Why GTA Vice City Will Always Be the Nostalgia King!

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Syeda Laiba Alam

At Tech4Gamers, I streamline helpful guides from my personal experience, ensuring swift resolutions for your PC or gaming console. My expertise extends to crafting beginner-friendly How-To Guides for everyday tech devices. Let’s get you back to gaming without delays!

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Released in 2002 by Rockstar Games, GTA Vice City was the fourth addition to the world-famous GTA series. 22 years later, I cannot really talk about video games and nostalgia without mentioning the king of action adventures. The game is so popular that almost all major gaming platforms hold space for it, such as PlayStation 2/3/4, Xbox, Windows, MacOS, and even smartphone software like Android and iOS. 

What Makes It Nostalgic?

The game is set in the bustling urban life of Miami, reflecting the era of the 1980s. For millennials, this evokes a strong sense of nostalgia, a beautiful reminder of the simpler times from their childhood.

Vice City was one of the initial names in the open-world genre, making it much more loved. Players can do anything they want, from wandering around the city and stealing vehicles to visiting bars and restaurants, purchasing properties, weapons, and a lot more.

The thrill of police chases, smashing into other vehicles, and breaking traffic laws adds an exciting rush that makes the experience even more enjoyable. With its scenic Miami beaches, neon billboards, and sleek supercars, GTA Vice City is a visual appeal of its time. The game also had a strong storyline and character background, which made it all the more intriguing.

Thrilling missions, which offer in-game monetary rewards, further enhance the game’s enjoyment. The protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, makes several alliances along the journey. Lance Vance, Juan Cortez, and Ricardo Diaz all help him become one of Miami’s greatest criminals. Together, they seek revenge on their enemies. 

Awards And Ratings

GTA Vice City is one of the biggest games released on Netflix Games in 2023. According to iMDb data, the game has bagged 15 awards and 19 nominations during its reign, including the world-famous BAFTA and Teen Choice Awards. It also won the Ultimate Game of the Year Award in 2003 at the Golden Joystick Awards and Eurogamer.

The game has a 4.5-star rating on the App Store and a 3.8-star rating on the Google Play Store, with total downloads exceeding 200,000.

The Essence Of Childhood Nostalgia

Undoubtedly, Vice City remains one of the most widely loved editions of the GTA series. For those born in the early 2000s, it is the epitome of childhood innocence. I remember playing the game on my traditional PC with bulky monitors and old-fashioned CPUs.

The game was my all-time favorite. I spent hours cruising across Miami on luxurious sports bikes and cars, listening to classic songs of that era in the background—the sheer nostalgia!

Moreover, a long list of cheat codes can be implemented in the game. I remember how everyone was hooked on experimenting with them to unlock various exciting features and surprises within the game.

The code “Leave Me Alone” removes Tommy from the Wanted list, thus ending the police chase. Similarly, “Professional Tools” and “Nutter Tools” immediately add several new weapons to the inventory, while “Aspirine” restores the health bar to 100%. 

As anticipation for GTA VI peaks, set once again in the nostalgic landscape of Vice City, fans marvel at the impressive progress in graphical advancements. People took it to X to compare the stark difference in graphics between GTA Vice City and the awaited GTA VI.

From 2002 to 2025, Vice City returns in ‘GTA 6’.

(via: @RStarUniverse) pic.twitter.com/5DioA3zvuC

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 5, 2023

Syeda Laiba Alam

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at Tech4Gamers, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@tech4gamers.com