Best Handheld Games Published By Rockstar, Ranked

Highlights

• Rockstar’s handheld titles for PSP and Game Boy were popular before
  GTA 5
  and
  Red Dead Redemption
  .
• L.A. Noire
  ,
  Beaterator
  , and
  The Warriors
  are notable Rockstar handheld titles worth trying out.
• Midnight Club: LA
  and
  Chinatown Wars
  offer unique handheld gaming experiences by Rockstar.

Rockstar is commonly known for releasing Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption. However, before these popular titles of modern gaming and the excitement of Grand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar was well known for its handheld titles that could be commonly enjoyed on the PSP or the Game Boy.

There are still games published by Rockstar today that can be played on newer handheld consoles, which include even the Nintendo Switch, though players may be looking for more than that.

8 L.A. Noire

Metascore: 79

Starting off strong, L.A. Noire is a game that many players forget was published by Rockstar Games. Although it wasn’t originally released on handheld platforms, the game that was developed by Team Bondi was then released on the Nintendo Switch in 2017.

Players work their way through various police departments in Los Angeles as they solve a variety of cases. In a neo-noir crime game, it’s also important for players to pay attention to their witnesses and suspects, as even on the handheld version of L.A. Noire, NPCs will give away if they’re lying or not.

7 Beaterator

Metascore: 80

Beaterator may not be entirely a game, but it is a handheld music mixer tool that Rockstar Games published for players. On the PlayStation Portable, and later also iOS, players had the freedom to mix and create their own music using tracks created specifically for the Beaterator title.

Some may argue Beaterator has puzzle elements as players attempt to put tracks together to make some great music. It is unlike anything else Rockstar has ever published. Besides creating music, Rockstar encourages players to also share their creations with other players of Beaterator to show how players experience the tracks in different ways.

6 The Warriors

Metascore: 81

The Warriors is a beat ’em up title that was originally released in 2005 based on the film of the same name from 1979. While the game was originally released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, the game was later released on the PSP in 2007.

The beat ’em up received a surprising amount of praise due to the game originally containing music from the original film as well as many of the actors from The Warriors returning to voice their characters in the game created by Rockstar Toronto. Besides the film connection, The Warriors was also greatly praised for its combat, with many believing the beat ’em up breathed new life into the brawler genre.

5 Midnight Club: Los Angeles

Metascore: 81

Some of the best handheld games to be played are part of the racing game genre. With the majority of Grand Theft Auto titles revolving around cars, it’s of no surprise to see that Rockstar has even published their own racing game franchise known as Midnight Club.

In Midnight Club: LA, players are allowed to pick from an assortment of vehicles from muscle cars, exotics, and superbikes which they can easily race around the streets of LA. Players are likely to get involved in a variety of illegal street races that happen with no load times as they explore this bustling city made to be raced upon.

4 Red Dead Redemption And Undead Nightmare

Metascore: 83

Red Dead Redemption is a Rockstar franchise that continues to be quite popular. While the original game, when it was first released, wasn’t available on any handheld devices, Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare was remastered and then released onto not only the PlayStation 4 but also the Nintendo Switch.

This meant that players could experience the story of John Marston and the zombie apocalypse spin-off game through the Nintendo handheld console. Players may be surprised to see how well this classic Rockstar title plays on the Nintendo Switch, with many hoping that newer titles will also be considered for further handhelds.

3 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Metascore: 86

While players can’t play the original Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on a handheld console, titles like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, which is a prequel that came after its release, were released on platforms such as the PSP. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories plays exactly like the other Grand Theft Auto titles of the franchise as players explore from a third-person perspective with plenty of gunplay that works incredibly on PlayStation handheld.

The only issue this title ever received was how the PlayStation 2 version was ported directly from the PSP. This means the best experience can be found purely on the handheld version, which was also awarded the Best Handheld Game at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2007.

2 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Metascore: 88

Before Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories was released on the PlayStation Portable. In a similar format, this was another third-person shooter that allowed players to experience a different story from the world that Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City was set within.

Since its original release in 2005, the game has traveled to other handheld consoles like the PlayStation Vita, where players can continue to enjoy some of the classics of Grand Theft Auto instead of GTA 5, which continues to bring in fans with many looking forward to the next game in the franchise.

1 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Metascore: 90

Out of all the games published by Rockstar, it’s no surprise to see that the best handheld game they created was Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. This game was only released on portable platforms such as the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable, and mobile.

In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, players take on the role of Huang Lee as he brings an ancient sword to his uncle in the hopes of his family retaining their control of the Triad gangs in Liberty City after his father was murdered. Being a rich kid who expects everything to go smoothly makes GTA: Chinatown Wars an interesting action-adventure that fits perfectly into a player’s hands.