Mobile Ports of GTA Trilogy Receiving Praise A Day After Release

Yesterday, mobile versions of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition were made available on iOS and Android, with Netflix subscribers accessing these versions at no additional cost. And many quickly praised the ports for fixing several issues found on the console versions.

Specifically, users on X/Twitter have been quick to rejoice in the quality of these Grand Theft Auto Vice City, 3, and San Andreas mobile ports. The common things people point out are the lighting, shadows, reflections, and draw distance, which look stunning. This starkly contrasts the quality seen in the console and PC versions when those were released roughly two years ago.

GTA: San Andreas Definitive Edition on Mobile is the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

I don’t know what sorcery Netflix did here but they managed to keep the same feel of GTA: San Andreas while also giving us amazing lighting, shadows and reflections.

This Looks good! pic.twitter.com/NgRk21Iphx

— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) December 14, 2023

Some screenshots from GTA San Andreas The Definitive Edition Netflix.

This Game is stunningly good-looking pic.twitter.com/SXeotb1VoI

— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) December 14, 2023

GTA Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is now available on Netflix, iOS, and Android.

Here’s how HD San Andreas looks on mobile. Do you like the graphics? 👀 pic.twitter.com/WC6D1fg5Rv

— Gaming Hub 🕹️ (@QndzyNews) December 14, 2023

So you’re telling me that NETFLIX, a video streaming service company, not only decided to distribute the infamous GTA Definitive Editions to MOBILE, but they MANAGED TO FIX EVERY ISSUE THAT PEOPLE HAD WITH THE GAMES AND THERE’S PRACTICALLY NO SIGN OF IT COMING TO CONSOLES OR PC?! pic.twitter.com/gaZGIhRRi8

— Daniel (@DanielTG85) December 15, 2023

interestingly, the netflix mobile versions of gta the trilogy the definitive edition has a classic lighting mode that reverts to lighting similar to the original versions.
so what the fuck was the point of dumping it with shitty ai upscales into unreal engine 4? pic.twitter.com/F1usE3swRK

— D.E.P | Definitive Edition Project (@d_e_p_official) December 15, 2023

The lighting being fixed was one of the new improvements made to this version of the remastered trilogy of these games. A new Rockstar Games blog post mentions that these ports include a new classic lighting mode “that restores the look and feel of the sky in the original games.”

“GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition is defective, disappointing, and surprisingly disrespectful to three classic games and their many legions of fans,” we wrote in our review of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.

Some other changes noted in these ports, as pointed out by the GTA Forums, include improved destruction effects and restored visuals on props like billboards. One user even went as far as to say that it “doesn’t even look like a mobile game,” praising the visual fidelity and evolution of mobile games.

If you fancy checking out the games, here’s the Android and iOS links for them.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.