For the last thirty years, we've seen thousands upon thousands of video games released. For all of them, very few stick out as being game changers. So many games have promised to flip things around, or revolutionize the industry but in all honesty, only a hand full of games have been "game changers".

There's "Super Mario Bros", which saved the video game industry and introduced gameplay mechanics above shooting lasers on just one screen. Then there's "The Legend of Zelda", which gave players a sprawling epic world to explore at their own discretion. Another game changer was "Goldeneye 007", which proved that a first person shooter on a console was possible. "Super Mario 64" gave us smooth analog controls, and introduced the world to analog sticks. Another game changer, probably the biggest since SMB, was "Grand Theft Auto 3".

Rockstar Games originally released "Grand Theft Auto 3" for the Playstation 2 on October 22nd, 2001. GTA3 was far different then GTA 1&2. In fact it was so different, for years (and still today depending on who you talk to), people forgot there were two other GTA games in the franchise. "Grand Theft Auto 3" is arguably the first "sandbox open ended" game for consoles, and changed the gaming landscape for what developers could give people and what gamers wanted.

GTA3 ditched the overhead cartoonish look of GTA 1&2 and went full on 3D with it's Playstation 2 debut. You're given weapons, money, allowed to steal cars (unless the police catch you) and cause all the mayhem you want and if you wanted to, you could do some missions that pushed the story along. The game was violent, and caused plenty of controversy with the missions you had to do and how you got your health back (women of the night).

Gamers around the world loved the game, and even though this Examiner didn't get on the bandwagon until GTAIV, he knew what the game meant for the industry not long after it's launch. "Grand Theft Auto 3" paved the way for other great open world games, like "Red Dead Redemption", "Borderlands", "Fallout 3", "Saints Row", and "Elder Scrolls IV".

It's been over ten years since GTA3 landed, and it's coming back to Playstation owners, as it's being ported to the Playstation 3. We heard a rumor it was coming, along with "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" at some point, and now we have a firm release date and price.

"Grand Theft Auto III" is set to release on the PS3 via the Playstation Network on Tuesday, July 31st. The game is being released in it's PS2 classic form, so don't expect an HD upgrade or Trophy support. The game is set to cost $9.99, and while you can get it cheaper for a Playstation 2, you might as well shell out the extra cash to have it on your PS3.

I cant wait!!! Hopefully we can mod it too!


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