GTA Chinatown Wars maintains gritty, urban edge with drug-dealing minigame

by James Ransom-Wiley { Sep 24th 2008 at 3:42PM }

Coke, heroin, weed, acid and the blue pill confirmed. There was a time when a sensational cocktail like this would have raised red flags at media headquarters everywhere, but this is Grand Theft Auto, like, "Grand Theft Auto 8!" We've been down this road before and we know where it leads ... to a penthouse, deep pockets, and a dried up sandbox. So what if it's on DS? Chinatown Wars isn't a kid's game, but like all GTAs, it's the game kids want to play. And if they do get their hands on it, they'll be -- surprise! -- forced to deal drugs. "It works well with what GTA is, with driving around the map, and it gives you another thing to think about -- another layer or piece of the puzzle to keep you motivated," Rockstar boss Dan Houser explained to Edge. Motivational tool, eh? Good one.

[Update: Added image, direct from the folks at T3 magazine.]

Tags: chinatown-wars, grand-theft-auto, gta, gta-chinatown-wars, rockstar

Related From Joystiq

Impressions: Darksiders takes a stab at Portal, Panzer Dragoon
3 days ago
Activision promotes ratings, educational properties of games
6 days ago
LGJ: Revenge of the Regulators
17 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

D_Average @ Sep 24th 2008 3:47PM

Anyone else still laughing from Reggie saying at E3, "GTA DS and Animal Crossing, what more can the hardcore gamers want!!?"

Wiinterfang @ Sep 24th 2008 3:50PM

I don't laugh at things that are sad.

Mr Khan @ Sep 24th 2008 4:04PM

Only funny to the people who were betting on Nintendo delivering epic fail, which were only the people who've wished Nintendo ill will since they've taken their new turn (or from even longer back)

Sad to the rest of us. I mean, it was a typical Nintendo response. The shocker was when they turned around and apologized a few weeks later

D_Average @ Sep 24th 2008 5:14PM

Hey, it was sad to me too. At the time all I had was my Wii w/ no plans for getting another console. I figured I'd at least get another Punch Out or Excite Truck 2.

BananaBoat @ Sep 24th 2008 7:13PM

Yeah, because us Zelda diehards really have it out for Nintendo. Excuse us for being angry at having been shown a laundry list of casual garbage at an event dedicated to the hardcore (with only the hardcore watching). I'm not sure what Nintendo was thinking, considering that the "Casual" audience hasn't even heard of E3 in the first place, but they certainly drew the ire of millions of us that just want news on Zelda. Any news. One screenshot would be fine. Anything.

tmacairjordan87 @ Sep 24th 2008 7:50PM

Well I wasn't really that surprised at how bad their conference was, even though I was expecting something big at the end.

But yes I did laugh my ass off when I read what Reggie said after. Also, don't forget what the crazy lady said "Core gamers just have to keep playing Brawl and Mario Kart until whenever we decide to put something else out". That sent me reeling back in my chair in laughter.

It was after that that I realized Nintendo is now Sony from 2006, except they're not putting anything out. At least sony back then was still putting stuff out so it was easier to deal with their boneheaded arrogance.

Markez @ Sep 25th 2008 12:00AM

" I'm not sure what Nintendo was thinking, considering that the "Casual" audience hasn't even heard of E3 in the first place"

I agree with you mostly, but the fact still remains that in terms of where the mass media picks up on video game news, E3 still remains a focal point of that. So it follows that it's a decent forum to advertise to casuals, because it sneaks into mainstream media news.

Drew the ire of millions? Eh, I suppose. But you're/we're not the people they were after with that conference. And I don't mind, because I can be content with old games, new games, PS2 games, DS games, Wii games, 360 games, and of course, Trouble, with the pop-a-matic bubble. Which I really hope isn't made into a Wii game.

I'm not ready to pass judgment on DS GTA until it fully sees the light of day, it may have some promise.

Don't get me wrong, that conference absolutely blew, but I'm just saying...

343 Guilty Fart @ Sep 24th 2008 3:50PM

Someone's either been watching the Wire or playin' tha game.

