Urges You Can't Resist Satisfying In GTA
The Grand Theft Auto games are basically hedonistic playgrounds, which we mean as an absolute compliment. There's no end to the kind of bonkers fun that you can get from them, whether it's from carrying out missions or just fooling around with friends in Grand Theft Auto Online.
Even with all of the carefully designed heists and purposeful gameplay mechanics of the GTA series, there are plenty of ways to make your own fun while you're roaming the streets and backroads of San Andreas. Besides, the idea of following the rules or doing things that make common sense seems to contradict the very point of this franchise. Over the years, players have found Easter eggs and bugs in the game that can be exploited for laughs, as well as fun little distractions that prove to be much more entertaining than they probably should be. Because of this, it can be hard to resist indulging in even the silliest things GTA has to offer. Let's take a look at some of those.
Blowing your cash on clothes
So you just purchased a giant mask for your character that looks like a googly-eyed strawberry. Pretty great, right? No, it serves no tactical purpose (in fact, it may even draw more enemy attention, now that you look like a deranged yogurt mascot), but that's not really the point. The point is that now you look hilarious. It's the same thing with that dope (and slightly phallic) glow in the dark shirt that you just bought. So what if you had to drop a few thousand in-game dollars on it?
Yes, while your hard-earned (and likely stolen) money could be spent on more useful items, like new vehicles, weaponry, and ammo, it's hard not to resist plunking down your ill-begotten cash on these ridiculous outfits. Every time there are new items in the clothing stores, players around the globe tend to turn this game full of drug deals and shootouts into a fashion montage from a '90s romantic comedy. It's especially rewarding when you're online with your friends, where all of you can show off your new costumes and get into some brightly clad trouble together.
Playing GTA's arcade games
Look, we're all here because we love video games. That's why we're already on board for the shenanigans in Grand Theft Auto. Rockstar knows that, which is why they've included arcade cabinets in different installments of the series that can be played in-game. These include games like the Metal Slug/Contra parody Invade and Persuade 2 and Don't Cross the Line, which plays like neon-drenched version of Snake.
These games can be a fun little distraction (especially Invade and Persuade, which goes the extra mile of adding the Konami Code cheat to give players 99 free lives). Still, it's kind of hard not to think about the fact that you're literally playing less impressive games inside of the good game you're already playing. It'd be like if Batman dropped what he was doing in Arkham Knight so he could play a round of Whack-A-Mole at the Gotham City Fairgrounds. Still, the inclusion of these games is such a charming aspect of the GTA world that it feels like you almost have to play a round or two when you come across one.
Jumping out of/off of everything
Just as in real life, jumping out of an airplane or off of a skyscraper without a parachute isn't a great idea in Grand Theft Auto. However, the game's ragdoll physics in some of these situations make it so much more fun that it should be. With the press of a button, you can send your character careening through the sky or out of a moving vehicle, tumbling wildly. There's no reason to do it, other than it's terribly simple and always entertaining.
It's a spectacle that's pretty hard to pass up, which is why some players have taken to concocting increasingly ridiculous scenarios for this very purpose. Whether you're setting up a precarious stack of barrels to tackle off of a bridge or using the open doors on a car to take unsuspecting folks down with you, there is a lot of fun to be had with the very concept of gravity.
Picking fights with NPCs
Throwing down with NPCs is pretty much par for the course in Grand Theft Auto, no matter which installment you're playing. Sometimes you'll overhear someone being obnoxious or rude, and it just feels right to pop them one. This is especially true when you're Trevor Philips in Grand Theft Auto 5. While GTA 4's Niko Bellic almost seemed too well intentioned at times to randomly attack civilians, Trevor is a straight-up agent of chaos, and it doesn't seem at all out of character for him to put a stranger in line.
The only drawback to this kind of aggression is that it will likely nab you a Wanted Level. However, it's still worth it, especially if you just launch yourself right at the NPC who's grinding your gears. Not only does it look hilarious, but it definitely feels like something Trevor would do, just because he felt like it.
