DS Daily: Has Chinatown Wars surprised you?
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Sep 25th 2008 at 9:00AM }
A bunch of new Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars details appeared yesterday, specifically the kind that would make the Daily Mail's hair stand on end. According to various magazine spreads, you'll be able to sell drugs (with their real names), tattoo fellow gang members, and hotwire cars. Rockstar itself has said Nintendo ruled out a GTA game for a younger audience.As opponents of censorship in most cases, we were delighted that Rockstar has been granted such artistic freedom in Chinatown Wars, but also rather surprised. Anyone else with us, or did you expect such controversial content all along from Rockstar, even on the DS?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nigeria @ Sep 25th 2008 9:40AM
No, it still seems as bland/inauthentic - choose whatever word you like - as ever.
I mean, drugs are usually referred to whatever slang the local area uses. You wouldn't bump into a dealer and say: I'd like some heroin. Seems a little clean.
I'm nitpicking. Maybe it's just my predjudice; every GTA, post GTA3, has appeared like some vicarious thrill for the middle classes. Rockstar have seemed to latch onto this and, as a consequence, have tried to make the series more 'serious'. But this newfound seriousness comes across as laughable and hollow.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 25th 2008 9:51AM
I think its pretty lame to release a GTA for the DS. Most people who play the DS are kids, plain and simple. Sales will be low for sure.
On a related note, I was at Wally World picking up a copy of Dead Rising for the Xbox360 and a 12 year old kid was in line getting GTA 4. The cashier asked for an ID (lol) and the kid asked this guy "Mr. Joe" who was nearby on the cellphone to buy him the game.
Gonzo @ Sep 25th 2008 11:56AM
You think so? My wife & I have DSs and we take them with us on every vacation; especially if there's an airport involved. I ride the subway every day and see college students & people in suits playing with DSs.
I gotta say: after RE and Burnout failing on the DS, I really wasn't expecting much out of this GTA-DS 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.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 25th 2008 12:06PM
I play my DS religiously everyday and I am 32. Im not saying adults dont play it, just that its mainly used by young kids.
Matdredalia @ Sep 25th 2008 2:42PM
Really? The majority of DS players are kids? Have you READ the comments section of DSFanboy recently? The vast majority of the people who comment are over the age of 18.
And where, might I ask, did you get your figures on the majority of DS Owners being children?
Because out of all the people I know who own a DS (about 20, and some of them own more than one), only ONE of them is under the age of 18, and that's my 13 year old brother who is plenty capable of playing a GTA game and knowing it's not reality.
I agree this game shouldn't be played by immature teenagers who don't have a grasp on reality, or younger children, but that is for the PARENTS to decide, and no one else.
Censorship = Suck. Period.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 25th 2008 3:19PM
Like I said, I love my DS. The fact is, most games for the DS are made for kids or "everyone". Take a look at the ESRB ratings below. You may think its ok for a 13 year old to play GTA, but you are most young and/or not a parent
Look at the # of Mature game for the DS compared to the Xbox 360. Clearly the DS is geared more toward teen and below.
ESRB Ratings
Nintendo DS
Kids to Adults (7)
Everyone (625)
Everyone 10+ (151)
Teen (93)
Mature (7)
Xbox 360
Early Childhood (1)
Kids to Adults (3)
Everyone (107)
Everyone 10+ (57)
Teen (167)
Mature (123)
FifthE1ement @ Sep 25th 2008 3:35PM
Lol, boy are you uninformed! Most people who play the DS are kids, huh? I would say the exact opposite is true. Yes, there are many children that own a DS simply due to the lower pricepoint and game cost. However, this is also the reason many older generation gamers have one. My wife and I both have a DS and love the games from the bloody to cartoonish. The DS is for everyone although one true fact is that the DS is certainly marketed towards a younger audience. Read up my friend...
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 25th 2008 3:39PM
You stated the same thing I did. When I say "kids", I am talking about 16 and younger. Maybe I should have been clearer.
Quote:
"The DS is for everyone although one true fact is that the DS is certainly marketed towards a younger audience. Read up my friend..."
Duh, they market to the younger audience...just like the Wii...sheesh
fulluphigh @ Sep 26th 2008 1:36PM
At Matdredalia and anyone else arguing with him:
The majority of people who own a DS are kids. Plain and simple. Does that somehow make you insecure about owning one?
Ok. Most of the people you know who play the DS are over 18. And just how many people do you know under the age of 18? Work somewhere that sells DS's, and tell me then that most owners aren't children.
What's the big deal anyways? It's obvious there's a ton of shovelware directed at children, as always, but there's plenty of amazing games on the system, with or without mature themes. If you don't want to play the system because the entire grade school bus does too, then that's your lose.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 26th 2008 1:41PM
thanks fulluphigh, you hit the nail on the head. Some people may think I am a "kid" playing video games at 32, but I dont care what they think. I love my DS and Xbox 360, and will continue playing them as long as quality games are made :)
Kimiko @ Sep 25th 2008 9:57AM
Is that new for GTA then? I thought it was all about committing crimes?
