While Rockstar hasn’t announced any plans forGrand Theft Auto 6to come to Nintendo platforms, the current Switch eShop sale offers something of a consolation prize. Nintendo has eased up on its traditional family-friendly image over time, keeping its first-party games clean but allowing plenty of third-party transgressors.Grand Theft Autohas popped up on Nintendo systems a few times, most notably withGTA: Chinatown Warson DS and theGTA: The Trilogyremaster, but the best option forGTAfans might be a cheaper package from a different franchise altogether.
In the currenteShopsale,Saints Row: The Big Purple Packagehas dropped to 2.99, a 90% discount from its $29.99 MSRP.The Big Purple Packagecontains complete editions of bothSaints Row: The ThirdandSaints Row 4, the games that defined the series for many modern fans. LikeGTA,Saints Rowfocuses on chaotic criminal enterprises in open-world cities, although its brand of humor makesGTA’s irreverence look relatively refined.
Saints Row Is GTA’s Biggest Competitor
Giving Rockstar A Run For Its Money
While the2022Saints Rowrebootdidn’t go over particularly well,Saints Row 3and4represent just about the most intense competition thatGTAhas ever had. The sheer ridiculousness of the games was a pivot away from the comparatively groundedSaints Row 1and2, but it earned the games a cultural moment that other crime games must have envied. Even if the humor doesn’t appeal to you, a focus on over-the-top action provides some solid fun.
The Switch eShop sale is notably even cheaper than buying the games onSteam, whereThe Big Purple Packageis missing as an option. Instead, a PC copy ofSaints Row: The Third Remasteredcosts $4.49, andSaints Row 4: Re-Electedis $4.99. Taking the additional convenience of having the games on Switch into account,it’s hard to deny the value prospect.
Saints Row Is A Better Sale Package Than GTA
A Better Deal On A Better Bundle
I’ll be the first to say that the games collected inGTA: The Trilogyare better thanSaint’s Row 3and4, but the prospect of buying the package isn’t quite as winning. While they’ve received some major fixes, theGTAremasters introduced many problemsthat weren’t present in the original games, and you could pick up some used PS2 copies for just as cheap if you have the hardware. In the eShop sale,GTA: The Trilogyrings up as $23.99 after a 60% discount, eight times the price ofSaints Row: The Big Purple Package.
There’s always a chance thatGTA 6will eventually make its way to the Switch 2, but it’ll likely be a long time coming if it does. In the meantime,Saint’s Rowisn’t the only alternative, and I’d give a significantly higher endorsement to theYakuza/Like a Dragonseriesas far as the general quality of crime games goes. If you’re looking to scratch thatGrand Theft Autoitch, though, nothing will cover as much of the same territory (and at such a low price) asSaints Row: The Big Purple Packagedoes.
Sources:Nintendo eShop,Steam
