Story Missions
Complete Walkthrough — Every Mission, Every Act
Follow Tommy Vercetti’s rise from a just-released convict sent to broker a drug deal to the undisputed kingpin of Vice City. This guide covers all 24 main story missions across five acts, plus the four major side story threads with the Cubans, Haitians, Love Fist, and the Bikers. Each entry includes who gives the mission, the cash reward, a briefing, and a practical strategy tip to get you through clean.
Act 1: Vice City Beach
In the Beginning…
GIVEN BY: Intro (Sonny Forelli) | REWARD: $0
Tommy Vercetti lands in Vice City after 15 years in Liberty City prison, sent by Sonny Forelli to oversee a cocaine deal with the Vance brothers at the docks. The deal is ambushed — one of the Vance brothers is killed, the drugs and money are stolen, and Tommy barely escapes in a Sentinel with Ken Rosenberg.
Strategy: This is a fully scripted cutscene mission — just watch the intro and drive to the hotel on Ocean Beach. No combat required. Use the drive to get a feel for the city layout and the driving physics.
An Old Friend
GIVEN BY: Intro (Ken Rosenberg) | REWARD: $0
After waking up at the Ocean View Hotel, Tommy heads to Ken Rosenberg’s law office in Washington Beach. Ken panics about the botched deal and the missing money, and promises to help Tommy find out who was responsible. This unlocks Ken as a mission giver.
Strategy: Walk to the ‘L’ icon at Rosenberg’s office. Pick up the lawyer’s suit change icon inside if you want to ditch the Hawaiian shirt. No danger here — it’s the tutorial mission that opens up the rest of Act 1.
The Party
GIVEN BY: Ken Rosenberg | REWARD: $100
Rosenberg gets Tommy an invite to a yacht party hosted by Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez, who helped set up the original drug deal. At the party, Tommy mingles and meets key Vice City figures including Ricardo Diaz, Avery Carrington, and Mercedes Cortez. The Colonel asks Tommy to give Mercedes a ride to the Pole Position Club afterward.
Strategy: Change into the Soiree suit at the Ocean View Hotel before heading to the yacht. Talk to all the guests to trigger the full cutscene set — Diaz in particular is worth listening to. Drive Mercedes to the club to finish. Grab a fast car for the return trip; the streets around the marina can be tight.
Back Alley Brawl
GIVEN BY: Ken Rosenberg | REWARD: $200
Rosenberg wants dirt on who set up the ambushed deal. He points Tommy toward a chef in an alley off Ocean Drive who supposedly knows something. Tommy beats down the chef and meets Lance Vance, who reveals he lost a brother in the same ambush and is also hunting the culprits. The police show up and you must flee the three-star wanted level.
Strategy: Use fists or the chef’s own meat cleaver — don’t waste ammo. After the cutscene, immediately grab a vehicle and drive to the Pay ‘n’ Spray in Little Havana to lose the three-star wanted level. Lance drives you partway, which helps. Avoid the beach; stick to main roads.
Jury Fury
GIVEN BY: Ken Rosenberg | REWARD: $400
Rosenberg is defending a client and needs two jurors intimidated into changing their verdicts. Tommy is given a hammer and sent to scare the jurors by smashing their cars and roughing them up without killing them — the whole point is fear, not murder.
Strategy: Do NOT kill the jurors — only damage their vehicles and attack them to reduce health. For the first juror, smash his car with the hammer until he flees. For the second, you can run him over lightly or beat him down. If a juror dies, the mission fails. Keep a vehicle handy to chase them if they drive off.
Riot
GIVEN BY: Ken Rosenberg | REWARD: $1,000
Rosenberg needs Tommy to spark a riot at the Spand Express delivery depot to destroy their trucks and bankrupt a rival of his client. Tommy first gets workers’ clothes by beating up four striking workers, then infiltrates the depot disguised as labor and starts throwing Molotov cocktails to torch the trucks.
Strategy: After getting the work clothes, enter the depot and use the Molotovs to destroy all three trucks — aim at the trucks, not the ground near yourself. Keep your distance after throwing or you’ll catch fire. Workers will attack you with fists; melee them or shoot. Park a fast car outside for a quick getaway once the last truck explodes.
Four Iron
GIVEN BY: Avery Carrington | REWARD: $500
Texas property developer Avery Carrington wants a rival golfer eliminated at the Leaf Links Golf Club. Tommy must first obtain golf clothes, then enter the club with only melee weapons (guns are confiscated at the entrance). The target is on the driving range with bodyguards.
