Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Achievement Guide & Road Map

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Achievement Guide

Overview:
Estimated achievement difficulty: 5/10
Offline: 33 [1000]
Online: 0
Approximate amount of time to 1000: 25-30 hours
Minimum number of playthroughs needed: 1
Number of missable achievements: 1 - "Time to Kill"
Does difficulty affect achievements: No difficulty
Unobtainable/glitched achievements: None
Extra equipment needed: None

Credits: Full credit goes to DerangedAsylum for providing videos for some of the achievements, and to GTA-SanAndreas.com for their import/export image.

Introduction:
Welcome back to Los Santos, playa. It's time to get back to gang banging. With improved visuals and a beautiful 720p resolution, San Andreas returns on Xbox 360. And of course, what would any remaster be without the inclusion of achievements? There is a small pattering of 33 achievements, with no online and, thankfully, no 100% requirement. This makes the list relatively easy, but the game can still take quite a bit of time due to some miscellaneous achievements and the sheer scope of content in the game. Here you'll be given the run down on what you need to do, what you don't need to do, and some tricks to get the 100% completion as fast as possible. Side note: Cheats do disable achievements, like the GTAs before it.

Abbreviated Walkthrough:
There are 100 missions in total spread throughout Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, as well as some spread through Flint and Bone County. It is recommended to start and complete the first five missions or so to unlock the entirety of Los Santos and Flint County to explore, as well as to get some simple achievements and challenges out of the way. Since none of the missions in Los Santos are very hard, simply go through the story without worrying about anything else, yet, except for some easy ones like "Represent", "Get a Pump", "Pay n' Spray", "Hustle Some", "Assert Yourself Next Time", "Horror of the Santa Maria", "Trickster", and "What Are The Odds" – these can be completed right out of the gate if wanted, but these can also wait as they can be obtained at any time. Whether or not these are out of the way, simply progress through the campaign like normal. Once you reach Angel Pine, it is highly recommended to complete the Paramedic missions to get the maximum health possible (also netting the Paramedic achievement) for help with the rest of the game. Once that's out of the way, it is simply completing the campaign and mopping up with the miscellaneous achievements once those are done. Completing the campaign will net you "Getting Started", "All Dressed Up in San Fierro", "What Happens in Las Venturas..." and "End of the Line".

NOTE: See "Time to Kill" BEFORE completing the final mission as this is the only missable achievement in the game.

Mop-Up:
Once the game's campaign is completed, the rest of the Miscellaneous achievements can be easily obtained. It is recommended to get the vehicle specific ones like "Savior" and "What the City Needs" out of the way first, as they make CJ more impervious to damage. These can be completed at any time, but are recommended to be completed earlier for their benefits. Then it's simply going after the rest of them, which won't be too time consuming if CJ is appropriately equipped.

Conclusion:
San Andreas HD is a remaster of a once great game now on a great console – thankfully the Rockstar gods chose not to torture us with the dreaded 100% gamestat achievement, but have instead given us a relatively easy achievement list that will hopefully be fun to complete.

[XBA would like to thank Dante Kasai for this roadmap]

Getting Started

20
Complete Big Smoke
(6)
Story related and cannot be missed.
Represent

10
Purchase a Grove Street tattoo
(2)
Tattoo shops are indicated on the map by the black T-like symbol – one is located close to Old Reece's barber shop, which you will travel to on Ryder's mission. Simply enter the shop and purchase a Grove Street tattoo; there is one on the lower front abdomen area.
The End of the Line

100
Complete End of the Line
(17)
Story related and cannot be missed.
Hustle some

10
Win a game of pool
(20)
This one can be tricky. First you have to find a bar; there is one right next to Grove Street. Drive down the street from CJ's house. Across the first intersection, on the right, is a bar that can be entered indicated by the yellow cone. In the left side back of the bar are two pool tables with a man standing beside one. Enter a wager with him and play the best you can; his AI capabilities are god-like, but he can make simple errors. Keep betting only $50 at a time so you don't go broke, and hope the AI pockets the black 8 out of turn.
A Legitimate Business

20
Export all three car lists
(14)
This can be obtained after the mission “Customs Fast Track” by taking all of the listed cars (shown on a billboard at the end of the pier) to the crane and using the crane to lift the vehicle onto the ship. You must complete the Driving School (pass each test with 70% or greater) to access the mission line that leads to "Customs Fast Track." This is a good source of money, albeit time consuming.

