Side Missions & Activities Overview

Go beyond the main story in Grand Theft Auto III with side missions and activities. Boost your bank account, get new vehicles, and improve your gameplay.

Side Missions & Activities Overview

Beyond the main storyline of Grand Theft Auto III, Liberty City offers a wealth of side missions and activities that can significantly boost your bank account, unlock new vehicles, and improve your overall gameplay experience. Engaging with these optional tasks is highly recommended, not just for the rewards, but also for mastering the game's mechanics and exploring every corner of the city. This guide will detail the most lucrative and essential side content available.

Vehicle-Based Side Missions

These missions are initiated by entering specific vehicles found throughout Liberty City. They often involve time limits and require a good understanding of the city's layout.

Paramedic Missions (Ambulance)

To start, locate an Ambulance (often found near hospitals in Portland, Staunton Island, and Shoreside Vale) and press the designated button to begin the mission. Your goal is to pick up injured citizens and transport them to the nearest hospital within a strict time limit. The difficulty escalates with each level, requiring you to rescue more patients and navigate increasingly complex routes.

• Strategy: Prioritize patients closest to your current location and plan your route efficiently. Avoid collisions as they damage the ambulance and can injure patients, costing you valuable time. Completing all 12 levels unlocks the Adrenaline Pill and infinite sprint for Claude, making it one of the most beneficial side missions.
• Locations:
  • Portland: Saint Mark's Hospital (Saint Mark's)
  • Staunton Island: Liberty Memorial Hospital (Rockford)
  • Shoreside Vale: Hope Medical College (Pike Creek)

Firefighter Missions (Firetruck)

Hop into a Firetruck (typically found at fire stations or by setting a vehicle on fire and waiting for one to arrive) and activate the mission. You'll be tasked with extinguishing fires across the city, often involving burning vehicles or buildings. Each level requires you to put out more fires within a time limit.

• Strategy: Use the water cannon effectively by aiming directly at the flames. Be mindful of pedestrians and other vehicles, as the water stream can knock them around. Completing all 12 levels grants Claude fireproof abilities, a significant defensive bonus.
• Locations:
  • Portland: Harwood Fire Station (Harwood)
  • Staunton Island: Belleville Park Fire Station (Belleville Park)
  • Shoreside Vale: Francis International Airport Fire Station (Francis International Airport)

Vigilante Missions (Police Car, FBI Car, Enforcer, Rhino)

Enter any police-affiliated vehicle – a Police Car, FBI Car, Enforcer, or even a Rhino tank – and activate the mission. Your objective is to hunt down and eliminate criminals marked on your radar. The number of criminals increases with each level, and they become more aggressive and better armed.

• Strategy: For lower levels, a standard Police Car is sufficient. As you progress, consider upgrading to an Enforcer or, ideally, the Rhino for its superior armor and firepower. Use the radar to track targets and be prepared for shootouts. Completing all 12 levels awards you a Bribe icon at your safehouses, allowing you to reduce your wanted level for free.
• Vehicle Spawns:
  • Police Car: Found at police stations across all islands.
  • FBI Car: Appears at a 5-star wanted level.
  • Enforcer: Appears at a 4-star wanted level.
  • Rhino: Unlocked after completing the main story mission "Grand Theft Aero" and can be found at the military base in Fort Staunton (Staunton Island) or by achieving a 6-star wanted level.

Taxi Driver Missions (Taxi, Cabbie)

Enter a Taxi or Cabbie and begin ferrying passengers around Liberty City. You'll pick up fares and drop them off at their destinations within a time limit. The faster you deliver them, the more bonus cash you receive.

• Strategy: Familiarize yourself with the city's shortcuts and avoid heavy traffic. While not as challenging as the other vehicle missions, it's a reliable way to earn cash early in the game. Completing 100 fares (not necessarily in one go) unlocks the Borgnine Taxi at the Portland Docks, a more durable and faster taxi.
• Locations: Taxis are common throughout all three islands.

Unique Jumps

Scattered across Liberty City are 20 Unique Jumps that challenge your driving skills. Each successful jump rewards you with a cash bonus and contributes to your overall completion percentage.