Strategy: Change into the golf outfit at the clubhouse locker. Bring a good melee weapon — the golf club or baseball bat. The target flees in a caddy; chase him in your own caddy and run him over, or cut him off on foot. Bodyguards respawn, so don’t linger fighting them. Alternatively, you can run the target over with a caddy before he escapes the course.
Demolition Man
GIVEN BY: Avery Carrington | REWARD: $1,000
Avery wants to demolish a building under construction that’s blocking his latest development. Tommy uses a remote-control helicopter rigged with bombs to fly into the construction site and plant explosives on four specific floors, all within a time limit.
Strategy: This is one of the most notoriously frustrating missions in the game due to the RC helicopter controls and tight timer. Fly slowly and steadily — the chopper is twitchy. Plant bombs top-floor to bottom-floor so you’re always descending. Workers will attack the helicopter with hammers; ignore them if possible. Tap the throttle rather than holding it for precise control. Practice the flight path before committing.
Treacherous Swine
GIVEN BY: Colonel Cortez | REWARD: $250
Colonel Cortez believes his former associate Gonzalez leaked information about the ambushed drug deal. He gives Tommy a chainsaw and asks him to silence Gonzalez, who is partying in a penthouse on Ocean Beach. Gonzalez flees when Tommy attacks, leading to a chase through the building.
Strategy: You don’t have to use the chainsaw — any weapon works, so if you’ve acquired guns, use them for a quicker kill. Gonzalez runs; block the stairwell exit before attacking so he can’t flee down. If he does escape to street level, run him over with a car. Watch for the two-star wanted level after the kill and hit a Pay ‘n’ Spray.
Mall Shootout
GIVEN BY: Colonel Cortez | REWARD: $500
Cortez arranges for Tommy to pick up a piece of military technology from a courier at the Washington Mall. When Tommy arrives, French intelligence agents ambush the deal, killing the courier and stealing the tech. Tommy must chase down the agent who grabbed the device and recover it.
Strategy: The agent flees on a motorcycle — chase him in a fast car (not a bike, the car is more durable). Shoot him off the bike or ram him until he’s downed, then grab the briefcase. Be ready for a two-star wanted level. Use drive-by shooting if you’ve unlocked it, or just ram the bike repeatedly.
Guardian Angels
GIVEN BY: Colonel Cortez | REWARD: $1,000
Cortez sets up a drug deal between Tommy and Ricardo Diaz at a parking garage near the mall. Tommy is given a Kruger rifle to provide overwatch security. The deal is hit by a wave of Haitian gang members, and Tommy must gun them down to protect Diaz and the shipment. Diaz is impressed and offers Tommy future work.
Strategy: Pick up the Kruger from Cortez’s yacht first — don’t forget this step. During the ambush, take the high ground on the rooftop for the best angle. Enemies come in waves from multiple directions; prioritize those closest to Diaz. Grab dropped ammo and armor. Don’t worry about the cash the Haitians drop during the fight; it’s minimal. If Diaz dies, the mission fails. This mission unlocks Diaz as an employer.
Act 2: Starfish Island
The Chase
GIVEN BY: Ricardo Diaz | REWARD: $1,000
Diaz is furious that someone stole money from him and orders Tommy to tail a thief to find out who he’s working for. Tommy follows the thief across rooftops in Little Havana, through apartment buildings, and eventually the thief escapes on a motorcycle. Tommy chases in a Faggio scooter all the way to a mansion on Prawn Island.
Strategy: Keep your distance during the rooftop chase — do not kill the thief or the mission fails. He shoots at you periodically; weave to avoid fire. When he gets on the motorcycle, grab the Faggio parked nearby and follow at a safe distance. The goal is to tail him to his hideout, not to catch him. Stay close enough to keep the blip on radar but not so close you spook him.
Phnom Penh ’86
GIVEN BY: Ricardo Diaz | REWARD: $2,000
Diaz knows the thieves are holed up in a mansion on Prawn Island and wants them wiped out. Lance Vance flies Tommy in a helicopter while Tommy mans a mounted M60 machine gun, strafing the mansion grounds, destroying vehicles, and gunning down gang members. After clearing the exterior, Tommy lands and fights through the mansion interior to retrieve Diaz’s stolen money.
Strategy: In the helicopter, prioritize shooting the RPG-wielding gang members first — they can damage the chopper. Destroy the cars as targets appear. Once you land, switch to your best weapon (ideally an MP5 or Colt Python) and clear the mansion room by room. Grab the body armor inside. The final enemies are on the upper floor guarding the cash. This mission is a turning point — it reveals Lance and Tommy are working together behind Diaz’s back.
