GTA: Vice City is one of the most popular games in the GTA franchise. Rockstar recreated Miami Beach pretty perfectly in GTA: Vice City. The '80s music, yacht parties, clothing styles, and neon buildings make the player feel as if they are right in the heart of Miami, Florida. On the whole, it's an exaggerated (but still somewhat accurate) depiction of Miami in the 1980s.
It seems GTA: Vice City copies things from Miami Vice as well. Every other mission includes the player dealing with drugs or gangs in the city. Taking on the character of Tommy Vercetti, the player must retrieve the money from a drug deal that went bad. As Tommy begins building his empire and exploring Vice City, it is clear that Rockstar created the game to mimic Miami in every way.
GTA: Vice City has a lot to offer with over 20 hours of gameplay. The game stays interesting with 40 different weapons and more than 120 era-style cars. Vice City includes people and nationalities common in Miami. The player can complete the Haitian and Cuban storylines once some of the primary story is completed. The Cuban missions include Umberto Robina, voiced by Danny Trejo in GTA: Vice City. However, it's more than the people and cultures that make Vice City seem so much like real-world Miami.
The Iconic Colony Hotel Makes an Appearance in GTA: Vice City
The architecture in Vice City is almost identical to the buildings in Miami. The Colony Hotel in Miami, for instance, is remade in GTA: Vice City as the Colon Hotel. The Hotel's appearance is very similar to real-life Miami, identically matching with the blue neon sign. Although players cannot enter the Hotel, it is nice to see familiar landmarks in the game. Another landmark in GTA: Vice City is the Cape Florida Lighthouse in Key Biscayne. Players can enter the lighthouse and can even find a rare item around the area.
The famous Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami makes an appearance in GTA: Vice City. Renamed as the Ducum Inn Hotel, the famous landmark can be found in the Vice Point area in the game. The Hotel's half-circle shape is identical to the real Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. Players cannot enter the Ducum Inn unless they are playing GTA: Vice City Stories, which is different than GTA: Vice City. The Fontainebleau Hotel is one of the most historic buildings in Miami and was made famous through many movies and TV shows.
GTA: Vice City's Map Is A Close Replica Of Miami
The map in GTA: Vice City comes to a point like the state of Florida and even has islands that resemble those in real-world Miami. Where North Bay Village and Normandy Shores golf course is in Miami, Vice City has a similar layout in the same location. The place called Little Haiti is in the game as it is also in the same place as it is in Miami. When in comparison, Miami and GTA: Vice City's maps are almost identical.
Another part of Vice City that fits Miami's real world is the characters' clothes. The majority of the clothes worn in Vice City include Hawaii-type button-down shirts or mafia-style outfits. The 1980s were a time for pastel suits, and they definitely flourish throughout the game. The majority of the women in the game wear swimsuits or dresses. Tommy Vercetti can change clothes in GTA: Vice City with many different outfits throughout the game. All of the outfits in the game fit the Miami lifestyle that was shown on-screen in the '80s.
GTA: Vice City's Music Sets The Real-World Miami Tone
In GTA: Vice City, the music gives the game the '80s theme it is looking for. Being on a yacht while a Hall & Oates song plays in the background is an iconic moment. The era of music throughout the game is an excellent selection for the setting. Although some songs are missing from the GTA: Vice City radio in the Definitive Edition, Rockstar picked suitable soundtracks to capture the Miami feel in the '80s.
GTA: Vice City captures the '80s lifestyle in Miami in exaggerated but often accurate ways. This is done through clothing, neon architecture, and music hits. GTA: Vice City does a great job making the player feel like they are in the real world Miami in the heart of the 1980s.