GTA 3 Guide: Story, Characters, Missions and Cheats

This GTA 3 guide is your hub for Grand Theft Auto III, the 2001 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North (then known as DMA Design) and published by Rockstar Games. It launched on PlayStation 2 and later reached PC and Xbox, and it is the first game of the series to be played in a fully 3D world.

Key facts

  • Release: October 2001, as the third main game and fifth overall installment of the series.
  • Original platforms: PlayStation 2, then PC and Xbox ports.
  • Setting: the fictional Liberty City in 2001, split between Portland, Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale.
  • Protagonist: Claude, a silent criminal.
  • Re-releases: the 10 Year Anniversary Edition on iOS and Android in 2011, and The Definitive Edition on November 11, 2021.
  • Sales: over 14 million copies sold.

Story and setting

The story starts with a bank heist gone wrong. Claude is betrayed and shot by his girlfriend Catalina, survives, and is arrested. After a convoy ambush he escapes and begins working for the factions that run Liberty City: the Mafia, the Yakuza and a few corrupt figures. Each faction controls its own part of town, and you can explore the districts below, from Portland to Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale.

For the full narrative, our GTA 3 overview covers the story, editions and release dates, and the end credits page lists the locations, team and voice cast.

Main characters

Silent protagonist Claude takes jobs from a wide cast. Catalina is the main antagonist who betrays him at the start. In the Mafia, Salvatore Leone leads the Leone Crime Family, Toni Cipriani is a family associate and Luigi Goterelli gives Claude his first jobs. Maria Latore is Salvatore’s wife, while 8-Ball supplies bombs and connections. On the Yakuza side, meet Asuka Kasen, and the media mogul Donald Love pulls strings above them all.

Missions and walkthroughs

Browse every walkthrough in the GTA 3 missions category, or follow the full game walkthrough and 100% checklist for the overall route. Here are some useful starting points, grouped by stage of the story.

Vehicles, gangs and places

The GTA 3 lexicon sorts everything into sections: vehicles, gangs, places and weapons. Notable entries include the supercar Infernus and the sports car Banshee, plus the groups behind the story: the Leone Crime Family, the Yakuza and the Colombian Cartel.

Cheats and tools

Looking for codes? The GTA 3 cheats page lists the cheats for the game, so you can plan a relaxed playthrough or experiment with the city once the main story is done.

Other GTA editions

Coming from the previous game? Read the GTA 2 guide. Heading to the next one? Continue with the GTA Vice City guide. You can also compare every edition in the GTA lexicon.

FAQ

When was GTA 3 released and on which platforms?

The game came out in October 2001 on PlayStation 2, with PC and Xbox ports following. A 10 Year Anniversary Edition reached iOS and Android in 2011.

Where does the game take place?

It is set in Liberty City in 2001, a city of three islands where crime is rife, and it starts a new continuity separate from earlier games.

Who is the main character?

The protagonist is Claude, a silent criminal who is left for dead after a bank heist and then works for the Mafia, the Yakuza and corrupt figures.

Is there a modern version of GTA 3?

Yes. Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition was released on November 11, 2021 on 8th and 9th generation consoles as part of The Trilogy bundle.

Where can I find help with a mission?

This GTA 3 guide links to the missions category and the full walkthrough above, which cover the missions in story order.