Act 3: Vice City
Two Bit Hit
GIVEN BY: Avery Carrington | REWARD: $2,500
Avery wants to start a gang war between the Cubans and Haitians to drive down property values in Little Haiti. He tasks Tommy with assassinating a Haitian gang leader, suggesting he disguise himself as a Cuban to deflect blame. Tommy must go to a clothing store, get a Cuban outfit, then attack the funeral procession of the Haitian leader’s associate.
Strategy: You must wear the Cuban outfit for the mission to register properly. Drive to the funeral in Little Haiti — the target is in the hearse. Destroy the hearse with grenades, a car bomb, or by ramming it off the road and shooting it. Haitian gang members will swarm you in cars; use an assault rifle for drive-bys. If the target’s car reaches its destination, the mission fails. The “Little Havana” street war side mission unlocks after this.
Sir, Yes Sir!
GIVEN BY: Colonel Cortez | REWARD: $2,000
Cortez wants a military tank that’s being transported through Vice City by army convoy. Tommy must intercept the convoy as it drives from the docks to Fort Baxter Air Base, steal the tank, and deliver it to a garage in Little Havana before the army realizes it’s missing and the tank self-destructs (the military locks it down on a timer).
Strategy: The convoy stops at a donut shop — this is your best window. Block the road or just walk up and enter the tank. Once inside, immediately drive to the lockup; the timer starts when you take the tank. The tank is slow and handles like a brick, so take the most direct route. Soldiers will shoot at you but the tank is invulnerable to small arms. Don’t run over too many cars — explosions can eventually damage the tank. Reach the garage before the timer expires.
All Hands on Deck!
GIVEN BY: Colonel Cortez | REWARD: $5,000
The French government has sent agents to seize Cortez and his yacht. Cortez is preparing to flee Vice City for good and asks Tommy to defend the yacht as it escapes the harbor. Tommy must fight off waves of French agents arriving by boat and helicopter, then cover Cortez’s escape. This is Cortez’s final mission.
Strategy: Bring full armor and your best assault rifle or the M4. Use the crate stacks on deck for cover. The first wave arrives by boats — pick them off as they board. Helicopters appear later; shoot the passengers as they rappel down, or destroy the chopper itself. Keep moving — standing still gets you flanked. Cortez gives you a speedboat and a final gift (the unique vehicle and a flare gun). This is one of the longer combat missions; conserve ammo by aiming for headshots.
The Fastest Boat
GIVEN BY: Ricardo Diaz | REWARD: $4,000
Diaz has his eye on the fastest speedboat in Vice City, currently being guarded at the boatyard on the docks. He wants Tommy to steal it. Tommy must break into the heavily guarded boatyard, lower the boat into the water using the control panel, and then pilot it back to Diaz’s mansion while evading pursuing boats.
Strategy: Clear the boatyard of guards first before hitting the switch — use grenades or a rifle from the entrance. Once you activate the boat launch, immediately jump in the water and board the boat. Two enemy boats chase you back; weave through the waterways and use the boat’s speed to lose them. The direct ocean route is faster but riskier; the inland canal route has fewer pursuers. Reach Diaz’s dock to complete.
Supply and Demand
GIVEN BY: Ricardo Diaz | REWARD: $10,000
Diaz has a massive cocaine shipment arriving and wants Tommy and Lance to be the first to reach the supplier by boat, beating rival dealers. After securing the drugs, Tommy must then defend the boat from armed pursuers on the way back while Lance drives.
Strategy: The first phase is a boat race — learn the checkpoint route and cut corners aggressively; you must reach the supplier first. The second phase is a rail-shooter segment where Lance drives and you shoot. Use the assault rifle on enemy boats and the helicopter that appears near the end. Destroy boats quickly before they can chip away your health. This is the last Diaz mission before the storyline shifts — after this, Tommy and Lance realize Diaz set up the original ambush.
Death Row
GIVEN BY: Kent Paul | REWARD: $0
Lance Vance has been captured by Diaz’s men and is being tortured at the junkyard in Little Haiti. Kent Paul tips Tommy off. Tommy must assault the junkyard, fight through Diaz’s heavily armed goons, rescue Lance, and rush him to the hospital before he dies of his injuries.
Strategy: Bring heavy firepower (assault rifle, full armor, grenades) and a fast, durable car — ideally a Sentinel or Banshee. Clear the junkyard entrance with grenades, then push inward shooting goons. Lance is in the back building. After rescuing him, three cars of Diaz’s men chase you to the hospital — drive aggressively and don’t stop. If your car gets destroyed, grab another fast. The mission has no cash reward but is critical to the story. Complete this before “Rub Out” for the best narrative flow.
