GTA Vice City is over two decades old, and its cheat codes are still one of the biggest reasons people boot the game up today. Whether you want to spawn a tank in the middle of Ocean Beach, turn all the traffic pink, or just skip straight to full health and every weapon in the game, this guide has every working code — for PC, PS2, the Definitive Edition (PS4/PS5/Xbox/Switch), and mobile — organized so you can actually find what you need in seconds.
Unlike most cheat lists, this one also covers how to enter codes correctly, what happens to your save/achievements when you use them, and the differences between the original release and the 2021 Definitive Edition, since those two versions don’t always use the same inputs.
How to Enter Cheats {#how-to-enter-cheats}
GTA Vice City has no in-game console or chat box for cheats — you just type the code while playing, with no text box appearing on screen. A few rules make this actually work:
- Don’t pause the game. Cheats must be entered while you’re in control of Tommy, not in a menu.
- Type at a normal pace. You don’t need to be lightning-fast, but long pauses between letters can cause the game to miss the input.
- Codes are not case-sensitive, but you do need your keyboard, not a controller, on PC.
- A small on-screen confirmation (usually a “Cheat Activated” style message, and for weapon cheats, a menu pop-up) confirms it worked. If nothing happens, you likely mistyped it.
- On the Definitive Edition, PC players use the same typing method; console players use controller button combinations instead (listed further down).
- Some codes toggle on and off by entering them again (e.g., weather and traffic cheats); others are one-time triggers (e.g., raising your wanted level).
Now, the codes themselves.
Weapons & Health Cheats {#weapons-health-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Weapon Set 1 (baseball bat, Ruger, pump shotgun, flamethrower, Molotovs, pistol, sniper rifle) | THUGSTOOLS |
| Weapon Set 2 (katana, MAC-10, Stubby shotgun, M60, grenades, .357, silenced pistol) | PROFESSIONALTOOLS |
| Weapon Set 3 (chainsaw, M4, SPAS-12, minigun, rocket launcher, sniper rifle, detonator) | NUTTERTOOLS |
| Full Health | ASPIRINE |
| Full Body Armor | PRECIOUSPROTECTION |
| Instant Death (kills Tommy) | ICANTTAKEITANYMORE |
Each weapon set cheat can be entered multiple times to unlock all three at once — they stack rather than replace each other.
Vehicle Spawn Cheats {#vehicle-spawn-cheats}
| Vehicle | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Rhino Tank | PANZER |
| Bloodring Banger | TRAVELINSTYLE |
| Bloodring Banger (alt. spawn) | GETTHEREQUICKLY |
| Sabre Turbo | GETTHEREFAST |
| Hotring Racer | GETTHEREVERYFASTINDEED |
| Hotring Racer (alt. spawn) | GETTHEREAMAZINGLYFAST |
| Romero’s Hearse | THELASTRIDE |
| Love Fist Limo | ROCKANDROLLCAR |
| Golf Cart (Caddy) | BETTERTHANWALKING |
Vehicle spawn codes drop the car right in front of Tommy, so make sure you’ve got open space — spawning one inside traffic or a wall can total it instantly.
Vehicle & Driving Effect Cheats {#vehicle-driving-effect-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Cars Can Drive on Water | SEAWAYS |
| Flying Cars | COMEFLYWITHME |
| Boats Can Fly | AIRSHIP |
| Invisible Cars (driver/passengers visible, body invisible) | WHEELSAREALLINEED |
| Huge Wheels | LOADSOFLITTLETHINGS |
| Better Handling | GRIPISEVERYTHING |
| Aggressive Traffic | MIAMITRAFFIC |
| Black Traffic | IWANTITPAINTEDBLACK |
| Pink Traffic | AHAIRDRESSERSCAR |
| All Traffic Lights Green | GREENLIGHT |
Wanted Level Cheats {#wanted-level-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Lower/Clear Wanted Level | LEAVEMEALONE |
| Raise Wanted Level by 2 Stars | YOUWONTTAKEMEALIVE |
| Show Media/Chase Stat (4+ stars required) | CHASESTAT |
Weather & Time Cheats {#weather-time-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Sunny Weather | ALOVELYDAY |
| Stormy/Rainy Weather | CATSANDDOGS |
| Fast Motion | ONSPEED |
| Slow Motion | BOOOOOORING |
| Clock Runs Faster | LIFEISPASSINGMEBY |
Pedestrian & World Cheats {#pedestrian-world-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Aggressive Pedestrians | NOBODYLIKESME |
| Pedestrian Riot (everyone fights everyone) | FIGHTFIGHTFIGHT |
| Gang Members Spawn as Women | CHICKSWITHGUNS |
| Women Follow Tommy / Get in His Car | FANNYMAGNET |
Player & Character Cheats {#player-character-cheats}
| Effect | PC Code |
|---|---|
| Play as Ricardo Diaz | CHEATSHAVEBEENCRACKED |
| Play as Sonny Forelli | IDONTHAVETHEMONEYSONNY |
| Play as Lance Vance | LOOKLIKELANCE |
| Tommy Smokes a Cigarette | CERTAINDEATH |
Character-model cheats only change how Tommy looks — cutscenes and story dialogue still reference Tommy normally, so don’t expect scripted moments to reflect the swap.
