Be a drug dealer in GTA: Chinatown Wars [update]
by David Hinkle 
{ Sep 24th 2008 at 1:24PM }
We all love games. And if you're like us, you enjoy escaping the real world through gaming every now and then. Well, now you can escape into the life of a dastardly drug dealer.
Rockstar's Dan Houser has dropped a few deets on the upcoming DS game, GTA: Chinatown Wars. Following up what was in the latest issue of Nintendo Power, we now know the game will not only be following its mature roots (which means "Mature" rating), but Nintendo actually wanted Rockstar to make a mature game. They didn't push for a family-friendly, tone down title on the handheld. So what's all this drug dealing business about?
In this drug dealing minigame, players will be able to peddle six different types of narcotics and gain profit depending on how smart they are at selling. The "smart" selling (remember, kids: drugs are bad) comes in the form of recognizing market conditions, based on geographical location, and selling one of the six different types accordingly, with the aim being gaining the most profit possible. Confused? Well, basically, the game will tell you what drug is the most scarce and will fetch the highest price in any given terriroty, then all you have to do is sell accordingly.
Edge promises more details in their latest issue, so sadly this is all we have to go on for now.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NPNB @ Sep 24th 2008 1:39PM
Sounds just like an old Palm game...Dope Wars.
Clandaith @ Sep 24th 2008 1:42PM
That's what I thought.
Here's the link to the Wikipedia entry on the game:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dope_Wars
jklope4 @ Sep 25th 2008 12:24AM
Haha, oh man, I haven't thought about that game in years. I used to play it on my TI-83.
ga.wright @ Sep 24th 2008 2:24PM
now i want this game.
Zealot @ Sep 24th 2008 3:12PM
I believe a hypodermic needle stylus preorder bonus is called for.
sixtyfps @ Sep 24th 2008 3:23PM
Wow, Bethesda's Fallout 3 had to change the names of the drugs to made-up names. This is going to attract attention, and quickly.
More optimistically, I hope this helps draw attention to how miserably the New Prohibition (war on drugs) is failing. http://leap.cc ftw.
{IoN}~Pedro @ Sep 24th 2008 6:59PM
Man, I want it. I can hear grannies screamin'. I can hear my mom sayin "WTF IS THIS SH*T!?"
I'm in love. GTA London ruled, and I think this (maybe) is going to rock, too.
And yeah, I used to play Dope Wars on my 6101 Nokia ^^
GoGoGo R*!
PS.:Wii-Like minigames detected.
LocalToast @ Sep 24th 2008 8:15PM
Heh, there's a DS homebrew game called Drug Wars DS that sounds exactly like this (and Dope Wars, apparently).
Hopefully the whole game won't be gimmicky touchscreen minigames. I'm really looking forward to this game; I've been pretty optimistic about it since E3.
Kefka @ Sep 24th 2008 8:57PM
Oh wow, I wonder how long until it's banned in Australia? :P
Which despite living there, I wouldn't mind - I import all my games, it would help shake the DS's kiddy image, and IT'S GTA! CONTROVERSY IS WHAT THEY DO BEST! :D
jklope4 @ Sep 25th 2008 12:21AM
This is slightly off topic, but in the Nintendo Power screens (specifically the one linked to at the bottom of this comment), do you think the wifi bars indicate that screen is, in fact, of the multiplayer mode?
There is no indication of wifi on the other "both screens" screens.
I realize it could be an indication of the PDA's wifi strength, but why would that really matter during the game? The cellphone in GTAIV didn't go out of its service area, that would have been annoying.
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/img_0273.jpg
FifthE1ement @ Sep 25th 2008 4:20AM
About the Wi-Fi icon I'm going to say no. Rockstar is trying to make that bottom screen look like a PDA/Phone and that is why there is also a mail icon, time, signal bar, etc... Anyway just about every DS game which utilizes Wi-Fi uses the official DS Wi-Fi indicator (think about it). And due to this games’ short development time I am willing to bet my life there will be NO online Wi-Fi matches. So far, from the info gathered on the game, we are guaranteed stat sharing, with the hope of level downloads and more! Perhaps we will be lucky enough to get local Wi-Fi but I really even doubt that. Either way I still can’t wait for a GTA game on the DS!
FifthE1ement @ Sep 25th 2008 4:09AM
Lol, yes as some have mentioned this is a mini-game port of DrugWars (DopeWars). This game has been ported to just about every platform in history! I used to play it on my TI-83 calculator all day in school!
Also this game looks unbelievable! I would pay $100 right now to have a copy! I'm really happy they went with the overhead isometric camera view as the DS wouldn't have been able to render a game up to GTA standards. If the game HAD been done in 3D it probably would have been done well, but I would rather have a living/breathing isometric city rather than a sparsely populated/low resolution one! Lol, I can't wait!
ShampooPrincess @ Sep 25th 2008 7:33AM
Things just keep getting better! I can't wait to get my hands on this game. I too remember wasting time in school selling dope on my TI-83. Ah, those were the days.
resist yourself @ Sep 25th 2008 7:53AM
used to play that on my ti back in school! can't wait for this!
MakePovertyHistoryCheaperGamesNow @ Sep 29th 2008 10:32PM
Thankfully the DS is region free, as this will NEVER get a release in Australia without being edited - maybe they could change the drugs into different types of girl scout cookies.
I'm guessing this will go the way of other GTA games with drug references, and this mini-game will be left out.