Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

27 Sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that you should try

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas down to the 27 that fit the “Sandbox” category. Mafia III, Saints Row: The Third and Watch Dogs 2 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

iRank92/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Tags

NarrativeDarkSoloCo-op

Year 2004Dev Rockstar North

Stores

Steam ↗Epic ↗Xbox ↗PS ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Sandbox” category, the closest game to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is Mafia III — scoring 89/100 on our similarity scale. Saints Row: The Third and Watch Dogs 2 follow close behind.

#1Mafia III89 #2Saints Row: The Third86 #3Watch Dogs 295 #4Watch Dogs92 #5Saints Row 292

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The best sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

27 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Each one has been evaluated across 19 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

89

Mafia III

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeStealthNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 57%· 63KIGDB68· 23

Year 2016Dev Hangar 13 · 2K GamesOn PS4 · PC · Mac

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting.

≠ Missing: ranged combat.

#2Saints Row: The Third

86

Saints Row: The Third

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 96%· 69KIGDB85· 10

Year 2011Dev Volition · Square EnixOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of open-world action games: shooter, third-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with horror setting, online features and skill tree progression, while skipping strong narrative focus

95

Watch Dogs 2

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeStealthDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 83%· 92KIGDB81· 21OC82· 136

Year 2016Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings setting scifi, setting cyberpunk and skill tree progression, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

92

Watch Dogs

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeStealthNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 79%· 50KIGDB81· 20OC79· 105

Year 2014Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings setting scifi, setting cyberpunk and skill tree progression, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

92

Saints Row 2

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 76%· 21KRAWG👍 64%· 897MC78IGDB81· 6

Year 2008Dev Volition · Deep SilverPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: third-person shooting, adventure storytelling and shooter

≠ Its own twist: online features and skill tree progression, while skipping first-person shooting

90

Saints Row

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Co-opSoloMultiplayerMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 57%· 8.3KIGDB61· 4OC63· 160

Year 2022Dev Volition · Deep SilverOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with skill tree progression, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

#7Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

90

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 75%· 9.7KIGDB64· 11OC67· 69

Year 2015Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

✓ Same family of open-world action games: shooter, third-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: horror setting and online features, while skipping racing gameplay

#8Mafia II (Classic)

89

Mafia II (Classic)

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeStealthRangedNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 58KRAWG👍 88%· 2.2KMC77IGDB73· 6

Year 2010Dev 2K Czech · 2K GamesPlaytime ~13hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with third-person shooting, adventure storytelling and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, fantasy world and historical setting, while skipping first-person shooting

#9Sunset Overdrive

89

Sunset Overdrive

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 90%· 14KIGDB82· 16OC83· 89

Year 2014Dev Insomniac Games · Microsoft StudiosOn PC · Xbox

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing shooter, third-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, post-apocalyptic world and horror setting, while skipping racing gameplay

89

Hitman 3

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerStealthMeleeNarrativeDarkSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 63KIGDB85· 16OC85· 196

Year 2021Dev IO InteractiveOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design and combat tactical, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

#11Just Cause 4

89

Just Cause 4

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloCo-opMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 62%· 32KIGDB69· 15OC68· 134

Year 2018Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting.

≠ Missing: racing gameplay.

#12Just Cause 3

88

Just Cause 3

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 127KIGDB77· 19OC75· 109

Year 2015Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Nearly identical: adventure storytelling, shooter and third-person shooting.

≠ Missing: racing gameplay.

#13Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

88

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 30KRAWG👍 93%· 3.1KMC94IGDB94· 4

Year 2002Dev Rockstar North · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with third-person shooting, adventure storytelling and shooter

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, while skipping first-person shooting

#14Just Cause 2

88

Just Cause 2

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 51KRAWG👍 64%· 1.4KMC84IGDB85· 4

Year 2010Dev Square EnixPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Nearly identical: third-person shooting, adventure storytelling and shooter.

≠ Missing: first-person shooting.

87

Just Cause

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 66%· 5.2KRAWG👍 48%· 446MC75IGDB60· 1

Year 2006Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing third-person shooting, adventure storytelling and shooter

≠ Stands apart with procedural generation, while skipping first-person shooting

Complete list of sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Postal III

Postal III

FPS · Shooter

Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV

Adventure · Third-person shooter

Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3

Shooter · FPS

Saints Row IV

Saints Row IV

Adventure · Shooter

Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4

Shooter · Adventure

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

Third-person shooter · Shooter

Generation Zero

Generation Zero

Shooter · FPS

POSTAL 2

POSTAL 2

Adventure · Sandbox

Far Cry 2

Far Cry 2

Shooter · FPS

Trailmakers

Trailmakers

Adventure · Simulation

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Adventure · Sandbox

Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition

Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition

Adventure · Sandbox

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