GTA 3 speedrun guide

gta 3 speedrun guide
A beginner's guide to speedrun GTA 3 as fast as possible (Image via Rockstar Games)

This GTA 3 speedrun guide will help you in completing the 23-year-old Grand Theft Auto game in the fastest way possible. The title was a major leap for Rockstar Games as it was the first 3D, and mainstream, game in the series. Playing the game normally would take you around four and a half hours to complete, depending on your skills. However, speedrunning is where gamers try to finish a video game as soon as possible.

The current record for Grand Theft Auto 3’s speed run is a staggering 59 minutes and 24 seconds. Since you are a beginner in this field, breaking the current world record will be very difficult. Therefore, readers should aim for a personal best record at the initial stage, with tips and tricks they can find in the following GTA 3 speedrun guide.

Note: Some parts of this GTA 3 speedrun guide are subjective and only reflect the writer’s opinions. The techniques are subject to change if players discover new methods.


GTA 3 speedrun guide: Basic things to know

Speedrunning Grand Theft Auto 3 is an extreme sport in itself (Image via Rockstar Games)
Speedrunning Grand Theft Auto 3 is an extreme sport in itself (Image via Rockstar Games)

Since Grand Theft Auto 3 was Rockstar Games’ pilot project in the 3D gaming universe, there are various loopholes present in the game. Most players complain that these break the game, but speedrunners use them to their advantage. The GTA 3 speedrun guide will teach you how you can utilize some of the loopholes. But you should note down the following things before starting the speed run:

  • You must first complete the entire game normally.
  • You must skip all the eligible cutscenes.
  • You must use fast vehicles to save time.
  • You must plan a route to save time.

Every player has their own strategies for speedrunning Grand Theft Auto 3. Therefore, the GTA 3 speedrun guide encourages you to create your strategy. Since the game is heavily based on RNG (Random Number Generator) for various activities, following others’ strategies may not be helpful all the time.


How completing Grand Theft Auto 3 first will help you during speed run

GTA 3 is a fun game and every Grand Theft Auto fan should complete it at least once (Image via Rockstar Games)
GTA 3 is a fun game and every Grand Theft Auto fan should complete it at least once (Image via Rockstar Games)

Speedrunning is usually done by those players who are familiar with each and every aspect of the game. You cannot go on a speed run without knowing what happens next or the effect of an action. Therefore, the GTA 3 speedrun guide advises all players to complete at least the main story missions of the 2001 title.

Rockstar Games included a total of 67 story missions in the 2001 title. You should complete all the following missions beforehand:

  • Give Me Liberty
  • Luigi's Girls
  • Don't Spank Ma Bitch Up
  • Drive Misty For Me
  • Pump-Action Pimp
  • The Fuzz Ball
  • Mike Lips Last Lunch
  • Farewell 'Chunky' Lee Chong
  • Van Heist
  • Cipriani's Chauffeur
  • Dead Skunk in the Trunk
  • The Getaway
  • Taking Out The Laundry
  • The Pick-Up
  • Salvatore's Called A Meeting
  • Chaperone
  • Triads and Tribulations
  • Blow Fish
  • Cutting The Grass
  • Bomb Da Base: Act I
  • Bomb Da Base: Act II
  • Last Requests
  • Sayonara Salvatore
  • Under Surveillance
  • Paparazzi Purge
  • Payday For Ray
  • Two-Faced Tanner
  • Kanbu Bust-out
  • Grand Theft Auto
  • Deal Steal
  • Shima
  • Smack Down
  • Silence The Sneak
  • Arms Shortage
  • Evidence Dash
  • Gone Fishing
  • Plaster Blaster
  • Liberator
  • Waka-Gashira Wipeout!
  • A Drop In The Ocean
  • Grand Theft Aero
  • Escort Service
  • Decoy
  • Love's Disappearance
  • Marked Man
  • Bait
  • Espresso-2-Go!
  • S.A.M.
  • Ransom
  • The Exchange
  • Pay Phone mission: Turismo
  • Pay Phone mission: I Scream, You Scream
  • Pay Phone mission: Trial By Fire
  • Pay Phone mission: Big'N Veiny
  • The Crook
  • The Thieves
  • The Wife
  • Her Lover
  • Pay Phone mission: Bling-Bling Scramble
  • Pay Phone mission: Uzi Rider
  • Pay Phone mission: Gangcar Round-Up
  • Pay Phone mission: Kingdom Come
  • Pay Phone mission: Uzi Money
  • Pay Phone mission: Toyminator
  • Pay Phone mission: Rigged to Blow
  • Pay Phone mission: Bullion Run
  • Pay Phone mission: Rumble
The story missions in Grand Theft Auto 3 will keep you engaged for hours (Image via Rockstar Games
The story missions in Grand Theft Auto 3 will keep you engaged for hours (Image via Rockstar Games

