW.

The presentation is very good for a ds game. They made good use of the ds hardware here. I am playing it on a dsi and have no complaints at all. Zelda is put aside for now and if you want an adult game for the ds that is worth the cash...BUY THIS NOW>!

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Who can doubt Rockstar Games passion for making genuine, full fledged games, no matter what system? I will admittinly come out and say that origonally, I had my doubts. "A full Grand Theft Auto title on the DS? No way". Rockstar proved me wrong. Big time.

Chinatown Wars, despite the Ds' less than impressive graphics and horsepower, delievers an innovative GTA expeince through the touch screen. The controls stick straight to the directional pad and the right-side buttons, but the touch screen comes into play by minigames.If your busting a car window, defusing a bomb, or pimp-slapping a hooker, swiping and tapping the screen will get the job done perfectly.

Violence hasnt been a strong staple for GTA in the past. CW falls into the classic bland GTA combat system. Gunplay is simple: lock on and shoot. That's it, the whole mechanic of fighting feels static and janky, it's just standing and shooting. There's no real depth to the combat, so any confrentation felt unwanted, tacky, and not enjoyable at all. The fun illegal actvity is being a drug lord. CW's story revolves around you doing the dirty work for the kingpins, while gaining honor back to your family name. You control Haung, the only sensible character in a crazy world full of the zanny GTA style cast. Inbetween missions of your cartel, you can be, guess what? A Dope boy. Haung hustles drugs off on the sidelines in the passing period between missions. Depending on the drug economy, prices will alter on what's the best deal.

CW reverts back to the traditional top down views from GTA and GTA 2. Using a more artsy form, Rockstar gives a stylized version of the Liberty City you grew to know in GTA 4, you may recognize some localations, rehashed in a fresh new light.

CW is a full fledged GTA experience, and Rockstar used the DS' funtionality to deliever a must play game that surely will hold it's own aginast the DS hardcore titles.

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This is a fine addition to the Grand Theft Auto series with all the adult themes, crime sprees, and drug dealing you could ask for.

Excellent for on-the-go gaming.

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Finally the ever so popular GTA hits the ever so popular DS! You can tell a whole lot of effort has been put into this game. The graphics look great and it is a BIG DS game. The town is HUGE. Its addictive and it still gives you that GTA feel to it. Its the same sandbox enviroment and you can do missions. The only thing I don't like is the fact that the game is in bird's eye view. Driving can get a little confusing but you'll get used to it. I have a feeling this game would be a best seller.

NOTE: This game is for mature audiences only. If you are willing to buy this for your kid, make sure he/she is mature enough.

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This game is soo much fun. Its the perfect game for people above age 16 and hours of fun. I love playing this game and its amazing how much stuff you can do on a hand held.

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Up until now the best apps I'd tried for DS were the NY Times Crossword and X10 Korg. The DS racing games and fighting games I enjoy on the PC were only ghosts of their big brothers. But these folks at Rockstar seem to know how to make a great game regardless of platform.

Intuitive play, something like a story, massive world, great maps, weapons, vehicles....all the usual GTA brought to the palm of the hand.

The only other thing I can say is "Wow!".

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This is probably my favorite GTA game now, beating out all the others. Why you ask? GAMEPLAY! The touch screen is used so well in this game that it makes you feel like you are really part of the action. Getting emails, hot wiring cars, making molotov cocktails! Its all great! There is so much to do, taxi, vigilante, ambulance, fire truck missions are all here. This is not a watered down GTA game, it actually has more to do than other GTA games. The drug dealing side "mini game" is actually very addictive and fun. Traveling the city making the big $$$ while always on alert that the cops could bust you for selling or buying drugs with the many dealers around the city. One great thing they added was being able to fight back the cops while driving. If your being chased you can disable the cop cars by making them crash and it makes your wanted level get lowered! It really gives you a reason to run from the cops and try to take them out, which is a lot more fun and challenging than just hiding and waiting for your stars to go away. This is the real deal here, and the graphics are amazing to me, great cel shaded graphics that give the game a comic book feel while still running smoothly. Don't hesitate to pick up this work of art... it is more fun on the DS than the PSP because of the touch screen! Great for portable gamers all around.

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Seriously this is one of the best games ever made for the nintendo ds. I am very new to nintendo since all my life i have been a ps3 and psp fanboy........but wen i heard about the nintendo DSi coming out i saved up and started with a new console. Well the game has a very good story, much better than the psp gta's. people may say that the top down sky view of the game makes it suck, dont let them fool you. This game is so fun and i have found it really hard to put it down. The story is about a pampered kid who for the first time actually has to fight for what he wants. this is definately not a little kids game because a big part of the game is DRUG DEALING. you have to be "book smart" yet also be "street smart". u have to learn what to buy, where to buy, how much to but. it really helps make profits and money. the stylus is used in the most BEST forms. this is a must have for all DS and DSi owners

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