The Nintendo Switch has become a playground for modders, who have taken on wild projects like returning cut Pokemon to Pokemon Sword and Shield. Now, modders have brought the iconic Grand Theft Auto 3 to the Switch, making it the first time that the game is (unofficially) playable on an Nintendo system.
Grand Theft Auto 3 holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers. While it was not the first-open world game, it was one of the most popular early open-world games, and for many players it was their first experience with the now ubiquitous genre. It would go on to codify a lot of features that would become standard in the genre, setting the stage for wildly popular sequels, like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto 5.
The game was controversial when it was first released due its graphic portray of both sex and violence. Just last year, almost 20 years after the game was released, GTA 3 was given an updated rating in Australia, to better reflect the game's sexual content. Upon release, GTA 3 was not available on any Nintendo systems, most likely due to a mix of publishing contracts and the game's less than family friendly image. While later GTA games were released on Nintendo systems, there's never been a way to play GTA 3 on the Switch, until now.
One industrious YouTube going by the name of Eradicatinglove has uploaded a guide, showing how to port the game to the Switch. Without getting lost in the weeds, the port requires both an emulator and ZIP file of the game that can be found online. From his video, it looks like the ported version is not fully stable, and there are a number of glitches that can occur. Love does get the game to run smoothly, and is able to show off the games glorious, early 2000's era graphics.
It should be noted that this not an official port, and Rockstar is in no way involved with bringing the game to the Switch. Porting this game is a form of piracy, and while its debatable if piracy actually affects video game sales, it is certainly not something to be taken lightly. While some players will have no issues porting the game, considering the fact that it's almost 20 years old, others may take issue with any actions that are stealing adjacent.