# Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas/

7 people recommended Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in Hacker News comments, 3 had mixed feelings and 5 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its nostalgic open world, its San Francisco-inspired city, and its replay value. Critics say the remaster has poor textures and the older Renderware engine needs community patches.

Summary written by Claude from 16 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 15 of those comments still count.

## Why people recommend it

- Nostalgic memories of exploring its world (2 comments in the sample): "Lots of good memories playing GTA San Andreas and exploring 90's San Francisco." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49426273)) "Every previous GTA game I'd replay just to have fun" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49526249))
- Holds up well on replays (1 comment in the sample): "It holds up to several replays in a way that GTA V does not imo." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48972544))
- Fun, memorable missions and moments (1 comment in the sample): "GTA SA "do whatever you want to pass the mission" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49476191))

## Other open world games people recommend

- [Grand Theft Auto V](https://hackerapproved.com/p/grand-theft-auto-v/): 9 recommend, 10 mixed, 22 criticize
- [Hedra](https://hackerapproved.com/p/hedra/): 7 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Grand Theft Auto III](https://hackerapproved.com/p/grand-theft-auto-iii/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 5 criticize

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.rockstargames.com/games/sanandreas)

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas", https://hackerapproved.com/p/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas/ (7 recommend, 3 mixed, 5 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.