Courtney @ Sep 24th 2008 3:55PM

I used to have a copy of a text only game called "Dope Wars" on my cell phone. Best cell phone game ever. Actually, the only cell phone game I ever played more than once.

"As you step off the subway car, you spot a young woman lighting up a Djarum."

FOXHOUND @ Sep 24th 2008 3:58PM

I remember that old game. For the longest time, I thought it was the inspiration behind the GTA series.

Dirty @ Sep 24th 2008 4:51PM

I had something similar programed into my TI-82. Forced me to ask my mom what Ludes were.

Ha games corrupted the shit out of me.

shoeshine @ Sep 25th 2008 12:40AM

I still play that game. But I've only ever had it on my pdas.

aristokrat @ Sep 24th 2008 10:07PM

Yay for calculator games. I had the same thing for the 83, and it and the decreasing-width upscreen racer were the best ones. I also recall there being a pretty in-depth RPG as well.

In A World (XBL) @ Sep 24th 2008 10:54PM

I use to make games for my TI-83 like a friggin' decade ago, that's how I got started as a computer programmer. I made blackjack, pong, even made a drug wars type game. It was the most popular activity in my math class.

Markez @ Sep 25th 2008 12:03AM

@ Dirty

Think I know what you're talking about, the TI-82 was my school friendly platform. What you're referring to I think was "Escobar; drug wars" or something stupid to that extent.

I had one called "Penguins" which as a mario rip-off, which was rather satisfying.

V1L3 @ Sep 25th 2008 8:18AM

I used to make games on my TI-82 back home. They're not much bigger than two metres.

FOXHOUND @ Sep 24th 2008 3:58PM

Somehow, a quote from a "wise" GameFAQs Poll of the Day member comes to mind:

"If only crackheads sold game systems... then I'd have no use for GameStop."

j.howlett @ Sep 24th 2008 4:01PM

i can show you how to get your money back twice

Mr Khan @ Sep 24th 2008 4:02PM

Something about drug dealing, as opposed to general mayhem, theft, even murder, just feels dirtier

Gritty indeed.

Immortal Technique PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Sep 24th 2008 4:54PM

GOTCHA!

Mr.Khan said -

""""Gritty indeed."""""

HA HA ... YOU'RE DEAD NOW SON!!!!

You have to pay ME for the right to use ...PERIODS... on the 'Stiq ...

StrangeBum @ Sep 24th 2008 4:29PM

Hmmm....I'm kind of hoping that my, erm, experience in sales will give me some sort of an edge with this game.

Or maybe, just maybe, being under the influence of certain substances may make it easier to play. Should be fun regardless though.

aristokrat @ Sep 24th 2008 10:10PM

It's probably just like Dope Wars (or any other economics-based games): buy low ("streets flooded with acid from Amsterdam, prices bottom-out!") and sell high ("local busts makes heroin prices rocket!"). No experience needed.

farfisa @ Sep 24th 2008 4:31PM

I figure on a Nintendo system the only drug you'd deal would be mushrooms.

Shmil (Mr ESC Liberation Front) @ Sep 24th 2008 4:32PM

Am I a racist because when I saw the picture I immediately thought of Short Round?

Shmil (Mr ESC Liberation Front) @ Sep 24th 2008 8:08PM

damn they changed it

Sam @ Sep 24th 2008 5:02PM

I really hope they don't call them "drugs" I like that GTA has at least "tried" to keep the good guy aspect by never actually pointing out "HEY! those are hookers!" or the fact that the "packages" you are selling or stashing in GTA IV are drugs. In fact the player is the true criminal in every gta. there is never a movie sequence where niko kills somebody for you, you always in some way, provoke the killing. This is why GTA Appeals to me, and its so funny that the media keeps saying that GTA is "showing" this to the kids.

required @ Sep 24th 2008 5:07PM

I just might dust off and charge up my DS for this game if it turns out to be any good.

Maverick Saturn @ Sep 24th 2008 7:15PM

Imagine if mid game it suddenly switches and has the main character collecting pokemon :D

Markez @ Sep 25th 2008 12:06AM

lol, I guess that'd still be Nintendo selling crack one way or another.

