Though perhaps not quite as groundbreaking as its predecessor, there can be no denying that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City marked a huge step forward for open-world games. One of the few big complaints about the series' third installment was how few opportunities there were for players to spend the money that they accrued as they made their way through the game; a complaint that GTA: Vice City sought to rectify in a number of ways.
As well as being able to spend their ill-gotten gains on guns and ladies of the night, players can now also invest money in properties and businesses or buy their way into high-octane street races. As such, there's a lot more emphasis placed on figuring out how to make money in Vice City when compared to the series' previous installment, not to mention a much more obvious incentive to actually go out of one's way to do so.
Invest in Assets
Players will need to spend an awful lot of money if they want to purchase all of the assets in Vice City, though these properties and businesses are also able to generate a healthy income for their owners. There are income-making assets just waiting to be snapped up all over town, some of which can be incredibly pricey. Generally speaking, however, the higher the investment, the higher the potential gain over a longer period of time.
Purchasing all of the available assets and completing their respective missions will reward players with a daily income of more than $40,000. Granted, it will take a little while for players to recoup their initial investment, but, after a few in-game weeks, it's all profit. Players should prioritize purchasing the Boatyard, the Malibu Club, and Sunshine Autos before anything else, as these offer the best return on investment.
Complete Street Races
Certain assets in Vice City have special missions associated with them, many of which provide players with a decent amount of cash upon completion. Purchasing Sunshine Autos, for example, will unlock a series of Import/Export style vehicle lists that will increase the business' daily income upon completion. In addition to these lists, players will also gain access to a series of special street races from the nearby A+B Auto garage.
Though some of these races are a little pricey to enter, finishing in first place will see players rewarded with four times their initial entry fee. With some of the later races costing thousands of dollars to participate in, players can expect to make around 50 grand by the time they have completed all of the races on offer. That said, they will need to be careful, as losing a race will lead to their stake being lost for good.
Hold Up Stores
Assets aren't the only thing that Vice City brought to the table following the huge success of its predecessor. It's the first GTA title in which players can hold up stores, which can actually be a pretty decent way of making money during the game's early stages. Tommy will be able to pick up hundreds of dollars at a time for only a few seconds' work, though, as one might expect, there is a little bit of risk involved.
To knock off a store, Tommy simply needs to walk inside and then point his weapon at the cashier. The longer he keeps the store clerk in his sights, the more money the clerk will hand over, but this will always come at the expense of a wanted level. Providing players have a car waiting outside or a safe house or change of clothes nearby, however, they needn't worry too much about law enforcement.