Yep, GTA is coming to the DS and is subtitled Chinatown Wars. It’s lucky Nintendo announced this as I was falling asleep during their conference, despite all the Red Bull I’d been drinking. Seriously, it was a bad conference, but we’ve already got that covered.

Find out what I think of this announcement after the jump.

So GTA on the DS. That’s certainly something I didn’t expect to hear. Very little is known about the game, except that it will feature a new engine, story line and GTA’s usual sandbox style gameplay.

The first thing that springs to mind is whether the game will be from a top down camera view, or risk going fully 3D. I don’t think the game would look very good in 3D given the DS graphical power and sheer amount of scale a GTA game requires, but there have been good 3D DS games in the past so I won’t bash the graphics until I see them. Still, I can’t help but think it would look a lot better from a top down view and it might even offer some nostalgia to play a GTA game from a bird’s eye view again. However a ‘new engine’ was mentioned which, to me, almost confirms a 3D game. The PSP games were good, but I’m not confident about this one.

I’m not sure if the game will have any touch screen functionality other than maybe navigating a map but I sure hope they don’t try to make some all singing all dancing touch interactive experience - GTA doesn’t need that kind of interaction. If your going to make GTA on the DS, don’t try to make it something it’s not. GTA games have always been about the missions, story and sandbox gameplay, never about fancy controls or even, dare I say it, innovation (bar GTA 3).

There’s also the case of what the screens will display. I’d imagine the game will be on the top screen, the map on the bottom, and both screens used for comic book style cut scenes (those are just a guess), but to be honest, it’s anyone’s guess.

If we find out any more about the game, this post will be updated. In the mean time, post your speculative thoughts in the comment box for all to see.

Here’s hoping it will turn out ok.

UPDATE: Kotaku have just released a press release saying that GTA: Chinatown Wars will be out this Winter.

Here’s a quote from the press release:

‘Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is an entirely original entry into the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto series, and brings a new level of interactivity to its sprawling open environments. With the use of the DS touch screen, players will navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind an epic tale of crime and corruption within the Triad crime syndicate, delivering the unprecedented amount of depth that has become a true trademark of the franchise.’

I can only fear for the touch screen.

Source: Kotaku, Joystiq

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