The best Rockstar games for Nintendo consoles

RockstarGames is best known for its Grand Theft Auto series, although the Take-Two subsidiary has many other great titles to its credit. Unfortunately, most of these were never released on Nintendo consoles due to some of the newer games being too weak, but there are one or two major exceptions.

The best Rockstar games on Nintendo consoles tend to be Switch ports of classic games released decades after the originals, but there are also a handful of less demanding Rockstar titles that were available on previous Nintendo platforms, including the Wii, DS, and even the Nintendo 64.

7 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

An exceptionally rare example of a successful handheld spin-off

Most people think Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars to be the best handheld GTA game of all time, at least when it comes to titles designed for portable devices. It was released for the Nintendo DS in early 2009 and puts players in control of Huang Lee: a Triad member trying to get his father's stolen sword back. The gameplay is solid throughout and the story is fantastic, although the graphics aren't quite as good as some of the other great Rockstar games that have made it to Nintendo consoles.

6 Space Station Silicon Valley

An extraordinary curiosity with unique game mechanics

Space Station Silicon Valley

Systems

developer

DMA design

Released

1 October 1998

Strictly speaking, Space Station Silicon Valley was developed by DMA Design, the studio responsible for the very first GTA game. However, when DMA Design was eventually incorporated into Rockstar (which was founded after the acquisition by Take-Two Interactive), GTAs publisher, BMG Interactive), it seems fair to call it a Rockstar game. Released for the N64 in 1998, this futuristic platformer had players controlling a sentient microchip and using it to abduct a series of robotic animals in order to solve puzzles and prevent the titular space station from colliding with Earth. It's a highly underrated Rockstar game, and one that's still worth a look today; if only because it's so unusual.

5 LA Black

A groundbreaking detective game with state-of-the-art graphics

The motion capture technology used in the development of LA Black was groundbreaking for its era, introducing some of the most realistic facial expressions in video games on the market. Unfortunately, the graphics looked a little dated when the game came to the Nintendo Switch more than half a decade later, and the gameplay didn't fare much better either. Thankfully, at least the story and writing hold up well, as do the many cases and investigations that players are tasked with solving.

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4 Rockstar Games presents table tennis

A surprisingly good sports simulation with impeccable ball physics

Rockstar Games presents table tennis

Systems

developer

Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Leeds

Released

23 May 2006

When it was announced that Rockstar San Diego was developing a table tennis game, it caused some surprise. However, what should have been a fairly boring affair on paper ended up being one of the best sports simulation games of its time. The title's advanced physics and fast-paced gameplay were well received by many players. Like many other Rockstar games, it also has an excellent soundtrack, perfect for long rallies against fierce rivals.

3 Harass

A controversial classic that stands the test of time

Harass was the very first release from Rockstar Vancouver, which was founded after the acquisition of Barking Dog by Take-Two Interactive in 2002. The game was released with the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Engine and allows players to wreak havoc in an open sandbox, although that's where the similarities between this game and Rockstar's flagship franchise end. Players take on the role of Jimmy Hopkins: a delinquent high school student trying to fit in at the prestigious Bullworth Academy. It offers some innovative ideas and a fairly entertaining narrative, even if some of the mini-games that players have to take part in fall a little short.

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2 Red Dead Redemption

A bittersweet taste of the Wild West

Some players were a little disappointed with the effort Rockstar put into the PS4 port of Red Dead Redemption. However, for diehard Nintendo fans who missed the original release, the Switch port wasn't too bad despite the high price and low frame rate. The game itself remains one of the best open-world games of all time, taking players back to 1911 and the decline of the American frontier. All in all, it's aged quite well and can still be a lot of fun today. However, those coming straight from the game's 2018 prequel may need some time to adjust, as there is a very noticeable difference in quality between the two titles.

1 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition

Three influential works of art at a bargain price from one

In view of this Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is basically just three games in one, it already has a pretty big advantage over all the other Rockstar games playable on Nintendo consoles. The fact that these games happen to be three of the most influential open-world games of all time certainly helps too. Whether these are truly the “definitive” editions of the 3D trilogy is certainly up for debate, but it would be almost impossible to argue that these fan-favorite titles are still a lot of fun today.

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