Grand Theft Auto has been making massive waves since the first game’s release in October 1997. The first game had mixed reviews with average special effects for the late '90s. Since then, though, there have been six main games, as well as several expansion packs with additional storylines.
Most recently, Grand Theft Auto V was released in 2013 and was met with rave reviews and is often considered the best game in the series.
Just last week, it was announced that Grand Theft Auto V was the most profitable entertainment product of all time due to Rockstar’s continuing development of the game.
Rockstar is known for having very complex and detailed games whether it’s from the GTA, Red Dead Redemption, or Max Payne series. The Grand Theft Auto games specifically have a ton of Easter eggs and secrets that fans sometimes find years after the game is released.
In the case of Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto II, these games were relatively basic open world games that were part of the 2D Universe for GTA. They had a top-down camera angle and there was not a whole lot of secrets which is why they aren’t included on this list.
Everything after Grand Theft Auto II had three-dimensional game graphics which is why the developers put a lot of hidden secrets in these games.
So try not to commit any crimes while you discover the 15 Things Only Superfans Knew They Could Do In Grand Theft Auto.
Play As Bigfoot (GTA: V)
Animals played a minor role in Grand Theft Auto games until Grand Theft Auto V came out in 2013. This game allowed players to not only interact with animals but to play as them.
The dog named Chop was the most prominent of these playable animals, but players found other animals to play as... including a Sasquatch.
That’s right, you can play as Bigfoot in Grand Theft Auto V, and it does not require any type of cheat or mod.
In order to unlock Bigfoot, the player must beat the game to 100%, collect all of the 27 peyote plants, one of which must be eaten between 5-8: 30 AM when it is foggy or snowy, and then beat the mission The Last One without destroying Bigfoot.
It may seem like a lot of effort, but it is worth it when you can run around Los Santos as Bigfoot.
Find The Heart In The Statue Of Happiness (GTA: IV)
Everyone who has played Grand Theft Auto IV is familiar with the Statue of Happiness. In this parody of the real-life Statue of Liberty, Hillary Clinton can be seen dressed as Lady Happiness holding a tablet and a cup of coffee.
It is hard to miss if you are anywhere near this part of the map, but many may not know that you can actually go inside the Statue of Happiness.
In order to get to the island, you have to take a boat or helicopter. Once you are on the island, you must fly to the platform below the statue's feet, where you can see a door, and then jump out of the helicopter.
If you do not pass awat in the process, Niko Bellic has the ability to climb up a ladder and find a beating heart inside the statue.
Explore The Mystery of Mt. Chiliad (GTA: V)
The Mystery of Mr. Chiliad in Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most long-running mysteries of the entire GTA franchise. Many gamers spend hours upon hours trying to crack the code but have not succeeded.
It all began in 2013 when gamers noticed a mural at the lift station of Mt. Chiliad. The mural depicts Mt. Chiliad itself with a UFO floating over the top and three boxes at the bottom.
The three boxes contain a jetpack, a UFO, and a cracked egg.
Some people theorize that these clues represent the characters themselves. Aliens and UFOs can be spotted all around the game which most people believe are all connected to the mystery of Mt. Chiliad.
Despite the progress some people have made, the mystery of Mt. Chiliad has still not been solved.
Visit The Apartment From Scarface (GTA: Vice City)
Rockstar loves throwing popular culture references into their games. Often times they are hidden and players have to hunt around the game for them.
Apt. 3C is not that hard to find in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but some may not know what it is referencing.
When you travel to the apartment complex it just looks like an ordinary building in the game. Once you travel inside the apartment you will find a room which has normal furniture, a TV, a painting, and some booze.
Inside the bathroom, there is a floating chainsaw and blood splattered all over the wall and bathtub. This is supposed to be a shout out to the famous scene in Scarface where Angel Fernández gets massacred with a chainsaw.
Not only is this a cool movie reference, but you can also pick up the chainsaw and use it in the game.
Visit A Mass Grave (GTA: San Andreas)
It is impossible to play the Grand Theft Auto games without harming people. Since the games are an open world adventure, you can go off the beaten track and explore places that are not part of the missions.
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, you can visit a mass grave and find six body bags inside.
Some people claim that Rockstar put the grave in as a reference to real-life mafia hits, but others speculate that the bodies are the husbands of the in-game radio host Mary-Beth Maybell.
There is just too much evidence to not support this claim. While on the air, Mary-Beth Maybell often talks about how she used to have six husbands who are now six feet under.
Players can visit this area at the foot of the mesa in El Castillo del Diablo.
Change The Size Of The Moon (GTA: III)
While some of these Grand Theft Auto secrets reveal special locations or objectives, this secret about Grand Theft Auto III is pretty simple.
In the third installment of the main line of Grand Theft Auto games, players can change the size of the moon by shooting it.
In order to change the moon size, all you have to do is pick up a sniper rifle, aim at the moon, and fire away. Doing this will not change any controls or mechanics of the game and has no benefit to the player, but it can be a fun trick to do if you become bored.
You can also do this in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the option was taken away for future games since the moon graphics were more complex.
Attack All 200 Pigeons (GTA: IV)
There is a lot of extra side activities you can do in Grand Theft Auto IV. Whether you are taking Michelle out on a date or going bowling with Roman, fans will never run out of things to do.
One side activity that will actually get you an achievement or trophy is shooting all of the 200 pigeons that can be found around the game.
