GTA London Guide: Story, Characters, Missions and Vehicles
This GTA London guide covers Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 and its prequel London 1961, two mission packs that move the original Grand Theft Auto from American cities to the streets of 1960s London. Rockstar Canada, now Rockstar Toronto, made both for DMA Design, and London 1969 reached PC and PlayStation in 1999. Use this GTA London guide as your hub for the story, characters, missions and vehicles.
Key facts
- Games: London 1969 (1999, PC and PlayStation) and London 1961 (PC freeware download).
- Requirements: London 1969 needs the original GTA, while London 1961 needs both earlier games.
- Setting: London in 1969, and eight years earlier in 1961, with pound sterling and traffic on the left.
- Content: 32 new missions and about 30 new vehicles in 1969, plus 22 more vehicles in 1961.
- New in 1961: drive-by shooting, the Armour Shoppe and a Manchester multiplayer map.
Story and setting
You choose one of a group of stylish young hoodlums, and the pick never changes the plot. Jobs begin with a local gang, then get mixed up with a football team, secret agents and international terrorists. After a series of double-crosses, the climb leads to the Crisp Twins, who are based on the real-life Kray twins. London 1961 works as a prequel with younger versions of the same faces. The era shows in nods to Get Carter and The Italian Job, Cockney slang and radio stations full of ska, psychedelia and big-band jazz.
Main characters
The first jobs come from Harold Cartwright, who works with Pretty Charlie. Next, Jack Parkinson acts as the firm’s middleman, and at the top sit the twins Albert Crisp and Archie Crisp. The secret-service thread runs through Endeavour Chambers and the terrorist Hans Nemesis. See the full character list.
Missions and walkthroughs
Our walkthroughs follow every job. In London 1969, start with Boys Will Be Thieves, then Dr Zel in Northwest Westminster and Royal Stretch in North Chelsea, and finish the opening chapter with Mods and Sods: Ending. Chelsea Smile covers Tanker in Central Bow and Chelsea Smile: Ending. Dead Certainty includes James Bomb in North Brixton, Double Decker in Southeast Hyde Park and Dead Certainty: Ending.
For the prequel, begin at Phone 1 in Southwest City, continue with Fab in Northeast Battersea and wrap up with When We Were Very Small. Browse them all in the GTA London missions category.
Vehicles, gangs and places
The vehicles range from the London Cab and Double Decker to the Royal Stretch limousine and the Royal Pain tank. Among the gangs, watch the Cartwright Gang, the London Mob and the Battersea Mods. The places section starts with London itself, and the weapons include the Flamethrower.
Cheats and tools
Jobs arrive through red telephone boxes, walkie-talkies and a telegram pager, and our GTA London missions guide explains how that system works. For missions in other games, see the all GTA missions archive.
Other GTA editions
Coming from the 2D era, read the GTA 2 guide, or move on to the GTA 3 guide. The full series index is the GTA lexicon.
FAQ
Do I need the original GTA to play GTA London?
Yes. London 1969 requires the original game, and London 1961 requires both the original and London 1969.
What is the difference between London 1969 and London 1961?
London 1961 is a prequel set eight years earlier. It adds 22 vehicles, drive-by shooting, the Armour Shoppe and a Manchester map, and it is PC-only.
How do missions start in GTA London?
Mostly from red telephone boxes, walkie-talkies and a telegram pager, or by entering a certain vehicle.
Does my choice of protagonist matter?
No. Every playable hoodlum leads to the same story.