This map can help with a few of the vehicle locations. This image comes from the website https://gta-sanandreas.com/guides/importexport/index.php - check them out for an even more detailed guide on where to find every car!
The American Dream

20
Purchase any house
(3)
Easily obtained after a few story missions, a property can be purchased once you see a green “House” icon on the map. The cheapest ones encountered are the Hotel Suites in Las Venturas, or the $10,000 house near Cesar Vialpando's house.
Get a Pump

10
Do a barbell curl or benchpress at any gym
Easily obtained after the second mission. A gym will open up down from Grove Street indicated by the Barbell icon on the map. Enter the gym and go over to the barbells or bench press and get on the machine, then complete one rep by mashing for an easy achievement.
Pay 'n' Spray

20
Use a Pay 'n' Spray with wanted level
(7)
Story related and cannot be missed.
Bike or Biker

30
Complete BMX or NRG challenge
(8)
The BMX challenge is found in Glen Park with all the pipes and stunt sets. All you have to do is touch all the coronas in the time limit. This method needs quite the high cycling skill (about 75%) to beat. The NRG challenge may be a bit easier; it is located in San Fierro by the Easter Basin drydock.
Beat the Cock

20
Win the Beat the Cock marathon
(34)
The Beat the Cock marathon is only available after “The Green Sabre” mission, and is located on the Santa Maria beach on the weekends (0:00 Saturday to 23:59 Sunday). It is highly recommended to complete the Burglary missions for this. To do this, steal $10,000 or more worth of items from people's houses. After the Burglary mission with Ryder, there will always be a black Boxville in the apartment set where you go to find B Dup. Doing this will net you unlimited sprint, making the Triathlon a cakewalk. Only attempt this with little fat, as having a high fat percentage will make CJ run slower.

This video also provides the normal way to beat the Triathlon.
Metrosexual

20
Spend $6,969 on clothes, hair, and tattoos.
(8)
This is more easily obtained after you complete the mission “St. Mark's Bistro” in Las Venturas, as this will unlock the Didier Sachs shop in East Los Santos. Going to there, each piece of clothing can cost up to $5000 each, so buy one or two items and this will unlock immediately.
School's Out

20
Fully complete a vehicle school
(5)
The first opportunity to get this will come after a few proper missions in San Fierro. Jethro will call and tell CJ that there is a driving school up the block, avoiding saying that he is a horrible driver. Afterward the school will be marked by a big red “S” - complete each test with 70% or above to get the achievement.

OR: Wait until you get to the Flight School in Bone County – Toreno will tell you to get your pilot's license. These tests are very easy and are easier than the driving school.
Serial Offender

20
Get arrested 50 times.
(41)
Easily obtained right out of the gate – it is recommended to get this as early as possible since getting busted will remove all of your weapons. The easiest way to get busted is to drive in front of a police car and attempt to carjack it. The cop will get out, allowing you to get in. Allow him to open the door back up – he should point his gun at you, and the screen will say Busted. Only Busted screens count.
Freight Date

10
Take the train between cities
(5)
Train tracks are marked by the red lines on the map, and can only be obtained after San Fierro is unlocked. Once it is, follow the tracks to any station. There is a station right across the San Fierro garage – get in the train and press to skip the destination until the achievement pops.
Horror of the Santa Maria

10
Drown
(3)
Easily obtained right out of the gate. Simply head in one direction until you hit water, then get in and press and hold the down. Keep him under water until his Lung Capacity runs out, then he will slowly lose energy until he dies.
Assert Yourself Next Time

10
Fail a mission
(17)
Easily obtained right out of the gate. All you have to do is die during any mission. This will come naturally during gameplay.
What the City Needs

30
Complete 12 levels of Vigilante
(27)
This is best obtained after Las Venturas is unlocked and the jetpack spawns at the abandoned airstrip. Take the jetpack and travel to the army base. Fly over the fence and head for the barrack looking buildings near one of the SAM missiles. There will be a tank inside two of the three. Get in; the tank is near invincible unless you flip it and you will immediately destroy any car by running into it. Start the Vigilante mission by pressing and ram away. You can make it faster by firing the main cannon with . Completing this mission set will give you 150% normal armor.
Savior

30
Complete 12 levels of Paramedic
(18)
This is most easily done in Angel Pine due to the small town size. Kill someone or find the hospital and steal the ambulance, then complete the mission as normal. Should be relatively easy as long as you don't kill any of the patients. Completing this mission set will give you 150% health.
Rescue a Kitten Too?