Rub Out
GIVEN BY: Ricardo Diaz | REWARD: $50,000
Tommy and Lance have had enough of Diaz’s abuse and know he was behind the original ambush. Together they storm Diaz’s Starfish Island mansion, fighting through waves of Diaz’s henchmen to reach the drug lord himself. After killing Diaz, Tommy claims the mansion as his own — the Vercetti Estate.
Strategy: Approach from the front gate with full armor and an assault rifle. Work through the courtyard and into the mansion, clearing rooms methodically. Lance provides support fire but can’t be relied upon. On the upper floor, Diaz hides behind his desk with a shotgun — flank him and unload. Pick up the body armor in the mansion if you’re low. After the cutscene, the mansion becomes Tommy’s — this unlocks the Vercetti Estate as a save point, asset, and mission hub.
Act 4: Building the Empire
Shakedown
GIVEN BY: Vercetti Estate | REWARD: $2,000
Now that Tommy owns the mansion, Sonny Forelli calls demanding his cut of the drug money. Tommy refuses, and Sonny threatens to send collectors. Tommy decides to cement his power by intimidating every shop owner in the North Point Mall into paying protection money. He must smash up five storefronts within a five-minute time limit.
Strategy: The fastest method: grab a car and drive it through the shop windows and display cases. Each shop has a damage meter — fill it by smashing glass and fixtures. A baseball bat works on foot but a vehicle is much faster. Park near the mall’s multiple entrances to minimize travel time between shops. Ignore the police who respond; just keep moving. Knock out all five before the timer runs out. This unlocks the Asset Property system — you can now buy businesses.
Bar Brawl
GIVEN BY: Vercetti Estate | REWARD: $4,000
Tommy learns that security guards at a bar in Downtown are refusing to pay protection to anyone, essentially setting themselves up as competitors. Tommy heads to the bar, kills the guards, then must chase down and eliminate their backup who flee on motorcycles before they report to their employer.
Strategy: Plant grenades at the guards’ feet or just assault-rifle them quickly inside the bar. The real challenge is the chase: two bikers flee and you must kill both. Bring a fast motorcycle (PCJ-600) and do drive-by shootings, or use a fast car to run them off the road. A five-star wanted level triggers after the bar fight, so a Pay ‘n’ Spray visit helps. Alternatively, block the bar exit with your car before attacking so the bikers can’t easily flee.
Cop Land
GIVEN BY: Vercetti Estate | REWARD: $10,000
Tommy wants to destroy a Tarbrush Café in the North Point Mall to scare a rival, but the mall is crawling with police. The plan: Tommy and Lance lure two cops into a lockup, steal their uniforms, then enter the mall disguised as police to plant a bomb in the café. After the explosion, they must escape the resulting five-star wanted level.
Strategy: To lure cops: commit a crime to get a wanted level, then lead two officers into the lockup at the Vercetti Estate. Once in uniform, drive to the mall and plant the bomb in the café — there’s a timer once planted. Sprint out and grab the Police Cheetah parked outside, then drive to the Pay ‘n’ Spray. The five-star level means FBI and helicopters; use the Cheetah’s speed to evade. This is one of the most iconic missions in the game.
Act 5: Finale
Cap the Collector
GIVEN BY: Print Works | REWARD: $30,000
Sonny Forelli has sent collectors to shake down Tommy’s businesses across Vice City, trying to drain his empire before the final confrontation. Tommy must hunt down and kill all the collectors before they finish extorting every property. This mission becomes available once you’ve purchased and completed missions for enough businesses.
Strategy: The collectors hit your businesses one at a time; each has a time window. Use a fast helicopter (the Hunter if unlocked) or the fastest car you own to reach each location. The collectors are armed but not heavily armored — one or two rifle bursts drops them. Prioritize speed over stealth; run them over if they’re outside. A helicopter makes this trivial; without one, use a Cheetah or Infernus and learn the shortest routes between your properties.
Keep Your Friends Close…
GIVEN BY: Vercetti Estate | REWARD: $30,000
The final mission. Sonny Forelli arrives at the Vercetti Estate in person with an army of Forelli mobsters to take the city by force. Worse, Lance Vance — feeling betrayed by Tommy’s refusal to share power — switches sides and reveals he’s been working with Sonny. Tommy must defend the mansion from waves of Forelli soldiers, hunt down and kill Lance on the mansion roof, then confront Sonny himself in the foyer.
