We’ve had our fair share of GTA-like games in the past but nothing says enough is enough than an actual GTA game gracing our devices. It first appeared on the DS, but the iPhone is its natural home.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars ($9.99)

Car Jack Streets and Payback are both good games at their time of release. GTA:CW however proves it’s worthy of the “GTA” title attached to its name by delivering the best action-mission oriented game our platform has ever seen. And oh, we can finally say, Rockstar has arrived!

Presentation

Those expecting 3D first person graphics like Gang$tar will be disappointed. HOWEVER, the game’s dynamic semi 3D/2.5 camera angles and pans make this the best for this iPhone genre. The game’s design remains intact from the DS version though the word intact hardly classifies the improvements Rockstar made to the game.

One can argue that the PSP’s screen makes GTA:CW grainy, and the DS’ screen a tad bit too small. That said, the iPhone’s screen and tilt capabilities makes our platform the perfect destination for this game and Rockstar delivered. Crisper graphics and better controls add up to one amazingly designed game.

Controls

The controls are a combination of tilt and touch. About most of the first chapter of the game is devoted to teaching you controls and concepts, so I suggest you pay attention. Here’s one thing I’d give you as a tip for now: hold anywhere on the cutscenes’ artwork to skip ‘em.

Gameplay

As we all know (and love), GTA games’ gameplays involve highly nested storylines, missions, tasks, and oh, LOTS of explosions. In GTA:CW, you play as Huang Lee with a task to deliver a sword to his Uncle Kenny while at the same time avenging his father’s death and remain in control of Liberty City.

What impressed me with the game the most is how intact the story and the dialogues were. Yep, the game does come with a whole lot of profanity and for Apple to approve this was slightly shocking. Missions include car chases, delivering goods, killing people, and making a whole lot of things explode in every which way possible.

The always helpful GPS functions, radio stations, your own apartment (with two car garage capacity), computer with emails are all in the game. And yes, that includes some game cheats as well which we’ll publish sometime this week.

If you thought profanity including sex and drugs, and lots of explosions are enough to make you buy this game, just wait til you hear this. Creating a new playlist from your OWN music named GTA and syncing this to your device will automatically add the playlist to one of your GTA radio stations: “Independence Station”.

Suggestions

I seriously do not have any suggestions for this game as the iPhone version single handedly beats both the PSP and DS versions. What with playlist integration, and even two car handling settings, find me someone who has something negative to say about the game.

That said, can I naughtily ask if there’s any way we can possibly port the first 2 PSP GTA games to the iPhone? I’m starting my novena now…

Conclusion

Saying the game delivers the most authentic GTA experience to the iPhone is pretty much obvious. After the so-so release of Beaterator iPhone, I had my doubts regarding this game but I was proven very wrong. To those wary of the price, this same game sells for the DS well above its iPhone going price. Stop being cheap and hop on the GTA:CW iPhone train or Huang Lee will be right around the corner…