Known as "flying rats" in the game, 200 pigeons are littered around Liberty City waiting for you. Hitting them will literally cause them to explode, which can be fun to watch for some players.
While completing this is a mundane and time-consuming task, fans who wish to complete the game to 100% must complete this mission since it counts for 2.5% of the game’s total completion.
Find The Ghost Of Jolene Cranley-Evans (GTA: V)
The developers at Rockstar seem to be enthralled with the concept of ghosts. There are always hidden Easter eggs of ghosts in the games, and Grand Theft Auto V is no exception. If you go to a certain location at a specific time of the night, you will find the ghost of Jolene Cranley-Evans.
The story goes that Jolene Cranley-Evans was pushed off the side of a cliff by her husband Jock after they had differing desires about where their lives were headed.
Gamers who wish to view the creepy sight should go to the top of Mount Gordo between 11 PM and midnight. Jolene Cranley-Evans’ ghost can be seen at the edge of the cliff with the name “Jock” written in blood.
If you get close enough around 10 PM, you can even hear screams coming from the mountain. Spooky stuff.
Search For A Literal Easter Egg (GTA: Vice City)
Grand Theft Auto is known for its excessive violence, adult themes, and coarse language. Besides these repetitive themes, Rockstar also likes to throw in the occasional eEaster egg or reference.
In the case of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, gamers can go on a hunt for a literal Easter egg.
This Easter egg can be found by first visiting the helipad on top of the Vice City News Building. Once there, the gamer must make a leap of faith into the adjacent building where they will be teleported through the wall.
The room you land in will hold a chocolate or possibly just brown Easter egg on a pedestal that says “Happy Easter.”
The same artifact can be found in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, but the egg appears under construction and even has a crane next to it since Vice City Stories takes place before the actual game.
Take A Trip To Ghost Town (GTA: III)
While the Grand Theft Auto series has an incredible open world capability, there are some areas that can only be viewed during the cut scenes of the game.
Though some of these areas are impossible to reach during gameplay, some have found ways to get to these impossible areas like “Ghost Town” in Grand Theft Auto III.
You can pilot the Dodo plane to reach Ghost Island but you won’t be able to land since the city is only made of textures and not solids. By using mods and cheats, however, gamers can travel to Ghost Island via car or tank and walk around the streets, which will remain solid unlike the rest of the town.
Ghost Town is located behind the hills of Shoreside Vale but can be difficult to get to even with a tutorial.
Drive Ghost Cars (GTA: San Andreas)
Moving along with Rockstar’s trend of ghost related references, you can find ghost cars in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. You can find these cars near Lil’ Probe’Inn and also in the Back O’ Beyond. These cars often drive themselves and can not be repaired in a Pay ’n’ Spray.
These cars may have just been added to the game by the developers to give players a way out of abandoned areas of the map.
However, most fans believe that there is more to the story.
A Ford Thunderbird can be seen driving off the side of the cliff in a Thelma and Louise fashion in Grand Theft Auto V with no one behind the wheel.
Ghost cars can also be seen in Grand Theft Auto IV, but they originated in San Andreas.
Use A Secret Website To Unlock More Secrets (GTA: IV)
Since the Grand Theft Auto community is filled with so many fans, there are dozens of websites that are devoted to sharing secrets about the games. One of those websites even originated within the game itself.
In Grand Theft Auto IV and the accompanying The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, players can access the website whattheydonotwantyoutoknow.com from their cellphone or a computer.
This website was put into the game by developers to give players maps for special missions, vehicles, and weapons.
You can either type the website into an internet browser within the game or wait to receive the link in an email from the username Chiliad8888, which is a shout out to Mt. Chiliad from San Andreas.
Swim With The Sharks (GTA: Vice City)
Most people who have played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City know that swimming is not an option. Usually, when your character falls into the water, it means certain death but this was improved for later GTA games.
This specific secret requires a swimming mod, but it can still be fun once set up. Once you obtain and enter the swimming mod your character will be able to go into the water and swim around like you can in later installments of the GTA franchise.
Swimming itself is an added improvement to the game, but there are also sharks you can swim next to in the ocean.
It may be a silly secret but it brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “swimming with the sharks.”
Find Hidden Signs (GTA: III)
Grand Theft Auto III may not have any game changing secrets like later sequels, but it none the less has some fun Easter eggs hidden for players to find. Some of these Easter eggs are in the form of signs and newspapers.
The first sign called “The Hidden Sign” is tucked away behind a wall near a parking lot in Bedford Point. You can take a small car and drive it up the set of stairs at the north side of the parking lot, climb on top of your car, and jump to the platform on the right.
Once there, you can follow the path and find a sign that reads, “You weren’t supposed to be able to get here you know.”
There are also newspapers scattered around Liberty City with the headline “Zombie Elvis Found.” These newspapers are not exactly hidden but are easily overlooked.
Make A Ton Of Money Without Cheating (GTA: San Andreas)
Usually, Grand Theft Auto games will end with you acquiring a mass amount of cash for the hard work you put into the game. It is easy enough to find a cheat to acquire all of the weapons and outfits early on, but there is a somewhat more honest way that does not require a cheat code or mod.
An easy way to make money in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is to visit the horse racing track called Inside Track.
Once there you should bet on the horse with the highest payout. If you win, you can go back to your safe house and save your game before going back for more money.
If you lose, reload the game from the last save point and try your luck again on the same horse. It is easy enough and will make you millions fast.
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Do you know of any other secrets hidden in the Grand Theft Auto games? Sound off in the comments!