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GTA Vice City is now over two decades old, but is still much beloved among Grand Theft Auto fans. While it doesn't have as many features as GTA San Andreas or the graphics of GTA 5, the 1980s setting, memorable characters, and an enjoyable story have made the title iconic. That being said, there is more to just exactly why Rockstar Games' 2002 release is considered a classic.
In this article, we will be taking a look at five little features in GTA Vice City that made it so great. These things didn't exactly that the center stage, but contributed towards delivering a deeply entertaining experience overall.
Note - This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions.
Pizza Boy missions and 4 other little features in GTA Vice City that made it so great
1) Pop culture references
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The iconic Hollywood movie Scarface and incredibly popular 1980s TV Show Miami Vice are two of the most well-known inspirations behind GTA Vice City. The game includes some notable references to them, like Tommy Vercetti's mansion interiors resembling that of Tony Montana's from the movie.
Additionally, the Vice Squad police unit looks like the main characters from Miami Vice. Such things added an element of intrigue for fans of these pieces of media and aided the game in becoming memorable.
It will also be interesting to see if GTA 6 features such references to pop culture since Vice City will be a part of its map.
2) Wearing the police uniform grants special access
Entering Vice City's Fort Baxter Air Base or going beyond a certain point inside the Washington Beach Police Station in civilian attire is strictly restricted. However, donning the police uniform grants access to these locations without any qualms.
Though a minor feature in GTA Vice City, it is still testament to Rockstar's attention to little details and somewhat contributes towards realism as well.
3) Pizza Boy missions
Getting on a scooter outside pizza outlets in GTA Vice City triggers a Pizza Boy side mission. The objective is very simple - deliver pizzas to customers within the stipulated time limit.
Timed missions in the GTA series can often become annoying, but Pizza Boy missions are surprisingly quite enjoyable. Furthermore, the image of Tommy Vercetti, leader of Vice City's top criminal organization, delivering pizzas on a scooter is pretty hilarious.
4) The North Point Mall
The North Point Mall is an accessible interior in GTA Vice City's Vice Point district. While it doesn't enjoy the footfall that is expected from a mall, the fact that one can explore various shops inside the building is quite fascinating for a game from 2002.
Not even the series' current latest title, GTA 5, has an accessible mall, which goes to show the importance of this GTA Vice City feature. Needless to say, Rockstar should include such accessible interiors, ideally the North Point Mall itself, in the GTA 6 map.
5) Doctors actually heal NPCs
Another example of Rockstar Games' attention to detail and efforts towards incorporating realism in their titles is how the paramedics team actually heals hurt pedestrians after arriving at a crime scene.
It is little things like these that added life to Vice City's NPCs, which are basically just a few lines of code. That contributed in uplifting the overall quality of this game and helped it earn the position that it has among fans of the series.