• Strategy: Look for ramps, broken bridges, and other environmental features that appear designed for aerial stunts. A fast car is usually essential. Experiment with different approach speeds and angles.
• Rewards: Cash for each jump, and a significant completion bonus for finding all 20.

Rampages

These timed challenges are activated by picking up a skull icon found in various locations. Each Rampage tasks you with eliminating a specific number of gang members or destroying vehicles using a given weapon within a time limit.

• Strategy: Understand the weapon provided and the target you need to eliminate. Some rampages are easier with a vehicle, while others require precise on-foot combat. Plan your route to maximize efficiency and avoid getting overwhelmed.
• Weapons: Common weapons include the M16, Shotgun, Flamethrower, and Rocket Launcher.

Hidden Packages

There are 100 Hidden Packages scattered throughout Liberty City, small green icons that emit a faint glow. Collecting these packages unlocks various weapons and items that will be delivered to your safehouses.

• Rewards:
  • 10 Packages: Pistol at all safehouses.
  • 20 Packages: Uzi at all safehouses.
  • 30 Packages: Grenades at all safehouses.
  • 40 Packages: Shotgun at all safehouses.
  • 50 Packages: Armor at all safehouses.
  • 60 Packages: Molotov Cocktails at all safehouses.
  • 70 Packages: AK-47 at all safehouses.
  • 80 Packages: Sniper Rifle at all safehouses.
  • 90 Packages: M16 at all safehouses.
  • 100 Packages: Rocket Launcher and $1,000,000.
• Strategy: These are often hidden in obscure corners, on rooftops, or behind buildings. A thorough exploration of each island is necessary. Consult an online map if you're struggling to find the last few.

Import/Export Garages

These activities involve stealing specific vehicles and delivering them to designated garages for cash rewards. There are two main lists:

Portland Docks (Emergency Vehicle Crane)

Located at the Portland Docks, this crane requires you to deliver a list of specific emergency vehicles. Once delivered, the vehicles become available for purchase from the crane itself.

• Vehicles Required: Police Car, Ambulance, Firetruck, FBI Car, Enforcer, Rhino.
• Strategy: Some vehicles, like the FBI Car and Rhino, require high wanted levels to spawn. Be prepared for intense chases and combat when acquiring these.

Pike Creek Garage (Shoreside Vale)

This garage has three separate lists of civilian vehicles that need to be delivered. Completing each list earns you a significant cash bonus and makes those vehicles available for purchase from the garage.

• Strategy: Many of these vehicles are common, but some are rarer. Keep an eye out for them during your travels. Having a good understanding of where different car types typically spawn will be beneficial.

Phone Booth Missions

These missions are offered by various characters via payphones scattered across Liberty City. They often involve assassinations, vehicle destruction, or package deliveries, and are a good source of early-game income.

• Marty Chonks (Portland): Located in Trenton, these missions involve disposing of bodies and other unsavory tasks.
• King Courtney (Staunton Island): Found in Aspatria, these missions typically involve gang warfare and vehicle-based objectives.
• D-Ice (Shoreside Vale): Located in Wichita Gardens, these missions are often challenging and involve gang conflicts with the Red Jacks.

RC Toyz Missions

In these unique missions, you control a remote-controlled vehicle to destroy other vehicles or targets within a time limit. There are four distinct RC Toyz missions, each with its own vehicle and objectives.

• Locations:
  • Portland: "Diablo Destruction" (RC Bandit) - Near the Callahan Bridge entrance in Portland View.
  • Staunton Island: "Mafia Massacre" (RC Bandit) - In Belleville Park.
  • Shoreside Vale: "Casino Calamity" (RC Bandit) - Near the casino in Pike Creek.
  • Shoreside Vale: "Toyz 'n the Hood" (RC Bandit) - In Wichita Gardens.
• Strategy: Master the controls of the RC Bandit. These missions can be frustrating due to the delicate controls and the aggressive AI of the target vehicles. Focus on quick, precise movements and aim for explosive barrels or other environmental hazards to maximize damage.