Wreaking havoc with GTA's big orange ball
If something can be broken in San Andreas, you can be sure that GTA players will figure it out and get to breaking. So when gamers discovered the giant orange ball on top of the juice stands in areas like the Vinewood Hills in GTA 5 and Online, you had better believe they immediately tried to work out how to cause the most chaos with it.
The ball can be disconnected with C4 or a few well-placed knocks or bullets, after which some players prefer to just let it roll down the hill and into residential areas, trampling the populace like a scene right out of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Others like to try to load it in the backs of their trucks, taking it elsewhere to cause mischief and mayhem. There's really no wrong way to enjoy the giant orange ball, as long as you create as much trouble as possible. In other words, it's a microcosm of the whole game. It's there, so it must be messed with for hilarious results.
Drinking and smoking, just because
The characters in Grand Theft Auto are known for their many vices, many of which the game convinces its players to help carry out, so it's no surprise that the characters take to smoking, drinking, and doing drugs. GTA 5 courted a bit of controversy when it was revealed that characters could partake in smoking marijuana, but believe us, there are plenty of different substances to imbibe throughout the games. This is particularly true of GTA 5, which contains the infamous Macbeth shot, a drink that will make your character immediately pass out and wake up in compromising positions, like in the garbage or at the top of a billboard. Why would you want to drink something like that? Because you can.
In fact, some fans are so enamored with the different effects of alcohol and drugs in GTA Online that they've taken to figuring out the exact math behind each drink and which ones get your character drunk (and the screen all distorted) the fastest. When you're in a club or headquarters and you see a minibar or a bong, it's kind of your duty as a GTA player to sample it and see what happens.
Hunting for GTA myths
There are quite a few myths in the Grand Theft Auto series. While some of them, like the rampaging wannabe Bigfoot in GTA 5 or the ghost cars of San Andreas, have basically been proven to be true, there are still many more that have not. However, many of these myths seem plausible enough that they warrant further investigation.
That's why so many GTA players have taken to putting on their tin foil hats and spending years combing through every inch of the world map in search of its secrets. Grand Theft Auto 5, in particular, is full of dark hidden gems, like the alien trapped under the ice or the ghost of Jolene Cranley-Evans that stalks the peak of Mount Gordo. These things were only found because fans couldn't resist the siren call of wandering off the narrative path and into the unknown. Sure, you may not find anything, but the hunt is its own reward.
Parking on GTA's train tracks
Again, this is one of those little diversions that is ultimately silly and pointless, but hard to resist when the opportunity arises. The idea isn't exactly to stop the train, but rather to see the fireworks that ensue when different vehicles and various hazards are in the path of an oncoming locomotive.
Attempting to halt the trains has become something of a recurring challenge among the GTA community, with players using everything from vehicles to huge crowds of people to, um, a whole line of humpback whales (which surprisingly didn't work). Some players have even used environment mods to see if the trains can withstand the forces of nature, like a giant tsunami.
The trains seem to be mostly impervious, but that hasn't stopped players from trying to find the correct immovable object to pit against this unstoppable force. Now that you've read this, just try to not want to park your Hydra jet on the next set of tracks you see in the game.
Interfering with police chases
When you're playing GTA Online, and you see one of your buddies getting chased down by the police, of course it's your duty as a good teammate to help them escape by shooting out the tires on the police car. However, for some reason, it feels nearly as rewarding to do the same thing in single player mode. Even if it means jeopardizing a mission you're on, when you're out on the road and you see a fellow criminal being chased down by the Los Santos Police Department, you will likely feel the irresistible urge to help a brother out.
The best part is that the game will occasionally reward you for getting involved, paying you in cash for rescuing the fleeing scofflaw. In stark contrast, the police might start chasing you down if you try to take out the criminal they're after. That's right, this is one of those moments when the game really backs up your more crooked instincts, so go right ahead and be bad. Outlaws have got to stick together, right?
