You won't stand a chance of appeasing your ruthless bosses in GTA unless you know how to handle yourself on the streets. In order to stay on the wrong side of the law and not get caught, cast your eyes over these fifty essential tips...
Top 50 slick manoeuvres
1. If you're being chased by the cops in a vehicle, cut through a park or garden - they won't follow where there's no road. Also, they can't jump over other cars.
2. Cops only shoot if you're directly in front on them, so keep zigzagging if you're being chased. You won't be able to outrun them, but you can lure them into the road so other vehicles run them over!
3. If you're driving a big vehicle (school bus, limousine or oil tanker), cops will damage their own car when trying to ram you off the road. Too many hits and... Boom! Bye bye bobby.
4. If the cops ram you while you're driving an ordinary car, change it fast. Damage slows cars down, but worse than that the car could explode and kill you.
5. Just before a cop cuts you off, turn and cut him off so he smashes into your car. If you do this correctly he'll hit your car about five times. His car will be so damaged there's no way it'll be able to keep up with you. (Caution: keep your finger on the accelerator just in case he explodes...)
6. Cops' pistols can't fire over the top of cars, but flame-throwers can. Remember this and you'll never have a problem with roadblocks again.
7. Try to lose the cops using the footbridges over highways (San Andreas and Vice City). If your wanted level is high enough, the chances are the cop below the bridge will be splattered by his own over-enthusiastic mate when he arrives to help. THAT cop will then meander about below the bridge, he'll get run over, and so on and so on.
8. Police roadblocks don't cover the pavements. If your driving skills are good enough you should be able to mount the kerb and escape that way.
9. The bigger your vehicle, the harder it is to stop with a roadblock. So if you know one is up ahead, jump into a bus or lorry.
10. Caution: the railway lines are electrified. So kids, take heed of what you were taught at school and don't play near them.
11. Cops only shoot first if you have a wanted level of 4. But if you shoot first they will always return fire.
12. If you want to avoid police attention during a mission, choose a slow sensible car such as a Bug, Regal or Taxi. You're not likely to run down pedestrians in one of those.
13. During chases the police use traffic light locations to pin down your position and set up roadblocks.
14. If roadblocks ARE being set up, stick to two-lane roads.
15. If you're arrested you'll lose all of your weapons and half your bonus multiplier. Keep an eye open for 'Get Out Of Jail Free' cards. Initially they're not as appealing as rocket launchers or flame-throwers, but in their own way they're just as useful.
16. Interestingly enough, dying means that you'll lose a life, but retain all your weapons and bonuses!
17. Car-jacking (hauling a driver out of a car) is a serious offence. Stealing a driverless car results in a lower wanted level and keeps the Feds off your back for a while.
18. Shooting at a car once will cause the driver to rapidly accelerate away. Shooting for a second time will cause the driver to leap out of his car and run for cover.
19. Police bribes wipe out your wanted level.
20. The policemen at roadblocks are generally softer than their cars. However, it's advisable to avoid running them over as they wield fairly meaty machine guns that are capable of destroying any vehicle extremely quickly.
21. Stealing a vehicle with a car alarm will increase your wanted level. It's also extremely annoying haring around the city with an alarm blaring in your ears. Don't do it - all right?
22. Memorise the locations of spray shops for use during chases. As soon as you respray your car, the police will call off the chase. Yes, they're a bit stupid really.
23. Running down a driver with his own car gives a nice big irony bonus - and let's face it, that's what the game is all about.
24. Power-ups are generally kept out of sight. Try punching and shooting boxes and bins in alleyways and fenced-off areas.
25. Stolen cars can be sold at the docks for serious cash. Just park them under the crane and wait... When taking cars to the docks, steal them from as close to the docks as possible so you don't have to wreck the vehicle too much en route. (For more information see Honest Keith's Stolen Car Price Guide at the end of this section.)
26. Avoid 'Kill Frenzy' power-ups until you have several bonus multipliers. You'll need them in later levels.
27. You'll have to pay for services rendered in Bomb & Spray shops.
28. The trains work. Not only that, they're a good way of getting around town - and destroying one creates one hell of a fireworks display!
29. Motorbikes are extremely difficult to control, but one major advantage is that they can go upstairs. Ideal for when you're on the run - just nip over a bridge to escape your pursuers and make a clean break.
30. Bubba's sticky love nest is only $25 per hour. Get your priorities straight first though.
31. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a stuntman, try doing a few jumps on a superbike - you might find a few secret areas while you're at it. In fact, you may have noticed some tanks dotted around; if you want to test-drive one a superbike is the way to get there.
32. Unfortunately the Country & Western channel CANNOT be retuned.
33. Avoid a messy two-wheeled death. Centre your superbike on a yellow line/kerb and you'll bounce right up again.
34. If your mission includes killing someone, be creative. Combine the hit with a 'Kill Frenzy' for a veritable points bonanza.
35. Vehicles parked in strange places are usually there for a reason. Think about it. Any vehicle that looks out of place will usually lead to something fairly decent.
36. Always try to stay in a vehicle when killing gang members (more armour and speed).
37. Gang members carry better guns and are usually better shots than the police. So be wary: if you do have to kill on foot try and get some armour beforehand.
38. Linking actions together, as in killing/destroying people/cars, can sometimes lead to hidden bonuses.
39. No weapons? You can always try scaring your opponents with extreme flatulence. Guaranteed to upset gang members and Charlie Brooker.
40. Using your initiative to finish missions in unexpected ways can sometimes reveal hidden bonuses.
41. For greater control in high-performance cars, keep the handbrake on in tight corners. This may require a little bit of practice.
42. GTA usually rewards you for repeating an action over and over again, as fast as possible. For example, keep pushing cars into a river and you'll get big bonuses.
43. Lots of money and a nice, undamaged limousine attracts the kind of women your mother warned you about. So if you don't want the Spice Girls following you, drive a Bug.
44. The Krishnas will always follow their leader. If you want a big bonus run over all of them. Squelch!
45. The rocket launcher has a wide blast radius if you hit a building. NB: standing on the roof of a building and taking pot shots at the people below is mildly amusing and terribly disturbing.
46. Barriers and traffic cones have an annoying habit of getting caught underneath your car, seriously slowing you down.
47. An arrow pointing towards a person on-screen does NOT necessarily mean you have to kill them. Contrary to the nature of the game you sometimes actually have to talk to people.
48. You get the credit for all on-screen deaths, so make sure other people act like complete maniacs too.
49. Stick to main roads for timed missions; there's more space to manoeuvre and fewer awkward turns.
50. If you're on a motorbike, select no weapons and hold down the attack key. If you get knocked off your bike, you'll be stunned. Saves valuable seconds when on the run...
Multiple Gangsters
Keep getting beaten in the multi-player game? Then get to grips with these bite-size hints and you'll soon be king of the hill...
ò Larger vehicles take more hits to destroy. Get yourself loaded into a tanker or a bus.
ò Lure your hapless opponents into alleyways you've previously blocked with cars.
ò Use the footbridges to avoid being rammed or hit by weapons.
ò If someone is crossing a footbridge to avoid you, simply explode a car beneath them. Ha! Sucker!
ò If you're on fire from a flame-thrower or an explosion, you have a few seconds before you die. See if you can take out your assailant with your last dying breath.
ò
If you're the first to reach the target number of 'frags' you'll win the game, even if you die in the attempt.
ò Take note of the pager messages. They WILL come in handy...
Honest Keith's Stolen Car Price Guide
Short of a few bob? Get yourself down to the docks with a few choice motors and earn yourself a bit of pocket money...