Keep in mind that the Pay Phone missions are optional and are not required to complete the main story. However, if you want to complete the game to 100 percent, the GTA 3 speedrun guide advises you to do the following as well:

  • Complete 50 story missions.
  • Complete 17 Pay Phone missions.
  • Complete four vehicle sub-missions.
  • Complete four off-road challenges.
  • Complete four RC missions.
  • Complete all three Import/Export vehicle lists.
  • Complete 20 Rampage missions.
  • Complete 20 Stunt Jumps.
  • Collect all 100 Hidden Packages.

The speedrun strategies are primarily divided into two types: Any percent speed run and 100 percent speed run. If you are aiming for any percent speed run, the GTA 3 speedrun guide advises you to do the following only:

  • Give Me Liberty
  • Luigi's Girls
  • Don't Spank Ma Bitch Up
  • Drive Misty for Me
  • Mike Lips' Last Lunch
  • Farewell "Chunky" Lee Chong
  • Van Heist
  • Cipriani's Chauffeur
  • Taking out the Laundry
  • The Pick-Up
  • Salvatore's Called a Meeting
  • Chaperone
  • Cutting the Grass
  • Triads and Tribulations
  • Blow Fish
  • Bomb da Base: Act I
  • Bomb da Base: Act II
  • Last Requests
  • Sayonara Salvatore
  • Under Surveillance
  • Paparazzi Purge
  • Payday for Ray
  • Silence the Sneak
  • Arms Shortage
  • Evidence Dash
  • Liberator
  • Waka-Gashira Wipeout
  • A Drop in the Ocean
  • Grand Theft Aero
  • Bait
  • Espresso-2-Go!
  • S.A.M.
  • The Exchange

For any percent speed run, your goal is to reach from the Give Me Liberty mission to The Exchange mission as soon as possible. The latter is the finale of Grand Theft Auto 3, where the protagonist, Claude, gets to take revenge on Catalina. If you complete the game first, you will be aware of what happens next in the story during the speed run; which will help you plan your route more efficiently.


How skipping all cutscenes in Grand Theft Auto 3 will help you during speed run

Cutscenes are one of your worst enemies during Grand Theft Auto 3’s speedrun (Image via Rockstar Games)
Cutscenes are one of your worst enemies during Grand Theft Auto 3’s speedrun (Image via Rockstar Games)

Cutscenes are one of the best ways for video game developers to narrate a part of the story. However, they are one of the worst enemies of speedrunners as they can temporarily disrupt your flow. As a result, the GTA 3 speedrun guide advises its readers to skip all the cutscenes in the game.

It is worth noting that not all cutscenes are skippable, but most of them are. Therefore, you should always spam the appropriate skip button to skip through the cutscene. If you decide to sit through all the cutscenes, your overall completion time will be much longer.

There is no doubt that Rockstar Games creates some of the best cutscenes where the footage uses actual in-game elements and period instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI). However, every passing second is important in a speed run. If you want to enjoy the scenes, the GTA 3 speedrun guide suggests you do it in the first playthrough, where you complete the entire game without any time limits.


Why you should use fast vehicles in Grand Theft Auto 3 during speed run

The faster you are the sooner your Grand Theft Auto 3 speedrun will complete (Image via Rockstar Games)
The faster you are the sooner your Grand Theft Auto 3 speedrun will complete (Image via Rockstar Games)

The main goal of the GTA 3 speedrun guide is to save as much time as possible. Since you cannot teleport on the map of Liberty City without using PC mods, you must drive fast vehicles to travel. Rockstar Games included a total of 56 vehicles in the 2001 title. They include sports cars, gang cars, SUVs, Vans, emergency vehicles, public service vehicles, boats, and aircraft.

