Liberty City
The series' first section introduces a dense road network and a name later reused by GTA III and GTA IV.
Cities: Grand Theft Auto
The names are familiar, but the original 2D cities are neither the same maps nor part of the same narrative universe as their 3D successors.
Three names, three later entries — but completely different maps. Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City in the first GTA are standalone 2D cities with their own chapter; none of them shares terrain, characters, or timeline with the later 3D sequels.
Each city is also played more than once: after the first chapter you return to it with a higher point target and tougher jobs. In total, the base game has six chapters spread across exactly these three cities.
The resemblance to the series is mostly in inspiration, not topography. Liberty City follows the dense New York-style metropolis, GTA 1’s San Andreas draws on San Francisco (unlike the whole state from the 2004 game), and Vice City is built on Miami long before Tommy Vercetti’s story.
The complete cities in pictures
Original illustrations without copied game maps or textures
Three faces of the city
The comparison explains the character of the three cities without copying their exact game maps.
Original GTA HUB illustration · not a screenshot or an exact game map.
Historical context: New York in 1999
The photograph shows the real arrangement of islands, bridges and harbour facilities.
Source: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons · public domainThree cities
San Andreas
In GTA 1, San Andreas is a city inspired by San Francisco, not the entire state from the 2004 game.
Vice City
The original top-down city draws on Florida's atmosphere, long before Tommy's story in 1986.
Reading the map
Finding your way from above
Watch the main roads, bridges and water. At high speed, there is less time to react at junctions.
Telephone locations
Missions begin at fixed points. Knowing the return route saves points and lives.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the main questions about this subject
Are the cities in GTA 1 the same maps as in later games?
No. They only share the name. GTA 1 uses its own 2D maps, independent of the 3D versions in GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, or GTA IV.
How many times is each city played?
More than once. The game has six chapters in total spread across three cities, so you return to each with a higher point target.
Is the San Andreas in GTA 1 the same as the state from 2004?
No. In the first GTA, San Andreas is a single city inspired by San Francisco, not the whole fictional state with three metropolises known from GTA San Andreas.
In what order are the cities played?
The order follows chapter progress and can’t be changed — completing a chapter automatically unlocks the next one; the choice of city isn’t up to the player.