The best games like GTA take our favorite elements from the beloved franchise. Whether you’re here for riveting stories, gunplay, stealing cars, or any other shady desires, there’s something for everyone here.
We will say now that an actual Switch GTA game isn’t on this list, and our Grand Theft Auto: Trilogy Switch review explains why. But, if you really wanna get your GTA fix on the go and other games just won’t cut it, we’re here to walk you through how to play GTA V mobile via Steam Link.
Here are the best games like GTA on Switch and mobile:
Red Dead Redemption
Switch
Red Dead Redemption is a classic for a reason, inviting you in to experience “the epic Western adventures that defined a generation”. It also certainly fills that ‘GTA but with cowboys’-shaped hole you may or may not have in your life – in fact, in our Red Dead Redemption Switch review, we mull over how the “language and straightness” of the story feels “far more GTA than RDR2” – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing!
In case you’re unfamiliar, Red Dead Redemption is set in early 1900s America, and follows the story of former outlaw John Marston. After his wife and son are taken hostage by the government in ransom for his services as a hired gun, he sets out to bring three members of his former gang to justice.
It’s a thrilling adventure with a wide, open world, heaps of intriguing characters to meet, and some truly engaging stories to explore. And, as of 2023, you can play it any place, any time, thanks to the surprisingly strong Switch port. So come on, cowboy, it’s time to hop up on that horse and take down some baddies!
L.A. Noire
Switch
If you like the criminal aspect of GTA, but want to be on the right side of the law, why not give L.A. Noire a try? If for no other reason than it’s a Rockstar game, the very same company that gives you Grand Theft Auto. The detective action-adventure game features an interactive open world, allowing you to roam the streets in a vehicle or on foot.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game is that not only do you work for the police, you actually work for different bureaus solving a range of cases, including arson and homicide. If you want an authentic noir feel, you can even play the game in black and white.
Go To Town
GTT, hmm, has a good ring to it, kind of like GTA. What a coincidence. Go To Town resembles Grand Theft Auto in more ways than we can count, from gameplay, to aesthetics, and the font used in the game’s marketing. So, it should come as no surprise that what you find inside is clearly inspired by Rockstar’s series.
You get to explore a gorgeous open world either on foot, by car, or motorbike. There are many places to see and visit, such as a beach, football stadium, garages, and more. Of course, you also need to be willing to get your hands dirty, especially if you want to ride around the city in style.
Lego City Undercover
Switch
Go on, go be a young cop in Lego City Undercover, a place where you can essentially play the Lego version of GTA. This is arguably one of the best Lego games out there and is worth a try if you like GTA, blocks, and the idea of being an undercover cop. You take on the role of Chase and must go on the hunt for criminals. However, we’d argue that this guy needs locking up, given how much damage he causes the city on his wild goose chase.
You can explore what is perhaps one of the best-looking Lego worlds through the use of vehicles, and it features the typical gameplay mechanics you’d expect to see from such a title. Honestly, Lego City Undercover is a fun time, and we suggest you give it a try if you’re after something with a GTA feel.
GTA Chinatown Wars
This game is lovingly crafted specifically for portable devices. Perhaps that’s why it’s one of the best Grand Theft Auto offerings for iOS and Android. Do we need to explain what you find here? Because it’s exactly what you get in other Grand Theft Auto games – a crazy story, an open world, plenty of vehicles, guns, and lots of mayhem.
In Chinatown Wars, you take on the role of Huang Lee, a triad member who travels to Liberty City to deliver the Yu Jian sword. However, upon entering the city, he’s attacked, leading to the events of the game. Violence and revenge await you in this great portable GTA game.
Maneater
Switch
If you like Grand Theft Auto, you probably like mindless carnage, and that’s what Maneater gives you. Of course, it has an open world like GTA, action, and allows you to go on a rampage. Better yet, you play as a bull shark, which you can customize with various upgrades as the game progresses.
To be honest, it’s the sheer bonkersness of this game that makes it worth playing, and if you enjoy GTA, we have reason to believe you’re open to games that embrace the chaos. Furthermore, in GTA, revenge is a common theme, and that happens to be at the heart of Maneater’s narrative too.
Gangstar Vegas
If you’re an avid mobile gamer who also has a strong love for GTA, Gangstar Vegas is the perfect game for you. You play as Jason Malone, a skilled MMA fighter who’s in a fight for his life after winning a certain fight. Like other games in the Gangstar series, it features an open world that you can explore, and so many weapons that you’ll cause more explosions than you can count.
Saints Row: The Third
Switch
This is the closest you can get to playing a Grand Theft Auto game without actually playing a GTA game. Saints Row: The Third is arguably the best in the series, and the fact you can play it on the go with your Switch is fantastic. Unsurprisingly, Saints Row: The Third features an open world and a lot of weapons.
The gameplay is extremely similar to GTA, so if you enjoy Rockstar’s series, you’ll feel right at home here. Much like in previous Saints Row games, you have but one goal and that’s to lead the Third Street Saints gang as you try to best rival gangs in the ongoing turf wars.
Roblox
Mobile
Okay, okay, here us out here – while Roblox may not be the first game you associate with GTA, with the amazing variety of user-made experiences populating the platform, it should be no surprise that there are some brilliant GTA-like titles for you to explore.
Some great Roblox games like GTA include Jailbreak, Southwest Florida, Da Hood, Mad City, and Streets of Blockwood: Remastered, plus many, many more. With new experiences dropping every day and heaps of Roblox game codes for you to grab, Roblox has definitely earned a solid place on this list, especially for younger audiences looking for a GTA-like experience suitable for their age. For more info on that, we’ve also got a guide to the Roblox age rating to help you keep your kids safe in the big, blocky world.
The Simpsons Hit and Run
PS2 / Gamecube / Xbox
Okay, so I was under strict instructions to keep these choices to Nintendo Switch and mobile, but some rules were made to be broken, you know? So, that’s why I’m putting this classic game here. The Simpsons Hit and Run is the ultimate GTA-like experience, and the fact there’s no remaster for it is a travesty. It’s so outrageous that I’m letting my voice be heard by going against the rules – up the revolution.
In all seriousness, this game has you running amok through Springfield in flashy vehicles, breaking the environment, putting your pedal to the metal, all while completing missions that revolve around an insane story. If that’s not GTA minus guns and sex workers, I don’t know what is.
There you have it, our list of the best games like GTA for Switch, mobile, and our souls (looking at you, Hit and Run). If you’re after something different to play, our lists of the best iPhone games, best Android games, and best Switch platformers are full of great titles.