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Grand Theft Auto has traditionally been as big of a hit on handheld platforms as it is on home consoles. And although Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab DS'></span></span> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PSP'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 DS'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars">Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">News</a></h6> (33)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">Previews</a></h6> (1)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars videos">Videos</a></h6> (14)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (9)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (52)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> <span class='tooltip2 PSP'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars">Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">News</a></h6> (10)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">Previews</a></h6> (1)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars videos">Videos</a></h6> (8)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (16)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (16)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> DS didn't resonate with gamers (sales-wise) on the level that both Liberty City Stories <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PSP'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 PSP'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/28841/grand-theft-auto-liberty-city-stories/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Liberty+City+Stories">Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/28841/grand-theft-auto-liberty-city-stories/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Liberty+City+Stories news">News</a></h6> (4)</li> <li><h6>Previews</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/28841/grand-theft-auto-liberty-city-stories/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Liberty+City+Stories review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/28841/grand-theft-auto-liberty-city-stories/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Liberty+City+Stories videos">Videos</a></h6> (2)</li> <li><h6>Screenshots</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/28841/grand-theft-auto-liberty-city-stories/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Liberty+City+Stories cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (168)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> and Vice City Stories <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PSP'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 PSP'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/34446/grand-theft-auto-vice-city-stories/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Vice+City+Stories">Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/34446/grand-theft-auto-vice-city-stories/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Vice+City+Stories news">News</a></h6> (5)</li> <li><h6>Previews</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/34446/grand-theft-auto-vice-city-stories/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Vice+City+Stories review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/34446/grand-theft-auto-vice-city-stories/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Vice+City+Stories videos">Videos</a></h6> (3)</li> <li><h6>Screenshots</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/34446/grand-theft-auto-vice-city-stories/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Vice+City+Stories cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (146)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> did prior, it's still one of the best games to hit the Nintendo DS this year. Recently, Rockstar Games announced that the stylish-looking sandbox experience would grace the PSP, as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch. Last week, I got a hands-on test drive with Chinatown Wars <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab DS'></span></span> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PSP'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 DS'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars">Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">News</a></h6> (33)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">Previews</a></h6> (1)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars videos">Videos</a></h6> (14)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (9)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ds/52903/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (52)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> <span class='tooltip2 PSP'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars">Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">News</a></h6> (10)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars news">Previews</a></h6> (1)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars videos">Videos</a></h6> (8)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (16)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/62473/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto%3a+Chinatown+Wars cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (16)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> on PSP, and although it retains the charming aesthetics of the DS game, what I saw translates well to Sony's handheld as well.

If you're a PSP-only owner, you might have turned a blind eye toward the DS game. You play as Huang Lee, the spoiled son of a Triad gangster who shows up in Liberty City after your father is killed in Hong Kong. In little time -- you're immediately kidnapped from Francis International Airport and left to die in the Humboldt River-- you're pulling off odd jobs for a variety of quirky criminals around town, and dealing in illicit substances. Chinatown Wars, at its essence, combines a bigger (yes, bigger; Chinatown Wars' rendition of Liberty City outpaces the landscape for both previous PSP games by a long shot) world with tighter, handheld-friendlier gameplay and a liberal dose of Drug Wars-inspired minigames.

It's telling that Rockstar Leeds has adapted elements from other Rockstar PSP games to re-program some of Chinatown Wars' touch screen-centric minigames for the platform. Case in point: hotwiring a car. On the DS, you use the stylus to turn a few screws, then twist a set of wires together to start the engine. The PSP exercise is similar to the handheld version of The Warriors <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PSP'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 PSP'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/42880/the-warriors/index/" title="The+Warriors">The Warriors</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6>News</h6></li> <li><h6>Previews</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/42880/the-warriors/review/" title="The+Warriors review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/42880/the-warriors/videos/" title="The+Warriors videos">Videos</a></h6> (1)</li> <li><h6>Screenshots</h6></li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/psp/42880/the-warriors/cheats/" title="The+Warriors cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (2)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> , in which you rotate the analog stick to perform the same functions. It's arguably more convenient, since I recall playing through lots of Chinatown Wars DS with the stylus between my teeth for any random minigame encounters.

