A dynamic top-down view, a drug-dealing loop fully woven into gameplay and the whole of Liberty City in pocket form. Rockstar pulls off a striking technical feat and delivers a surprisingly rich and snappy portable GTA.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Huang Lee, heir to a Liberty City triad, uncovers drug trafficking and power struggles in the city's Chinatown. Published by Rockstar Games, released in North America in October 2009. Dynamic overhead view, unique drug-dealing system, varied mini-games, detailed Liberty City, ad hoc multiplayer. Multilingual version.
Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Faithful to the series' recipe, the selection broadcast across the radio stations blends hip-hop, electro and rock to dress the streets of Liberty City. Each station has its own identity, turning the slightest drive into a tailor-made soundtrack. This musical generosity, cut for urban wandering, wonderfully extends the game's spirit.
Back in Liberty City after his father's murder, an heir to the Chinese mafia must reclaim his family's honour and power. Sharper and more cynical, the tale paints the Asian underworld with unexpected bite on a handheld. Its terse tone and colourful characters make it a surprisingly dense entry.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Top-down view, responsive driving and missions galore: this condensed GTA recaptures the series' freedom in a snappy, readable format. Stealing a car, shaking off the police and fiddling with deals via stylus make for a devilishly effective loop. The cel-shaded look hasn't aged, and the density of the sandbox makes it one of the genre's most accomplished portable entries.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Top-down view, frantic action and biting humour: this atypical GTA condenses the whole spirit of the series into a snappy, immediate format. Stealing cars, shaking off the cops and chaining missions delivers a pleasure of freedom with no dead time, enhanced by clever mini-games. Dense, lively and surprisingly rich, a bold reinvention that grabs you for hours.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Roaming a top-down Liberty City, stringing together missions, deals and stylus mini-games keeps rekindling the urge to see what comes next. Street dealing, chases and side challenges chain short objectives and rewards. The retro view throws you at first, but the density of the sandbox and the freedom of action hold a fearsomely tenacious grip.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Building your criminal empire in an open Liberty City sets up an action adventure rich in missions, trafficking and side activities. Roaming the city freely, completing the contracts and unlocking every secret fills long hours. That sandbox generosity, paired with free-form replay value, offers a lifespan action fans savour.
Technical info
💾0,53 GB📅20/10/2009
Published by Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars (PSP) price, value & rarity
A portable GTA with a stylized top-down view, critically praised but shunned by the mainstream, which limited its sales against the other entries. This relative commercial failure makes it a bit less common and prized by fans seeking an atypical GTA. Its desirability lies in this status as an undersold Rockstar gem rather than an already high price.
A questionable morality
The vast playground invites you to do anything, and you fairly quickly opt to steal cars, run errands for criminals and turn traffic into chaos. The story dresses it all as a rise through the underworld, but the freedom on offer mostly works as an official permit to chain together offences, something you grant yourself with thoroughly pixelated delight.
Is Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars still worth playing in 2026?
Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars offers a dynamic top-down view, fully integrated drug trafficking gameplay and all of Liberty City in your pocket. Rockstar pulls off an impressive technical feat with a surprisingly rich and brisk portable GTA, with well-thought touch mini-games for the PSP. Cell-shaded art direction, mature scenario, generous content. An excellent pick today.