Taking "unfortunate" selfies
Previous games in the GTA series showed our characters carrying mobile phones, but without much playable use. Even GTA 4's more functional phone only used the device's camera during missions, but it didn't save any of the pictures. GTA 5 changed all of that with the ability to save photos and the introduction of Snapmatic, the GTA universe's answer to Snapchat or Instagram.
With Snapmatic, players could take in-game photos and upload them online. Naturally, much like the gamer who immediately decided to make Spider-Man take a selfie in front of Uncle Ben's grave, GTA gamers couldn't wait to start taking some wild photos of their gameplay. This is another one of those wonderful tools the game has given us that can be used for good or evil. Some folks have taken it upon themselves to line up gorgeous poses and shots of the scenery, while others have found the humor in the juxtaposition between a cheerful selfie and a fiery explosion in the background. The next time you see a group of NPCs slugging it out or a shark lying in the middle of the street, go ahead and take a picture. After all, it'll last longer.
Racing other players
Sure, there are actual street races already built into GTA, allowing players to challenge each other online or race against NPCs for a shot at glory and a nice payout. However, there's just something that feels good about peeling out in a drag race even when no cash is on the line. Unless the person you're racing is one of your friends, or you're planning to share a video of the race later, you're not really doing it for the bragging rights. No, it's like some primal part of your gamer brain takes over every now and then: it's go time.
So the next time someone pulls up next to you in their fancy sports car, don't feel alone if your first thought is, "I want them to know exactly how fast and reckless I can be." Just, uh, make sure that you're confining this behavior to the video game world, okay?
Having fun with GTA's gate launching glitch
Players have discovered a bizarre glitch in GTA 5 that turns ordinary automatic gates into catapults. By driving into a gate that is in the process of opening, it trips something in the game's physics engine that sends your car flying through the air like it's on its way to Oz. It seems to be a bit easier to pull off with a lowrider, but the results are always funny, no matter what vehicle you manage to launch.
This is another one of those weird little quirks of the game engine that doesn't really serve a purpose. It's clearly a bug, after all. However, once you discover how to do it, it's hard not to want to do it just for laughs every single time you see an automatic gate. There's something especially rewarding about the fact that there are so many of those gates in the fancier part of town. Launching your old beater car in the stratosphere, over the houses and lawns of the upper crust, just feels right.
Robbing a store (with a ball)
When playing as Franklin and riding around with his dog Chop in GTA 5, your weapon wheel will include a tennis ball to play a game of fetch. However, it is possible to use this harmless ball for a more dastardly purpose. If you pull up to any convenience store and select the ball, the clerk inside will begin handing over their money and pleading for their life, reacting as though you've come in with a weapon. Even funnier, Franklin will also act as though he's holding a pistol, rather than a glorified chew toy, barking orders at the clerk and resulting in the most oddly upsetting robbery of all time.
This is another one of those glitches that players have discovered in the game that is so bizarre, you just have to try it for yourself. There's something so oddly amusing about seeing multiple characters freaking out over an innocent pet's toy.
Cheating (in single player)
Look, we aren't saying that you should cheat in online play. That just ruins the fun for everyone else, not to mention it could earn you a swift ban from the game. However, cheat codes have been an integral part of enjoying the wonderful insanity that is Grand Theft Auto since the beginning. If you're in the mood to just mess around town, why not give yourself that extra edge? GTA is already about wacky wish fulfillment, so it really just adds to the fun if you can make your character invulnerable or grant them infinite ammo.
While you're at it, mod some stuff into your game! As long as you're not messing up the game for other players, it's hard to talk yourself out of making your game into the most over the top expression of your idea of fun. Luckily, there are plenty of options to do just that. Turn your character into Superman (complete with powers), Shaggy, or an invincible rampaging horse. Go big or go home. It may be silly, but it all boils down to the ultimate question that may just be the ethos of this entire franchise: why not?