"Right, you could pull off Assassins creed without a living breathing city and massive landscapes and combat."
San Andreas had all those things. While that's too much for the PS1, it's not too much for the Wii, so all that gets sacrificed is an expensive coat of paint.
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs