Liberty City
The series' first section introduces a dense road network and a name later reused by GTA III and GTA IV.
Cities: Grand Theft Auto
The names are familiar, but the original 2D cities are neither the same maps nor part of the same narrative universe as their 3D successors.
The complete cities in pictures
Original illustrations without copied game maps or textures
Three faces of the city
The comparison explains the character of the three cities without copying their exact game maps.
Original GTA HUB illustration · not a screenshot or an exact game map.
Historical context: New York in 1999
The photograph shows the real arrangement of islands, bridges and harbour facilities.
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · public domainThree cities
San Andreas
In GTA 1, San Andreas is a city inspired by San Francisco, not the entire state from the 2004 game.
Vice City
The original top-down city draws on Florida's atmosphere, long before Tommy's story in 1986.
Reading the map
Finding your way from above
Watch the main roads, bridges and water. At high speed, there is less time to react at junctions.
Telephone locations
Missions begin at fixed points. Knowing the return route saves points and lives.