Is GTA Vice City worth playing on Android devices?

GTA Vice City has been remastered several times by Rockstar, but not all of them have received the same amount of praise. The mobile ports for iOS and Android, released in 2012 as the 10 year Anniversary edition, are slightly different from the original PS2 release and the popular PC port.

This article explores all the differences between the original and mobile ports, including graphics, controls, and other subtleties.

Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.

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GTA Vice City Android port: Is the game worth playing in 2022?

The mobile version of GTA Vice City was made by Grove Street Games, who were then known as War Drum Studios. These are the same developers who are responsible for the later ports of the 3D Universe games on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Most GTA fans, however, know them from the botched launch of the Definitive Edition Trilogy, the latest batch of remasters for the original trilogy. However, the original Android port of Vice City was quite an upgrade over the original games.

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Graphics

The graphics on mobile seem much better than its PC counterpart, although the unique color tone of the PS2 edition seems to be missing. This has been compensated with better quality reflections and higher resolution textures. The lighting and shadows have also been greatly improved.

The Xbox versions of all the 3D Universe games, despite being somewhat graphically inferior to the PS2 versions, had one great feature. All in-game vehicles had 3D-modeled engines inside them that looked quite detailed back when the games came out.

Meanwhile, the other platforms have barely-distinguishable blobs of textures under the bonnets of cars in place of engines. The Android/iOS versions seem to have included the unique Xbox feature, thus lending a small but visually impressive tweak to the original game.

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Controls

The controls of the game are not very different from the PC/console versions and are just as restrictive. The only major differences include the lack of manual aim for certain weapons and the minigun (which now has a fixed horizontal firing line, like that of a shotgun).

All vehicles have an added weight, which makes them less controllable than their original counterparts. The touch controls can also feel a bit restrictive for players who aren't accustomed to mobile gaming (especially on the infuriating Demolition Man mission).

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Verdict

The mobile version of GTA Vice City plays out much like the original version, and due to the minor graphical improvements, can be considered a decent alternative. It is a great choice for mobile and casual gamers alike, although PC and console players would most likely prefer the Definitive Edition instead.