It’s widely known that Vice City was originally planned as DLC for GTA III. However, as one of the best video game decisions, the plan changed, and Vice City became its own standalone game. Rockstar released the potential of vibrant ’80s-inspired Miami and opted to create the game to feel more alive.
Successful in their approach, Rockstar’s Vice City became one of the best-selling standalone titles and inspired countless open-world games. So, today, in honor of the game starting first as a mod, we will look at and break down the countless mods community members have created for the beloved title.
Vice City Multiplayer
There’s no denying that one of the biggest drawbacks to GTA: Vice City is the lack of multiplayer. In recent years, GTA has been synonymous with multiplayer as Rockstar continues to support GTA Online. Vice City Multiplayer allows players to bring that fun to an old classic by creating and hosting their own customizable servers. Or, if you don’t want to host your own, dozens of already-created servers are hosted by community members. These servers provide a wide range of experiences, from deathmatches to cruising in cars together.
The mod supports the game’s Steam and 1.0 retail versions and allows for customizable assets. Hosts can add skins, objects, weapons, etc., to their server, making it unique while fitting the needs of the players.
Grand Theft Auto Vice City Fix Pack
Returning to the original Vice City, the Fix Pack mod essentially works as an updated game version. The mod aims to fix bugs on the Steam version while adding higher frame rates and resolutions. Acting more as a collection of the best mods for Vice City, the Fix Pack adds dozens of quality-of-life improvements.
It allows for a nonfixed camera while driving, HD icons and HUDs, a widescreen that fits your monitor, radio scrolling, and much more. If you have Vice City on Steam, this mod is a must-have for the sheer amount of improvements it makes over the original game., while retaining its appeal and atmosphere.
Vice City: Remastered
What would Vice City look like if it came out today? Would it still have the vibrant ’80s atmosphere we fell in love with? While technically cheating, Vice Cry: Remastered is a mod for GTA V. The mod remakes Vice City as a DLC for GTA V and adds every aspect of the game, including new models and textures.
Five members of the GTA community created the project, and it was years in the making. While it may not be a Vice City mod, it is the closest thing we’ve gotten to a remake of the title. Unfortunately, the mod does miss the classic cartoonish style that was iconic to the original.
MeTV Radio
One thing that never fails in a GTA title is driving around peacefully while listening to the radio (bonus points if it’s raining at night). MeTV is a simple mod that adds over seven hours of ’80s hits to the radio. It also goes a step further and adds commercial and news breaks because no radio experience would be complete without them.
The songs featured are by ’80s icons, including Michael Jackson, Madonna, Blondie, and much more. While not game-breaking, it will make you want to cruise around in your car and forget about life for a while.
Vice City Big Mission Pack
If you finished Vice City and still can’t get enough, the Big Mission Pack is the expansion players needed but never received. The mod features over 130 additional missions for players to complete, including seven SWAT raids, 18 street races, 12 checkpoint challenges, six boss fights, and more. It also adds ten missions each for Cam Jones, Mercedes, Hilary King, Marcus, and the Shark and Vercetti Gangs.
But missions and side quests aren’t the only things the Big Mission Pack includes. Players now have a variety of new mechanics, such as Pharmacies, firearm dealers, outfit bonuses, safehouse locations, and cell phone orders.
GTA: East Coast Stories
What do New York City and Miami have in common? Despite being almost polar opposites from one another, they both serve as backdrops for the most iconic games in the GTA franchise. East Coast stories combine the two maps, Vice City and Liberty City, into one cohesive location.
Players can seamlessly drive around as one city slowly becomes the other. Not only is the mod cool on its own, but it also makes for a unique experience like none other. The two cities are distinct, with Vice City being a neon beach haven while Liberty City is a dark, grey metropolis.
Conclusion
With countless mods available, some doing something as small as changing the in-game clock, we had to narrow down our list. While these aren’t the most groundbreaking mods to ever exist, they provide new experiences for Vice City.
The GTA community is growing every day, and with the anticipated release of GTA 6, it will only get larger. Fans have the power to create their own vision of the game with mods and release it to the world. Mods ensure that the game never dies or gets forgotten since there will always be something new to explore in Vice City.