Definitive Edition Controller Cheats (PS4/PS5/Xbox/Switch) {#definitive-edition-controller-cheats}
The 2021 GTA: Vice City – The Definitive Edition kept the core cheat list but moved console input to button combinations instead of typed text. On PC, the Definitive Edition still uses typed codes (identical to the classic ones above for most effects).
| Effect | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon Set 1 | RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up | R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up |
| Weapon Set 2 | RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Left | R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Left |
| Weapon Set 3 | RB, RT, LB, RT, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Down | R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Down, Down |
| Full Health | RB, RT, LB, B, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up | R1, R2, L1, Circle, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up |
| Full Armor | RB, RT, LB, A, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up | R1, R2, L1, X, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up |
If you’re on Switch, the button layout mirrors the Xbox scheme with Switch’s equivalent shoulder/face buttons (ZR/ZL/R/B in place of RT/LB/RB/B).
PS2 Cheat Codes {#ps2-cheat-codes}
The original PS2 release uses a different button-combo system than the Definitive Edition. A few of the most-used ones:
| Effect | PS2 Combo |
|---|---|
| Weapon Set 1 | R1, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up |
| Full Health | R1, R2, L1, Circle, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up |
| Spawn Rhino Tank | Circle, Circle, L1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L1, L2, R1, Triangle, Circle, Triangle |
| Clear Wanted Level | Right, Right, Left, Up, L1, L2, R1, R2 |
Because PS2 combos are long and easy to fat-finger, most players find it easier to practice a single cheat a few times in a safe area (like a parking lot) before relying on it during a mission.
Do Cheats Disable Achievements/Trophies? {#do-cheats-disable-achievements}
Yes — on the Definitive Edition, using any cheat code disables trophies and achievements for that play session. If you’re going for 100% completion or trophy hunting, finish that playthrough (or at least the trophy-relevant milestones) before entering codes, or use a separate save file for cheat runs. The original 2002 PC and PS2 releases don’t have this restriction since they predate achievement/trophy systems.
Also worth knowing: some cheats are permanent for the rest of that session once activated (like weather and traffic color changes) and can only be reversed by entering the same code again or reloading a save — they don’t wear off on their own.
FAQ {#faq}
Do GTA Vice City cheats disable saving? No. You can save your game normally after using a cheat; it just won’t count toward trophies/achievements on the Definitive Edition.
Can I use multiple cheats at once? Yes, cheats stack freely — you can have full health, all three weapon sets, flying cars, and pink traffic running simultaneously.
Is there a money cheat in GTA Vice City? No official cash cheat exists in Vice City (unlike San Andreas). The closest workaround players use is repeatedly robbing stores or exploiting side businesses, since Rockstar never added a direct money code to this title.
Do cheat codes work on mobile (iOS/Android)? The mobile ports don’t have a native way to type codes since there’s no keyboard input during gameplay. Players typically use a third-party keyboard app to bring up a typing overlay, then enter the same codes used on PC.
Will using cheats break my main save file? No, cheats don’t corrupt saves. The only real downside is the achievement/trophy lock on the Definitive Edition mentioned above.
What’s the tank cheat in GTA Vice City? PANZER on PC spawns a Rhino Tank directly in front of Tommy.