I don't care about it either way. If GTA is what RockStar are about they'll not be getting any money from me.
Why don't y'all blog about the interesting games, like Time Hollow and Rhapsody instead? Despite many exciting titles coming out for the DS this season, DSF has been a bit meh lately.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Sep 25th 2008 12:05PM
Umm... selling drugs isnt committing a crime? Where do you live?
Gennataos @ Sep 25th 2008 2:12PM
About GTA DS, couldn't care less. When it comes out I'll check out reviews and impressions, but I'm not expecting much.
About DSF being kind of meh, I don't know about that, but you guys do occasionally seem to get pretty fixated on certain titles. From reading comments, it doesn't appear the frequent updates on GTA DS is making any of us care about the game.
Red @ Sep 25th 2008 5:27PM
I'm not the biggest fan of GTA either, but...just because you find something boring doesn't mean other people won't be interested. And, yes, they DID blog about Time Hollow (http://nintendo.joystiq.com/search/?q=time+hollow&invocationType=wl-ds&searchsubmit=) and Rhapsody (http://nintendo.joystiq.com/search/?q=rhapsody&invocationType=wl-ds&searchsubmit=)
chibi_wings @ Sep 25th 2008 3:16PM
I believe she means that she expected drug trafficking to be already entrenched in the GTA franchise since it IS a crime, and GTA is known for allowing the players to partake in criminal activities.
but I agree, I could care less about DSF coverage of GTA:Chinatown Wars.
Tical @ Sep 25th 2008 10:23AM
It's just a rip off of dope wars, except looks cooler.
Gonzo @ Sep 25th 2008 11:56AM
Now I'm just wondering why R* didn't try doing something with the D.S. initials like everyone else does:
GTA-Dope Smugglers
GTA-Deadly Streets
GTA-Drug Specialist
GTA-Dealing Smak
GTA-Dealing Speed
GTA-Dealing Sluts
GTA-Dukes Sidestory
GTA-Ditching Salvatore
GTA-Donald's Sickness
GTA-Darkel's Screaming
GTA-Dead Speed
Those last few are for the GTA3 fans.
GTA-Dare to be Silly
GTA-Don't Stare
GTA-Dating Strippers
GTA-Dildo Salesman
GTA-D*&% Stain
GTA-Douchebag Senators
I could go on and on and on.
Risingsun @ Sep 25th 2008 2:22PM
Hey why not? Is this really any worse than the drunk driving in GTA 4?
Red @ Sep 25th 2008 5:27PM
I have to admit, I'm surprised and a bit pleased. I like the precedent set by this game and that survival horror game a while back to have mature content on the DS. Not to say that there's anything wrong with Kirby or the like, but variety's awesome.
trickycoolj @ Sep 25th 2008 3:35PM
I'm a little surprised that they're releasing GTA for DS... not so much because of the age of the DS audience... but for the fact that DS is portable. I might think twice before I whip my DS out on a bus and play GTA next to a little kid who is going to be intently watching my screen (this happens a lot) or on an airplane sitting next to my boss.
As for the DS owning children, their parent's generally have to buy their games for them, and a right minded parent isn't going to buy this one. I know my aunt is not going to buy my 7 year old twin cousins this game. (presuming it actually releases in Germany) My cousins' library consists of Nintendogs, Horsez, Catz, I'm A Veterinarian, and Animal Crossing. They won't even want GTA. The really little ones who shouldn't play GTA will be drooling over the latest shovelware with a cartoon character on it.
Me? I'm waiting to see how the game play stacks up before I take the plunge.
aj @ Sep 25th 2008 5:51PM
I'm all for more variety on any system, since I don't like to just sit around and play the same things all the time, but come on. Rockstar has been releasing the same game for 10 years or more, they just add more polish to the "run around and drive cars into things" gameplay.
Even if GTA DS is ultimately fun, we've all played it several times over. I would love to see Rockstar release a game for the DS that is both ultra-violent and NOT a GTA game.
Tlon @ Sep 25th 2008 9:03PM
you guys are lame... i was playing the original 2D GTAs when i was 11 and got turned off by the overcomplicated 3D ones. this looks heaps of fun and will hopefully lead to more 'mature' DS games... i'd love a 2D Warriors game
but yeah this does sound like Dope Wars
Anthony @ Sep 26th 2008 3:02AM
Surprised? Its GTA. Why would you be surprised. I welcome GTA being presented in a non-watered down version...but this is just one fan's opinion. It's not like the drug sequences are going to be The Game. They'll probably just pop up here and there, hell, it might even be an optional thing, who knows? Either way, I'm glad to here Nintendo telling Rockstar to keep it raunchy and inappropriate. Just because its a DS doesn't mean that the game is for kids. I'm a proud 21 year old owner who couldn't be more pleased.