Except for Grand Theft Auto 5 and its multiplayer variant, other games in the Grand Theft Auto series do not have the concept of private vehicles. As a result, the GTA 3 speedrun guide readers will have to steal every vehicle they use in the game.

The following are some of the fastest vehicles in Grand Theft Auto 3 from each category with the lists only including vehicles that go above 100 mph.

Sports Cars

  • Infernus - 149.13 mph (240.00 km/h)
  • Cheetah - 142.92 mph (230.00 km/h)
  • Stinger - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)
  • Banshee - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)

Gang Cars

  • Mafia Sentinel - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)
  • Yakuza Stinger - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)
  • Triad Fish Van - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Diablo Stallion - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Cartel Cruiser - 108.74 mph (175.00 km/h)

SUVs and Vans

  • Kuruma - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Mr. Wongs - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Mule - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Stretch - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • BF Injection - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)
  • Blista - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)
  • Patriot - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)
  • Sentinel - 102.53 mph (165.00 km/h)
  • Bobcat - 102.53 mph (165.00 km/h)

Emergency vehicles

  • Police Car - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)
  • Ambulance - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • FBI Car - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • Barracks OL - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Enforcer - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)
  • Fire Truck - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)

Public service vehicles

  • Borgnine Taxi - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • Taxi - 111.85 mph (180.00 km/h)
  • Securicar - 105.63 mph (170.00 km/h)

Boats

  • Ghost - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • Reefer - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • Speeder - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)
  • Predator - 118.06 mph (190.00 km/h)

Aircraft

  • Dodo - 124.27 mph (200.00 km/h)
The Grand Theft Auto 3 version of the Dodo plane (Image via Rockstar Games)
The Grand Theft Auto 3 version of the Dodo plane (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 3 speedrun guide readers should note that there is only one plane in the game due to the effects of the 9/11 Attacks on the United States of America. Although you can fly the plane, the controls were deliberately made choppy. However, the Dodo is indestructible. No matter what you do and how badly you try to destroy it, the plane will always be intact. This is one of many interesting features in Grand Theft Auto 3.

If you manage to get your hand on this plane, the GTA 3 speedrun guide advises you to use it for things such as fast and reckless travel.


Why planning a route is important for the Grand Theft Auto 3 speed run process

Planning a route beforehand saves you time and protects you from unwanted situations (Image via Rockstar Games)
Planning a route beforehand saves you time and protects you from unwanted situations (Image via Rockstar Games)

Before starting the process, GTA 3 speedrun guide readers must know the map of Liberty City well. You must know every highway, neighborhood, ally, object spawn location and other important details. Using that information, you should plan your route in such a way that it takes the least amount of time to trigger and complete a mission.

You can use shortcut ways, jumpable objects, and breakable things to make your commute shorter. Also, learning the routes of the mission-related NPCs is a special blessing, as it will allow you to eliminate them even faster.

GTA 3 speedrun guide readers are advised to create a vivid memory of any percent speedrun missions and examine the route and how they spawn. Since Rockstar Games allows you to take a somewhat non-linear approach in the game, you should utilize this to your advantage. The missions that are necessary and close should be done first to save travel time.

The loopholes in Grand Theft Auto 3's gameplay let you progress faster (Image via Rockstar Games)
The loopholes in Grand Theft Auto 3's gameplay let you progress faster (Image via Rockstar Games)

Now, talking about the loopholes in the 2001 title, GTA 3 speedrun guide readers should note that since they are glitches, forcing them may cause the game to crash. Therefore, remember to create a save file before a glitch is attempted.

Most speedrunners usually exploit the script glitch, mission duplication glitch, car duplication glitch, etc. The mission dupe glitch allows you to progress through some smaller missions, such as Rampage, Taxi Driver, Pay Phone missions, etc., by doing only one of the missions. However, GTA 3 speedrun guide readers are advised to avoid them in the early stage.


There are various interesting little details in Grand Theft Auto 3 that will surprise you throughout the gameplay. However, since you are on a speed run process, you should not stop to observe them. These activities, such as sightseeing and Easter egg hunting, should be strictly done when not attempting a speedrun gameplay.

If you follow this GTA 3 speedrun guide thoroughly, you should be able to set a personal best speedrun record.


Also read: Grand Theft Auto Vice City speedrun guide

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Edited by Ripunjay Gaba
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