Beginner’s Guide to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grove Street, Home

Welcome home, Carl ‘CJ’ Johnson. You’re back in Los Santos, a city and state teeming with life, opportunity, and danger. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a sprawling epic that expands the formula with RPG-like character progression, a massive open world, and a rich story. This guide will help you get a grip on the unique systems of San Andreas and establish yourself in the Grove, all without spoiling the journey ahead.

See other game guides : Guides and Walkthroughs in Gaming, Beginner’s Guide to Grand Theft Auto Series

1. The New Dimension: Your Body & Skills

CJ is not a static character; he is shaped by how you play. This is the game’s defining feature.

• The Stat System: Your skills improve with use. Key ones include:
  • Stamina: Run, bike, or swim to increase. Higher stamina lets you sprint longer.
  • Muscle: Lift weights at gyms (marked with a dumbell on the map). Increases health and changes CJ’s physique.
  • Fat: Eat too much fast food, you get fat and slow. Exercise to lose it.
  • Respect: Earned by completing missions, winning gang wars, and owning territory. Low respect means gang members won’t follow you.
  • Weapon & Driving Skills: The more you use a type of weapon or drive a vehicle class, the better you become (e.g., less recoil, better bike stunts).
• The Golden Rule: Exercise regularly. Visit the gym in Grove Street early. A fit CJ with high stamina is a capable CJ.

2. Grove Street First: Secure Your Hood

Your initial focus is reclaiming your gang’s territory in Los Santos.

• Gang Wars: After a certain story point, green gang territories will appear on your map. To claim them, start a war by killing three rival gang members inside the zone. Then, survive three waves of attacks. Come prepared with heavy weapons and armor.
  • Why it matters: Controlled territories generate cash pickup revenue every week. It’s your first business.
• Recruit Your Homies: With even a little Respect, aim at a Grove Street Family member and press the recruit button (often G or Right on D-Pad). You can have up to seven. They’ll follow you and help in fights.

3. Money, Properties, & Assets

Cash opens up the world.

• Early Hustles: Do the courier missions for your garage-owning friend. Taxi missions (get in a taxi, activate special mode) are a safe, excellent way to learn the city and earn early money.
• Buy Properties: Look for icons like a house, a dollar sign, or a crown on the map. These are assets you can purchase. They provide weekly income and often unlock new mission strands. The Wang Cars auto dealership in San Fierro is a highly profitable first major purchase.
• Don’t Waste Money on Custom Cars Early: Until you have a garage to store them, any car you lovingly modify can be lost. Stick to customizing cars you can park in your Grove Street garage.

4. Mastering Movement: Bikes, Planes & Parachutes

San Andreas introduces vehicles that require real skill.

• Bicycles are OP: The bicycle is surprisingly fast, agile, ignores traffic, and improves your stamina. Use it.
• Flight School is NOT Optional: When you eventually reach the desert town of Verdant Meadows, complete Flight School. It teaches you the essential, often tricky, controls for planes and helicopters. The rewards are invaluable for the rest of the game.
• The Parachute: You can buy a parachute from ammunation. Use it when jumping from great heights. Press the button to open it, then use the controls to steer gently.

5. Combat & Survival Evolved

• The New Targeting System: You can now freely aim in a 360-degree range while locked on. Use the right stick to target specific body parts. Headshots are instant kills.
• The “Riot Mode” Cheat is a Trap: It’s fun for chaos, but it makes gangs heavily armed and turns the city into a warzone, halting normal progress. Save it for a separate, saved game.
• Use Cover & Crouch: You can crouch behind objects for cover, a first for the series. Use it in shootouts.
• Food is Health: You must eat to regain health. Cluckin’ Bell, Burger Shot, etc. Eating too much makes you fat, but being hungry drains health. Balance is key.

6. Exploration & The State of San Andreas

The map is huge, spanning three major cities and vast countryside.

• Unlock the Map Piece by Piece: You start with only Los Santos visible. The map unlocks as you follow the story. Don’t try to force your way into locked areas early; you’ll get a devastating wanted level.
• Countryside Activities: Hunt for unique vehicles, explore the ghost town, find the secret military base, or go “tagging” with the spray can. The rural areas are full of secrets.
• Customize Everything: From CJ’s haircut and tattoos to the paint job and hydraulics on your lowrider, customization is a core pleasure. Visit barbers, tattoo parlors, and mod shops.

7. Key Settings & Pro-Tips

• Manual Save is Everything: Save at your safehouse (the floppy disk icon) frequently and in multiple slots. The game only auto-saves after missions.
• Pay ‘n’ Spray Strategy: It still works. Drive in unseen to lose wanted stars.
• Weapon Tiers: Always upgrade your weapon at Ammu-Nation when you can. The Tec-9 is a fantastic early SMG. The Combat Shotgun is your best friend for gang wars.
• Listen to the Radio: The soundtrack is legendary. It sets the perfect mood for cruising through the ’90s-era state.

Your journey is one of redemption, power, and family. Build CJ’s body, mind, and bank account. Secure your block, earn respect, and remember—nobody can stop you when the Grove is behind you. Now get out there and put in work.