30
Complete 12 levels of Firefighter
(13)
This can be completed at any time, but is most easily done in a city so you don't flip the truck. Find a firetruck by starting a fire (blowing up cars will usually attract one, but will get you Wanted) or finding one by any fire station. The fire station in Los Santos is located under the freeway. Completing this mission set will make CJ fireproof (will not lose health when on fire).
Yes I Speak English

30
Reach 50 fares in Taxi Mode
(7)
Sadly there is no easy way to skip through this – every city is the same in terms of distance. If you want, you can wait until Las Venturas is open, since it is the most relatively flat of the three to complete. Simply enter any taxi by jacking it and click to activate. Then get your 50 fares. You donot have to complete all 50 in one sitting. Completing this mission set will automatically give all taxis you enter hydraulics and nitrous.
Trickster

30
Master Pimping Game
(10)
This is a vehicle mission set that can be completed easily right out of the gate by entering any Broadway that is undamaged and clicking . One is located behind the gas station in Idlewood. Simply pick up a ho and drive her to her customer, and so on. Once you get 10 'cuts' you will complete the mission. Completing this mission set will make any ho's you have 'relations' with give you money instead of taking it.
Time to Kill

30
Watch Credits to the end
(8)
Simply obtained by not pressing any buttons while the credits roll. WARNING: Save your game beforehand in case you accidentally skip them, as you will not be able to re-watch them. If you do skip them, reload your save to watch them again.

What happens in Las Venturas...

40
Complete Yay Ka-Boom-Boom
Story related and cannot be missed.
All Dressed Up for San Fierro

40
Complete The Green Sabre
Story related and cannot be missed.
Home Run

20
Achieve 'sex' with any of the girlfriends
(9)
When you unlock Las Venturas and get to the missions in the Four Dragons Casino, a '$' mission will pop up. Follow this story set to get to the mission Key To Her Heart, where you will automatically unlock this achievement upon finishing it.
What are the Odds

20
Win a race in Inside Track Betting
(11)
Inside Track Betting is located in Downtown Los Santos and Montgomery, Red County. Simply bet on any race and hope that you win.

NOTE: If you want to make lots of money very quickly, get to Catalina's missions so her save point is accessible. Then save your game there and drive down to the shop. Bet all of your money on one of the higher payout horses (7:1 or 9:1). If you lose, reload the save and try again. Keep betting all your money on the same ratio horse, and eventually you'll win. Keep doing this to multiply your money exponentially. Best done with about $50,000 or more to save time. (12:1 or 11:1 can take quite a long time to win, so it is best to use the lower ratios)
Double or Nothin'

20
Put all your money or the maximum bet on red or black and win
(6)
This can be obtained after gaining access to Las Venturas. Go inside any casino (The Four Dragons work well, since it is marked on your map with a save point) and go to a roulette table. Bet the maximum wager on either the red or black square and win, and this will pop.
Assassin

10
Complete a stealth kill
(4)
This can be obtained when entering Madd Dogg's mansion on an OG Loc mission; simply take a knife and crouch walk up behind someone while targeting them. CJ will raise the knife when it can be done. Press while standing still in this stance to assassinate them.
Original Gangster

100
Reach maximum respect
(10)
This will come naturally while going for "Grove Street War Lord".
The Los Santos Slayer

20
Reach a total kill count of 4,000
(24)
This one will be fun. Going through the campaign, I had about 3,500 kills when everything was done. If you need more, simply take the Hydra jet from your airstrip (it will spawn there after Toreno's second to last mission) and blow everything the hell up. Make sure you save beforehand if you die or something goes wrong.
Public Enemy No. 1

50
Reach 6 wanted stars
(18)
Easily obtained when going for Vigilante by the Rhino Tank method; if you did not use this method, steal the Tank from the army base in Las Venturas and blow up every cop car and helicopter around you.
Chick Magnet

100
Achieve maximum sex appeal
(38)
This can be achieved easily with any sports car and this glitch. Best to buy a medium grade piece of clothing such as a vest or track pants to reduce amount of times needed to reclothe yourself. The ZR-350 and Banshee work well for this.
Grove Street War Lord

50
Capture 30 territories
(14)
This is done after Gang Territories are unlocked after the “Doberman” mission; kill any three enemy gang members while inside a territory to start the war.

NOTE: It is recommended to do this after returning to Los Santos from Las Venturas, as you will lose all territory gained beforehand. This will also mean you have more weapons and armaments to prepare yourself against the waves. Capture any 30 territories and this will unlock. This achievement is not cumulative; you must hold 30 at once to obtain it.