Strategy: Max out armor and bring your best weapons (assault rifle + Colt Python recommended). Phase 1: defend the safe from Forelli soldiers pouring in from the main hall — use cover and pick them off. Phase 2: Lance taunts you from the roof; chase him up the stairs, fighting goons along the way. Kill Lance at the rooftop helipad. Phase 3: Sonny and his remaining men storm the foyer — Sonny has high health so unload the Python or assault rifle on him specifically. Watch for fake “Sonny” duplicates — the real one has more health. Grab health pickups in the office if needed. Survive this and the ending credits roll — Tommy Vercetti is the king of Vice City.
Side Story Threads
These four optional but canon storylines unlock as you progress through the main missions. Completing them isn’t required to finish the game, but they add depth to Vice City’s underworld and pay out solid rewards. Each thread is a chain of missions given by a specific faction leader.
Umberto Robina — The Cubans
GIVEN BY: Umberto Robina (Café in Little Havana)
The leader of the Cuban gang, Umberto Robina operates out of his father’s café and is locked in a bitter turf war with the Haitians. His mission chain has Tommy proving his machismo through increasingly violent acts against the rival gang.
Missions: Stunt Boat Challenge — Prove your skills in a timed boat race through Vice City’s waterways. Hit each checkpoint cleanly; the boat is fast but fragile. Cannon Fodder — Drive Cuban soldiers to a Haitian drug meeting and ambush them. Use the vehicle for cover and let your guys draw fire. Naval Engagement — Assault a Haitian drug stash by boat, then destroy the drugs. Collect the packages dropped by fleeing gang members. Trojan Voodoo — The finale: infiltrate the Haitian compound disguised in a Voodoo car, plant bombs, and escape before they detonate. The timer is tight — plant all bombs then sprint to the exit.
Auntie Poulet — The Haitians
GIVEN BY: Auntie Poulet (Little Haiti)
The voodoo-practicing matriarch of the Haitian gang uses magical charms to manipulate Tommy into working against the Cubans — even though he’s also working for Umberto Robina. Tommy has no memory of these missions afterward due to Auntie Poulet’s spells.
Missions: Juju Scramble — Collect drug packages from around Little Havana before the cops seize them, all while under a wanted level. Plan a fast route and don’t stop moving. Bombs Away! — Use RC planes to bomb Cuban boats and a convoy. The controls are finicky but the planes are agile; drop bombs on the first pass and circle back. Dirty Lickin’s — Provide sniper overwatch while Haitians fight Cubans hand-to-hand. Shoot Cuban reinforcements from the rooftop without hitting your own guys or being spotted.
Love Fist
GIVEN BY: Love Fist (V Rock Studio, Downtown)
The Scottish glam metal band Love Fist is in Vice City on tour and needs a gofer. Tommy ends up acting as their driver, bodyguard, and problem-solver as they deal with obsessive fans, psychopathic stalkers, and their own drug-fueled chaos.
Missions: Love Juice — Pick up drugs for the band from a dealer who tries to rip you off. Chase and kill him, grab the stash, then pick up Mercedes and deliver everything to the studio. Psycho Killer — A deranged fan is stalking the band. Tail the stalker’s car without spooking him, then eliminate him once he’s isolated. Keep distance during the tail. Publicity Tour — Drive the Love Fist tour limo while a bomb is rigged inside; maintain speed or it detonates. Weave through traffic at high speed while the band panics. The bomb deactivates after enough distance — just don’t crash and stop.
Mitch Baker — The Bikers
GIVEN BY: Mitch Baker (The Greasy Chopper, Downtown)
Big Mitch Baker runs the Vice City Bikers gang from the Greasy Chopper bar. Tommy needs their loyalty to bolster his power, and Baker makes him earn it through brute strength, chaos, and loyalty tests. Completing this thread unlocks the Biker gang as allies and the ability to spawn a bodyguard.
Missions: Alloy Wheels of Steel — Win a motorcycle street race against three Biker gang members on Angel choppers. Lean into corners, slipstream opponents, and don’t fall off. Use the PCJ-600 if you can bring one — it’s faster than the Angels. Messing with the Man — Fill a chaos meter by causing mayhem within a time limit. Shoot cars, blow up vehicles, run people over — the more destruction, the faster the meter fills. Grenades and an assault rifle make this quick. Hog Tied — Rescue Mitch’s kidnapped associate from a rival gang at the DBP Security building. Steal a bike, storm the building, grab the hostage, and escape. Clear enemies fast — the hostage has limited health.
