GTA coming to GBA before year end

The long-awaited GBA version of Grand Theft Auto will be released before the end of this year, but won't be a direct port of the 1997 original, it has emerged.

The car jacking crime-fuelled bonanza of freeform gameplay looks certain to go down a storm on the format and could spark a sales surge for Nintendo's format in the run up to the all-important Christmas season.

Details on the project remain scant to date, but it's understood that while the traditional top down viewpoint will be used for the game, the GBA version will have its own entirely unique storyline - making it an even more essential purchase among the brand's millions of fans.

Full, official details are understood to be formally released within the next few weeks. Check back for the full lowdown on GTA GBA soon.