Grand Theft Auto Games, Ranked

A 97 Metacritic score and over 200 million copies sold make it one of the most profitable entertainment products ever, with GTA Online extending its life for more than a decade.

Its 98 Metacritic score is the franchise's highest, praised for Niko Bellic's grounded story and a moody, realistic Liberty City.

The best-selling PS2 game at roughly 27.5 million copies, its enormous three-city state and CJ's story remain fan favorites.

A 95 Metacritic score, an iconic 80s soundtrack, and Tommy Vercetti's Scarface-inspired rise made it a defining PS2-era hit.

Its 97 Metacritic score reflects a landmark leap to 3D that established the template for modern open-world design.

A 93 Metacritic score made it one of the best-reviewed DS games, praised for a stylish top-down return and stylus-driven mechanics despite modest sales.

Launched in 2013, its persistent multiplayer world grew into one of gaming's biggest revenue generators, sustaining GTA V for over a decade.

This 2009 expansion earned an 87 Metacritic score, adding a high-energy nightlife spin praised as the strongest of GTA IV's episodes.

A well-received 2009 expansion following biker Johnny Klebitz, praised for expanding Liberty City with a distinct, grittier perspective.

A 2005 PSP hit that delivered a full 3D GTA on a handheld, impressing critics for its scope on portable hardware.

A 2006 PSP prequel that added property empire-building to the beloved Vice City setting, well received as a strong handheld entry.

A 1999 sequel that refined the original's top-down formula with rival gang mechanics, solid for its era but overshadowed by the 3D revolution that followed.

The 1997 top-down debut that started it all, notorious for its controversy and foundational despite crude, dated gameplay.

A 1999 expansion pack relocating the original's action to 1960s London, a novelty add-on rather than a full new game.

The 2021 remaster of the 3D-era trilogy shipped riddled with bugs and visual glitches, drawing harsh reviews and forcing Rockstar to apologize.

A 2004 Game Boy Advance entry that reverted to a top-down view; it received mediocre reviews and is the series' least-remembered installment.

A small 1999 free expansion requiring the London 1969 pack, adding little beyond extra content to the aging original.