Mods That Prove GTA Goes With Everything
The "Grand Theft Auto" series is often praised for its open world design and the sheer breadth of what's possible. The series was one of the first to let players "do anything," and that philosophy has touched more elements of the games as the franchise has grown. In one "Grand Theft Auto Online" update, for example, players were even given the ability to run a mobile LSD lab — but there's never been anything too wacky in the games' updates. Nothing like playing as Harry Potter in Los Santos, anyway. However, things like that are possible through the power of mods.
The open-ended gameplay loop of "Grand Theft Auto" has no doubt been a huge influence on other games. "GTA" has long offered players a kind of freedom and agency not found in any other series — at least not when it was first getting popular. Perhaps that's why it's not too surprising to see how well other games' mechanics and characters blend with the "GTA" engine, to the point that one could almost side-step the original games entirely in favor of some of the more expansive "Grand Theft Auto" mods.
Over the last few years, however, Rockstar has cracked down on "GTA" mods, and it's a bit trickier these days to set up "GTA 5" mods than it used to be (but not impossible). Luckily for adventurous players, older games in the series are much more manageable — just be sure to double check the installation instructions to make sure everything is in its right place first. With that in mind, here are some of the stranger "GTA" mods that prove how malleable the series' engine really can be.
Spider-Man is a natural fit in San Andreas
Superheroes and "Grand Theft Auto" seem like a match made in heaven. Explosions and catastrophe are everyday occurrences for everyday folk in both Spider-Man's version of New York City and Los Santos. The possibilities of what superheroes can do are endless, and it's almost natural to wonder what the open world experience of "GTA" might look like with the abilities of these pop culture icons.
Wonder no longer, because a mod for "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" provides exactly that. Thanks to "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" modder J16D, Spider-Man himself comes to Los Santos, and it works extremely well (for the most part). The mod isn't flawless — few are — but it's pretty incredible to see Spider-Man swing through the streets and skies of San Andreas and perfectly blend into his surroundings. It almost looks as good as if he were included with the base game.
This mod goes way deeper than just replacing fan-favorite protagonist CJ with a model of Spider-Man and calling it a day, though. It also boasts a vast cosmetic system that allows players change their suit's appearance to a huge variety of options, including other characters. It even includes a mock Avengers Tower that gets placed in the middle of the city. Download a few other mods and it might even be possible to assemble all of the Avengers. After all, there's no shortage of Marvel-centric "Grand Theft Auto" mods.
There's nothing more magical than escaping the police on a Nimbus 2000
The Wizarding World of the "Harry Potter" series is one of the most enchanting ever created, but in the last few years its author has been extremely vocal about her political views regarding the transgender community. As such, "Hogwarts Legacy" released to both success and controversy, as fans weren't sure whether to continue supporting the franchise if it also financially benefits J.K. Rowling. Thanks to the "Grand Theft Auto" modding community, one can get the full open world "Harry Potter" experience without paying a Knut, Sickle, or Galleon — that is, if one already owns "Grand Theft Auto 5."
While the Spider-Man mod for "San Andreas" is a robust, multifaceted mod that fits pretty seamlessly within the pre-existing engine, the Harry Potter mods released for "Grand Theft Auto 5" are a bit more ridiculous. A video shared to the GTA subreddit shows one mod in which a seventh-movie-era Harry can be seen mounting his broomstick, blasting into the sky, and firing bright red spells at any citizen and vehicle that happens to be nearby.
"Grand Theft Auto 5" Harry Potter mods might not emulate "Hogwarts Legacy" to the T, but there's really nothing like committing crimes, casting a killing curse, and getting away with it all on your trusty Nimbus. There are a ton of different "Harry Potter" add-ons for "GTA 5" — just be sure to download one for flying, one for wands and spells, and a "Harry Potter" player model replacer, and the magic will begin. Just look out for trolls.
Realistic professional driving simulators
One of the most exciting parts of the "Grand Theft Auto" formula is getting to drive every car like you stole it (literally). It's pretty satisfying in every game in the series, and players often find themselves careening down roads and highways in whichever car happened to be most convenient to steal. "Grand Theft Auto Online" and certain story missions in the games incorporate racing, and for the most part it works really well. But hardcore racing game fans aren't exactly drawn to "Grand Theft Auto 5," as there's not enough opportunities in the series to satisfactorily emulate real-life driving.
Thanks to a mod package organized by modder Gam3 4 Lif3, realistic racing simulation is actually possible in this 10-year-old engine. Much of the mod pack improves the graphics and background details in the surrounding environment, and with the settings used by Gam3 4 Lif3, the game's visuals are able to stand up to more recent racing sims. It's no "Forza 8," but it's significantly better than the base game, and still looks great when zooming past the competition. It's the closest you'll get to playing a "Fast and the Furious" movie in "GTA" — especially if you also add a Vin Diesel character mod.
Modders have created a few other minor updates to cars and driving in "GTA 5" over the years. For example, one mod improves and fixes turbos, while another alters camera settings for a better driving experience. Others alter car sound effects to be more realistic or more satisfying. All of these tweaks, plus a handful of other mods listed in the description of Gam3 4 Lif3's showcase video, make Rockstar's decade-old cash cow feel much more fun to drive around in.