Also, this new version uses the L button as a modifier for grenade and Molotov tosses. As I recall from an early tutorial mission in the DS game, you throw explosives by flicking the stylus across the touch screen to a desired point. It took some practice and precision; on more than one encounter, I managed to set myself ablaze instead of a building. Using a button, rather than carefully coordinated flicks, provides a more exact (read: ammo-conserving) method to the madness.



Aside from the touched-up visuals (which look mighty impressive on the PSP display), there are other aesthetic nods to the hardware. Huang depends on a PDA to help him navigate the vast urban terrain, much like Niko uses his cell phone in Grand Theft Auto IV <span class="tooltip-content"> <span class='tooltip-tab-container'> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper active' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab xbox-360'></span></span> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PS3'></span></span> <span class='tooltip-tab-wrapper' onclick='tooltiptab(this);'><span class='tooltip-tab PC'></span></span> </span> <span class='tooltip-active tooltip2 xbox-360'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV">Grand Theft Auto IV</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">News</a></h6> (171)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">Previews</a></h6> (7)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV videos">Videos</a></h6> (118)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (14)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/37613/grand-theft-auto-iv/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (233)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> <span class='tooltip2 PS3'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV">Grand Theft Auto IV</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">News</a></h6> (138)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">Previews</a></h6> (6)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV videos">Videos</a></h6> (110)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (14)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/ps3/35421/grand-theft-auto-iv/cheats/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV cheats &amp; walkthroughs">Cheats and Walkthroughs</a></h6> (82)</li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> <span class='tooltip2 PC'><div class='tooltip-name'><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/index/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV">Grand Theft Auto IV</a></div><hr /><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/news/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">News</a></h6> (42)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/previews/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV news">Previews</a></h6> (2)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/review/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV review">Review</a></h6></li> </ul></span><span class='tooltip-column'><ul> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/videos/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV videos">Videos</a></h6> (33)</li> <li><h6><a href="http://g4tv.com/games/pc/53099/grand-theft-auto-iv/screenshots-and-images/" title="Grand+Theft+Auto+IV screenshots &amp; images">Screenshots</a></h6> (25)</li> <li><h6>Cheats and Walkthroughs</h6></li> </ul> </span><div style='clear:both;'></div></span> </span><div class="arrow"></div> . In the DS game, it's completely touch screen-based, and you use the stylus like a Palm. The PSP version has an interface that looks much more familiar to its owners: it uses a XMB-inspired aesthetic to navigate everything from Huang's e-mail to uploading your stats to Rockstar Social Club to toggling the GPS on and off.

I played through a redone version of "Deadly Xin," a mission in which Huang helps Xin, a Triad gangster. Xin's partner is robbing a high-profile bank, and Huang must take the LCPD's attention away from the heist. How? By stealing a N.O.O.S.E. tank from the airport and creating enough four-star mayhem to distract the cops from the real crime going on. As I plugged away artillery shells at police cars and armored vans, I noticed how the tank (though a little clumsy) handled significantly better than a similarly paced mission would have done in one of the "Stories" games on PSP. GTA fans will likely notice that the mission structure in this game is better suited to a bus ride than a plugged-in PSP at home.

Rockstar also promises six PSP exclusive missions, including one big homage to a mission in GTA: San Andreas, which I'll refrain from spoiling. Suffice it to say, I'm a big fan of the prior GTA games for PSP, despite some of their quirks (the missions structure was good for PS2, less for gaming on-the-go), and I've found few games on Nintendo DS this year that have hit the quality level of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. I have a hard time believing that the PSP version won't live up to the quality I've seen from the prior release.