What are the best games like Grand Theft Auto III?

The best games like Grand Theft Auto III are Saints Row 2, Watch Dogs 2, Crackdown, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Driver: San Francisco. Each was selected based on gameplay similarity, genre, atmosphere, and player reviews.

What games are similar to Grand Theft Auto III?

Games similar to Grand Theft Auto III include Saints Row 2, Watch Dogs 2, Crackdown, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Driver: San Francisco. These alternatives share similar Shooter and Racing elements.

Games Like

Grand Theft Auto III

Find the best Grand Theft Auto III alternatives — AI-picked and ranked by similarity.

2001

ShooterRacingSimulatorAdventure

Open World · Sandbox

95/100

PCPS4PS2XboxmacOSiOS

200195/100

ShooterRacingSimulatorAdventure

Open World · Sandbox

Grand Theft Auto III's revolutionary open-world design, where emergent chaos reigns, set a new standard. Its simple yet effective mission structure, combined with the freedom to explore and wreak havoc, created a compelling gameplay loop. The game's enduring appeal stems from its ability to generate memorable moments through player agency, offering a sandbox experience that continues to influence the genre.

About Grand Theft Auto III

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Featuring a fully 3-D living city, a combination of narrative driven and non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, Grand Theft Auto III represents a huge leap forward in interactive entertainment. For the first time, players are put at the heart of their very own gangster movie, and let loose in a fully-realised 3 dimensional city, in which anything can happen and probably will. With a cast of hundreds, 50 plus vehicles, ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and from boats to buses, 3 hours of music, including opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop and disco, a huge array of street ready weapons and some of the seediest characters in video game history, Grand Theft Auto 3 is a sprawling epic which will show you that sometimes, crime can pay and sometimes it can pay you back. Available now for PlayStation2, Xbox, PC and Macintosh.

Top 5 Alternatives to Grand Theft Auto III

88% Match

Saints Row 2

Released: 2008

Fans of Grand Theft Auto III's open-world urban chaos and criminal progression will find a familiar yet wildly expanded sandbox in Saints Row 2, complete with an over-the-top personality.

PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

81/100

Action, Open World, Shooter

Why recommended

Features a robust single-player campaign focused on building a criminal empire, offering a similar sense of progression and freedom to Grand Theft Auto III.
Core gameplay centers on third-person action, including extensive shooting, driving, and melee combat, requiring reflexes and tactical decision-making in a dynamic open world.
Includes a full co-operative multiplayer mode for the entire campaign, allowing players to experience the story and sandbox activities together, alongside competitive modes.

View Details Games Like This

Available onSteam GOG

82% Match

Watch Dogs 2

Released: 2016

For those who enjoyed Grand Theft Auto III's sense of urban freedom and engaging with a modern city, Watch Dogs 2 offers a vibrant, tech-infused open world where hacking becomes your primary weapon and tool for chaos.

PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

82/100

Action, Open World, Stealth

Why recommended

Provides a substantial single-player narrative where players explore a detailed open-world San Francisco Bay Area, completing missions and building a hacker collective.
Gameplay is heavily action-oriented, featuring third-person shooting, stealth, parkour, and vehicle chases, all requiring quick reflexes and strategic thinking.
Offers seamless multiplayer integration, allowing players to engage in co-op missions, invade other players' games for PvP hacking battles, or hunt bounties.

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Available onSteam Epic

78% Match

Crackdown

Released: 2007

If the thrill of Grand Theft Auto III's open-world exploration and causing city-wide mayhem appealed to you, Crackdown elevates that with super-powered agents and massive environmental destruction.

Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

83/100

Action, Open World, Shooter

Why recommended

Designed primarily as a single-player experience where players develop a super-agent's abilities by collecting orbs and completing objectives in a vast open-world city.
The core gameplay is pure action, focusing on third-person combat, superhuman agility, and vehicle use, demanding constant engagement and physical challenges.
Features a meaningful co-operative multiplayer mode, allowing two players to tackle the entire campaign and sandbox activities together, enhancing the destructive fun.

View Details Games Like This

Available onXbox

75% Match

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

Released: 2008

Fans of Grand Theft Auto III's sandbox freedom and ability to commandeer any vehicle will appreciate Mercenaries 2's focus on explosive destruction and mercenary contracts in a vast, war-torn Venezuela.

PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

72/100

Action, Open World, Shooter

Why recommended

Offers a sprawling single-player campaign where players take on contracts for various factions in a volatile open world, mirroring Grand Theft Auto III's mission structure.
The game is centered around intense third-person action combat, massive environmental destruction, and vehicle-based warfare, providing constant physical challenges.
Includes a dedicated co-operative multiplayer mode that allows two players to join forces and complete the entire single-player campaign and side activities together.

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70% Match

Driver: San Francisco

Released: 2011

For those who loved the driving and urban environment of Grand Theft Auto III, Driver: San Francisco strips away the on-foot segments to deliver a pure, innovative open-world driving experience with unique 'Shift' mechanics.

PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii

80/100

Racing, Action, Open World

Why recommended

Features a compelling single-player story set in an open-world San Francisco, where players inhabit various characters through a unique 'Shift' ability, primarily focusing on driving-based missions.
Core gameplay is pure action, centered on high-speed car chases, stunts, and vehicular combat, demanding quick reflexes and precise control in a dynamic urban environment.
Includes a robust suite of competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes, all focused on driving challenges and car combat within the open-world city, ensuring a meaningful multiplayer experience.

View Details Games Like This

Available onSteam