With so many stellar titles under its belt, picking whichGrand Theft Autogame is the greatest is difficult. Many fans justifiably citeGrand Theft Auto: San Andreasas the best of the bunch. The popularity it enjoys continues to this very day. So much so, in fact, that an official remaster of the game is rumored to be in the works.
RELATED:Grand Theft Auto III: Mods That Remaster The Game
However, a hard-and-fastdate for the rerelease is still elusive. In the meantime, PC players can always make use of mods to create their own remaster. Although thesemods aren’t perfectand may take some tweaking, they can still vastly improve one’s experience when playingSan Andreasfor the hundredth time.
Updated August 07, 2025 by Mark Hospodar:Remastering an old game like San Andreas through the use of mods can be rewarding, though it’s often a time-consuming process. Mods can be finicky, especially when installing a large number of them. In this particular case, it’s always a good idea to test these mods one at a time to ensure stability. Using the Mod Loader tool is a quick and easy way to experiment with different mods and to see what works well with each other. Always read a mod author’s instructions carefully to get the best results.
Mod Loader
Installing mods, especially for old games, can be a pain sometimes. Luckily, the most popular gaming franchises typically possess a mod organizing tool of some sort. In the case ofGrand Theft Auto, that tool isMod Loader.
Mod Loader simplifies the process of adding and deleting mods from one’s game directory. When everything is neat and organized, things generally tend to run smoother. In any event, it’s still worth reading the instructions of every mod to avoid compatibility issues and annoying crashes.
15Memory512
There’s no getting around the fact thatSan Andreaslooks beyond dated in terms of graphics. One of the most noticeable issues when playing the game today is the lackluster draw distance. Games this old don’t often utilize the full power of a modern PC’s memory, which can negatively affect the draw distance.
Mods, however, can help ease the burden to some extent. One nifty tool isMemory512, which allowsSan Andreasto run more smoothly on modern hardware. By extension, the game’s draw distance is improved, making it possible for more objects to be loaded at once. The result is all-around nicer visuals.
14Animations Mod
LongtimeGrand Theft Autoplayers are no doubt aware of thejanky nature of the older games' animations. They’re almost comical to witness, not to mention frustrating at times during tense encounters. Improving the animations even a little goes a long way.
RELATED:The Best Fan Remakes, Mods & Remasters Ever Made
TheAnimations Modadds some new abilities for the sake of flavor and realism. For example, players can flag down and hail taxis as they can in future entries. The mod also allows players to take cover behind walls, which makes combat encounters a bit more tactical.
13Car Packs
Unsurprisingly, cars play a prominent role in a series titled “Grand Theft Auto.” They represent the primary means of transportation in every entry in the franchise. Particularly in the older games, though, driving the same limited collection of cars repeatedly can become boring.
ThisCar Packmod replaces virtually every single vehicle in the game with a real-world equivalent. For players who have already beatenSan Andreasseveral times already, a new selection of cars helps keep the next playthrough fresh and interesting.
12INSANITY Audio Pack
Although new additions and overhauled graphics are great in a remaster, a game’s sound effects shouldn’t be ignored, either. As with graphics, sounds can become dated as well. Mods that seek to tackle this facet ofSan Andreascertainly deserve attention.
TheINSANITY Audio Packisn’t a bad sound mod to try out. It overhauls many of the game’s various sound effects, such as sirens, traffic noise, weapon discharges, and much more. For a bit of added realism, the INSANITY Audio Pack does a decent job.
11San Andreas Beautification Project ENB
ENBs aren’t graphics mods in the strict sense, but they often fit hand-in-glove with them. When looking to get the most out of a game’s visuals, a good ENB is something to consider. TheSan Andreas Beautification Project ENBis one of the more current options.
RELATED:Video Game Sequels That Took Longer To Arrive Than Grand Theft Auto 6
The ENB itself is actually part of a larger guide that aims to improveSan Andreas’visuals. Fans interested in following the guide more closely should take a look at the ENB’s description on Nexus. When combined with other enhancements, the results of the ENB can be quite striking.
10GTA San Andreas: Definitive Edition
Generally speaking, installing mods that are all-in-one packages is ideal, particularly for beginners. Given the apt title ofGrand Theft Auto: Definitive Edition, this mod encompasses a slew of features in a single, convenient source. Just be sure to follow the mod author’s instructions carefully!
The Definitive Edition incorporates a little bit of everything. It includes myriad bug fixes, corrects numerous errors and crashes, adds much-needed widescreen support, and gives the textures and models a fresh coat of paint. It’s a very impressive mod that lives up to its namesake.
9Collection Of Graphics Mods
Any kind of remaster is going to give the graphics a lot of attention. There’s actually quite a dizzying array of graphics mods available forSan Andreas. Once again, installing an all-in-one package deal can save some time and effort.
RELATED:Grand Theft Auto Characters Who Appear In Multiple Games
Fans may want to consider the bluntly-namedCollection of Graphics Mods. This add-on enhances a variety of visuals, in particular the environment itself. The vegetation, clouds, roads, and other various effects are given attention. When starting to tweak the graphics, this mod isn’t a bad place to start.
8Ultimate Graphics
This mod can serve as a suitable alternative to the previous entry. In addition to upgrading the textures, this mod also tweaks other subtle effects, such as shadows.Ultimate Graphicswon’t tank one’s PC either, so those with lower-end setups can still get something out of it. For better visuals without the added headaches, this mod is worth considering.
7New Effects
Better textures are all well and good, but there are other facets of the visuals that deserve attention too. TheNew Effectsmod is a good place to start when looking to upgrade some of the tertiary visuals, such as fire effects, water, and lighting. These sleeker and more lifelike effects blend nicely alongside the improved textures.
6SilentPatch
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreaswasoriginally released in 2004. As such, it’s quite an old title by video game standards. Official patches aren’t going to fixSan Andreas’s myriad collection of bugs. For that, patches compiled by modders are essential.
RELATED:Grand Theft Auto III: Things You Didn’t Know About The Game’s Development
TheSilentPatchis absolutely essential when looking to upgrade this classic title. Bug fixes and stability on modern hardware is the name of the game as far as this mod is concerned. Its features are too numerous to list here, so check out the mod author’s description for the full breakdown.
