Video Game Hall of Fame: Grand Theft Auto 3

Listen, you guys might have thought you liked the first two GTA games, and they were alright, but the jump from GTA 2 to GTA 3 was like the jump from 10 Yard Fight to Madden 2001. On top of that, GTA 3 wasn't just an extremely fun game (which is definitely was), but it was also an important game.

First off, it gave the adventure genre something outside of the standard medieval style, a la Zelda or Diablo. By doing this, it set the stage for similar games like Mafia, Scarface, and Saints Row (which by the way is a phenomenal game, and a likely future HOF inductee), not to mention the 3 sequels, all of which have been highly-rated and well-received games (and again, candidates for future induction).

But while the style of game was creative, the content of the game was revolutionary. Never in such a mainstream game had mature themes been so front-and-center. From robbery to murder to prostitution, the game had plenty for the censorship boards to scream about. The game was widely condemned by supposed "moral leaders," including several religious groups, school administrators, and politicians.

For all the hullabaloo, though, the first amendment prevailed. The game received an "M" rating, restricting its sale to people 17 years or older, or children with their parents' presence and permission. It went on to become one of the highest-selling games of all time, selling over 15 million copies. More importantly, it paved the way for explicitly criminal activity to be featured in video games, which is really what we all wanted anyways, right?

The game itself is huge, with good enough variety in the missions, and a lot of freedom to explore, as well as rewards for doing so. It's got limitations, such as an inability to actually use taxi services or swim, but they really just gave the game designers something to fix in future versions. All in all, the game was more than most of us could have asked for, and it put Rock Star Games on the map for good. Hell, they can just keep making GTAs and never run out of business...not unlike the Madden franchise.