Best GTA 5 alternative games for your Android phone in 2021

GTA 5 may not be available for mobile gamers, but you can still download these alternative games for your phone right away. Here are the best open-world games like GTA 5 for your Android phone.

For representational purposes only. An image from GTA Online, (Rockstar Games)

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is one of Rockstar Games' most successful game series in the video game company's history so far, with the publisher releasing seven major versions of the game spanning the 2D era, the 3D era, and the last HD era release GTA 5 which was released back in 2013.

Seeing the success of the GTA series on the PC and on the console, publisher Rockstar Games also released some of the GTA titles on mobile devices so that fans could enjoy some of the nostalgia of replaying the game in a different format. Unfortunately, while you can play GTA 5 on your PC, Xbox and PlayStation, there's no official GTA5 version for Android devices.

However, if you're looking for fun gameplay that resembles Rockstar's popular GTA 5 game that features excellent graphics and a well-written storyline, here are some alternatives on the Google Play Store that you can consider:

Gangstar Rio: City of Saints (Play Store)

One of the most popular Gangstar games from Gameloft, the Gangstar Rio: City of Saints mobile game is based in Rio de Janeiro and offers users access to the familiar 3D visuals of the favelas, business district, beaches and even the jungle. The game features over 60 missions, involving killing corrupt politicians, package delivery, stealing cars and finding out who tried to kill you, protecting witnesses and more. The game also features specialised weapons like bazookas, grenades, rifles and a “local specialty” called ‘Explosive Football'.

Gangstar New Orleans OpenWorld (Play Store) 

This popular open-world action game is set in New Orleans, featuring a vast cityscape and hundreds of vehicles, weapons and more in a free-to-roam city. The game features biker gangs, Voodoo priests, rival crime gangs and other elements that make it unique among the Gangstar series. The game also features a Turf Wars feature that allows players to participate in the GvG mode, which pits gangster versus gangster in the shooting game. Players can also attach multiple weapons to their vehicles during the game.

GTA: Liberty City Stories (Play Store)

Featuring high-resolution graphics (for open-world mobile games) Rockstar's own Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories will not be a stranger to dedicated GTA gamers. The game studio says that the graphics have been remastered for mobile with extensive graphics enhancements. Users will be able to play the same popular storyline from the main game that involves warring families, organised crime and political corruption and much more.

GTA: Liberty City Stories on Android.  (Rockstar Games)

GTA: Liberty City Stories on Android.  (Rockstar Games)

Gangstar Vegas: World of Crime (Play Store)

Set in Vegas, this open-world game from Gameloft features the grand old city of Las Vegas with third-person action missions, races along with hidden collectible items for them to access in the game. The game's description on the Play Store also takes a dig at Rockstar's iconic title telling users to take a chance with the favourite casino game of their choice. “You know, the kind they don't play in San Andreas or New Orleans”. The game also features alien wars, tanks and even zombie infestations.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Play Store)

The original classic, Rockstar brought Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to Android devices and threw users back to the 1980s with the same storyline, improved graphics and better controls for mobile. The 10th year anniversary version of the game features a massive campaign similar to the original game, support for MoGa controllers and adjustable graphics, taking users back from the beaches to the swamps and much more from their favourite original Rockstar game.