Gangs in Grand Theft Auto Advance divide Liberty City by neighborhood and shift map colors to show who holds an area as Mike works through story missions.
Role
Major Gangs
Major Gangs entries and their turf, look, and specialty within the game world.
Yardies
The Yardies are a Jamaican criminal organization led by King Courtney and one of the two main hostile groups in Mike's story.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Portland
- District
- Portland
- Leader
- King Courtney
- Specialty
- Drug trafficking
- Gang color
- Green
Hoods
The Southside Hoods are a street gang and one of the two main hostile groups in Mike's story. Their Trenton Hoods set appears as an enemy during the opening Portland missions.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Trenton
- District
- Portland
- Specialty
- Street gang
- Gang color
- Red
Cartel
The Colombian Cartel is led by Cisco and initially works with Mike. After Cisco's death, its members blame Mike and become hostile.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Shoreside Vale
- District
- Shoreside
- Leader
- Cisco
- Specialty
- Drug cartel
- Gang color
- Grey
Yakuza
The Yakuza is a Japanese criminal organization based on Staunton Island and led by Asuka Kasen. It becomes Mike's principal ally after he starts working for Asuka and supports him during the story's climax.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Staunton Island
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- Asuka Kasen
- Specialty
- Protection racket
- Gang color
- White
Mafia
The Leone Crime Family (ambiguously referred to as the Mafia) is a major Italian mafia led by Don Salvatore Leone, that has been a force in Liberty City longer than any other gang. They appear as the main unseen bosses during the first strand of missions in Portland, as all of Vinnie's missions given to Mike at Momma's Restaurante are favors for his associates from the Mafia. They are known to use the Portland Harbor to offload drugs and smuggle guns.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Shoreside Vale
- District
- Shoreside
- Leader
- Mike's boss
- Specialty
- Organized crime
- Gang color
- Black
Role
Minor Gangs
Smaller or mission-tied crews that appear less often but still shape specific jobs or districts.
Triads
The Triads are a Chinese criminal organization operating in Portland. They play no major role in the storyline.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Portland
- District
- Portland
- Specialty
- Heroin
- Gang color
- Yellow
Diablos
The Diablos are a Latin American gang led by a former porn actor known as El Burro. They play no major role in the storyline.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Shoreside
- District
- Shoreside
- Specialty
- Street crew
- Gang color
- Red
How gangs shape the map
Territory is the main clue. A gang that holds a district appears more often there, drives its favored cars through the streets, and posts members near mission givers or safe areas. Crossing a border can flip the crowd from neutral to hostile without any story trigger.
Colors and clothing confirm the faction before a weapon is drawn. Jackets, hats, and vehicle paint read faster than the minimap when traffic is dense or night has fallen.
Respect, missions, and hostility
Many entries in this era use a respect or loyalty system. Helping one gang can lower standing with its rivals and change which phones ring and which bosses trust you. That is why the same district can feel quiet in one chapter and tense in the next.
Mission ties matter when a job asks for a gang car or a specific neighborhood. Knowing which faction drives which vehicle saves a long search, especially where spawn points cluster near industrial yards, docks, or housing blocks.
Using the comparison fields
Leader, territory, district, gang color, symbol, gang car, and specialty stay together per row so you can compare factions at a glance. Specialty explains what the group does rather than where it parks, while territory and district explain where you will meet it. If a row shows no value for a field, that detail was not documented for this title rather than missing from the game.
FAQ
How do I tell gangs apart on the street?
Use clothing color, gang car, and district. A faction that favors a car or color in one neighborhood will repeat that pattern near its turf.
Why is a gang hostile without a mission trigger?
Territory and story progress decide hostility. Crossing into rival turf or advancing the story can flip a district from neutral to aggressive.
Do gangs affect available missions?
Yes. Boss phones and mission givers tie to specific crews, so respect or chapter progress changes who offers work and where the phone rings.
What does specialty tell me?
Specialty describes the crew business, such as narcotics, protection, arms, or political cover. It explains why a gang holds a particular district, how it looks and why it holds it.
Why are some fields blank?
A blank means that detail was not verifiable for this title. The row keeps the verified fields and leaves the rest empty rather than guessing.