MrSpaceCowboy @ Sep 24th 2008 8:05PM

Stay tuned for the Australian edition of this game! Where those won't be drugs he's selling, but everyday household items.

aristokrat @ Sep 24th 2008 10:12PM

Are you referencing the mythical party pills I heard about once? I thought my friend was lying when he told me about them: fun drug-pills that also come with an antidote that you can by at the local store Probably false, but you never know...

BigD145 @ Sep 24th 2008 10:24PM

Does Australia have Tic Tacs?

SpikeDelight @ Sep 25th 2008 12:56AM

This is a reference to how Fallout 3 was edited in Australia to remove the real-world drug names and replace them with generic ones. Your idea sounded more creative than what it actually was. :D

V1L3 @ Sep 25th 2008 8:23AM

aristokrat: I don't think they were ever sold in Australia, but they definitely are (were) real in New Zealand. I actually worked for a company that packaged them, and yes, they came with an "antidote." They had names like "X" and "Grin." They weren't really all that bad - basically, they were just powerful pep-pills. But the active ingredient is a chemical that's banned in most countries.

A few teenagers mixed them with alcohol and fainted at concerts, and they were eventually banned, despite never being linked to any severe injuries or deaths.

colin @ Sep 24th 2008 8:34PM

We had a game called "drug wars" on our TI-83 calculators at school. Selling ludes was the easiest way to make quick cash. It took me years to figure out what a lude was.

sinai @ Sep 24th 2008 8:50PM

fuck your TI-83. that game was WAY better on the 86.

TI-86 DEFENSE FORCE (TDF) TO THE RESCUE!

colin @ Sep 24th 2008 11:08PM

I actually have an 86 now (for radiation physics) ... the UI is light-years ahead of the 83's

SpikeDelight @ Sep 25th 2008 12:54AM

Did anyone else notice that Niko in IV never got mixed up with drugs? I found that to be quite interesting. He was almost a role model among criminals. He never once was under the influence of anything other than alcohol or adrenaline.

FSK405K @ Sep 25th 2008 1:27AM

First minigame I've been seriously interested in. Good job Rockstar.

JoeTheBlow @ Sep 25th 2008 4:58AM

No WAY will this make it out of the US unchanged, and even there the uproar will be huge.

Fallout 3 had to rename morphine just to get around the ratings boards everywhere but the US has. No chance this will see the light of day.

V1L3 @ Sep 25th 2008 8:34AM

You may well be right, but not for the reason you think. As you may recall, Half Life 2 mentioned morpheine, yet that arrived on Australian shores with nary an eyelid batted.

It's all about context.

For example: those stupid puzzle games which reveal an image of a naked women are not permitted to be sold in Australia, because they provide sex/nudity as a "reward" or incentive to players.

However, the sex scenes in Indigo Prophecy (aka Fahrenheit) which were removed from the US version were allowed in Australia because they were justified in the context of the storyline.

This "mini-game," however, seems too frivolous to be considered integral to the plot, so yes, it'll probably end up being altered or removed entirely.

V1L3 @ Sep 25th 2008 8:43AM

From the OFLC report concerning Fallout 3:

"Material that contains drug use and sexual violence related to incentives and rewards is Refused Classification."

So it depends on whether it's considered that this mini-game "promotes or encourages drug use."

Personally, I think they could avoid that issue by having anyone you sell drugs to get high and walk in front of a truck. :P

Gonzo @ Sep 25th 2008 11:09AM

Are we still talking about E3? Why? Everything at E3 was lame.

I gotta say: after RE and Burnout failing on the DS, I really wasn't expecting much out of this but now that it looks like they have a better looking version of my favorite cell phone game of all time (Dope Wars anyone?)they might know what they're doing.
As long as they keep with what works on the DS, this game might pleasantly surprise me.
After all: I have yet to be disappointed by a GTA game. Even the last one.

foxhound421 @ Sep 25th 2008 3:40PM

aaaaand this is where they cross the line for me. won't be buying this one and i really hope that parents start paying attention to ESRB ratings.

before i get flamed, Rockstar can make whatever they want and consumers can buy whatever they want as long as it's legal. i just happen to personally disagree with a drug-dealing minigame on my DS and thus, i'll be sitting this one out. i'm actually extremely surprised Nintendo didn't reject this idea.