In celebration of its tenth anniversary, Rockstar Games has released Grand Theft Auto III for the iPhone, the iPad and various Android devices. The original game transformed the Grand Theft Auto franchise when it was launched in 2001, introducing a third-person viewpoint and a large, open-world map.
It also became dogged by controversy, concentrated mainly on the level of violence, its treatment of women and supposed glorification of criminal activities. The game was even banned for a while in Australia.
Set in Liberty City, you play Claude, a man working his way up through the criminal ranks so he can take revenge on a former girlfriend, after being double-crossed by her during a bank robbery. The game has been faithfully converted, so you can expected an almost identical gaming experience to the one you had ten years ago.
There are some changes however, as the control system has been reworked for the touchscreen, and the graphics have been given an HD overhaul to make best use of the iPhone and iPad’s abilities. This is most obvious when looking at the cars and roadside signs.
The same game has been released for certain Android devices too, and we got a sneak peak of it running on a Tegra 2-powered tablet back in October. Compatible devices include the HTC Rezound, the Motorola Droid X2 and Atrix 4G, plus the Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. The list initially included the Samsung Galaxy S II, but the popular device was subsequently removed due to unspecified technical issues.
Released worldwide today, GTA III is available inside the Android Market and through the iTunes App Store, where it’s a universal app for the iPhone and iPad, and has been priced at $4.99 in the USA and £2.99 in the UK,
