[Manco]

Well it needs to be innovative for a start and GTA:SA was not that. Everything in that game has been done before except for have liaisons with prostitutes and then kill them to get your money back... I wouldn't base that to be ground breaking enough for it to be considered a classic.

Classic != innovative. If a game is good enough that people remember it, enjoy it and still consider it a good game seven years later, it has every right to be called a classic.

Also:

Other additions and changes

Other new features and changes from previous Grand Theft Auto games include:

• Gang wars: Battles with enemy gangs are prompted whenever the player (either alone or accompanied by fellow Grove Street Families members) ventures into enemy territory and kills at least three gang members. If the player then survives three waves of enemies, the territory will be won and fellow gang members will begin wandering the streets of these areas. The more territory owned by the player, the more money that will be generated. Occasionally, the player's territory will come under attack from enemy gangs and defeating them will be necessary to retain these areas. Once all marked territories are claimed from one of the two other gangs for the Grove Street Families that gang can no longer attack, once you get all the territories none can come under attack.[23]
• Car modification: Most automobiles in the game can be modified and upgraded at various garages. All car mods are strictly visual apart from a nitrous oxide system which gives the car a speed boost when activated; and hydraulics, which lowers the car's height by default and allows the player to control various aspects of the car's suspension. Other common modifications include paintjobs, rims, body kits, side skirts, bumpers and stereo system upgrades.
• Burglary: Continuing the series' tradition of controversy, home invasion is included as a potential money-making activity.[24] By stealing a burglary van, CJ is able to sneak into a residence at night, and cart off valuables or shake down the occupants.
• Minigames: Numerous minigames are also available for play in San Andreas, including basketball, pool, rhythm-based challenges (dancing and 'bouncing' lowriders with hydraulics), and video game machines that pay homage to classic arcade games. In addition, there are the aforementioned casino games and methods of gambling, such as betting on virtual horse races.[25]
• Money: The money system has been expanded upon, compared to previous titles. Players can spend their cash on gambling, tattoos, meals, etc. Excessive gambling loss can force the player to sink into debt, which is shown in red negative numbers. When the player leaves a safehouse, CJ gets an unexpected call and a mysterious person tells him about his debts. Four gang members suddenly appear and shoot Carl on sight if he does not erase the debt when the mysterious person calls him a second time.
• Multiplayer: Rampages have been modified to allow two players to complete them. The players are both shown simultaneously on the screen, meaning they must stay within close proximity of each other. The multiplayer Rampages were removed from the PC version of the game. However, for the PC version, there are also online multiplayer mods called Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas and San Andreas Multiplayer (SA-MP) which allow players to connect with hundreds of people online through various servers and fan-made game modes.

And whilst it has the popularity and sales down I wouldn't think it was popular only because it was a good game. If we break down the ratio of the sales it was bought mostly by wiggers who wanted to drive cars really fast and mow down hoes. Hell, I'd say that a majority of the cunts didn't even finish the game. It was also very brown. Silage brown even.

Who cares why people bought the game? The fact is that lots of people bought and enjoyed it. The fact that it appealed to more than just one market segment doesn't somehow change that.