The Kickstarter campaign for Vice: Magic City Mayhem is nearing its final hours, but the game is already guaranteed to happen, having smashed its funding goal. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why. This upcoming top-down 8-bit action/adventure game is pitching itself as the ultimate nostalgia trip: a bizarre, raunchy mash-up of The Legend of Zelda and the neon-drenched swagger of GTA: Vice City (one of my favourite games of all time).
Developed by Jurassic Sunset Games, the project is currently in the final push for funding and is set to bring its chaotic vision to PC via Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch.
A quest for love with a checkered past
You step into the shoes of Dutch, one of Magic City’s top enforcers, who is definitely more rogue than hero. The story kicks off when your one true love, Sophie, vanishes under mysterious circumstances, leaving Dutch to navigate the city’s underbelly to save her—a classic damsel-in-distress trope that’s been thoroughly spiked with 80s decadence and humour.
The adventure takes you across a massive, open world inspired by the decadent 1980s, forcing you to traverse bustling nightclubs, scenic beaches, and even raptor-infested yachts as you get closer to solving the conspiracy that led to Sophie’s disappearance. The entire journey is bathed in vibrant neon lights and backed by a pulsing synth-wave soundscape.
This is the central genius of the game: Vice: Magic City Mayhem takes the reliable structure of Zelda—exploration, combat, and puzzles—and wraps it in the theme, story, and off-kilter humour of GTA: Vice City.
Hack-and-slash meets dungeon crawling
The gameplay will feel immediately familiar to any fan of classic 8-bit adventure games, but with a few essential upgrades:
- Combat: It features thrilling hack-and-slash combat where you wield your trusty Katana and a ranged weapon, like Ninja Stars or Dynamite. You’ll need to master dodging enemy attacks and striking back with your limited arsenal.
- Unique Dungeons: Magic City is home to a network of eight challenging dungeons. These aren’t just combat arenas; they are intricately designed areas filled with inventive puzzles that require you to use your unique gear to solve.
- Unique Gear: The dungeons are the key to unlocking new abilities, as defeating a boss grants you a new weapon or item (like the Pimp Cane!), essential for unlocking new strategies and pathways.
- The World: The city itself is formed by six unique environments (like Magic Beach and Bling Kong’s Nightclub), all packed with secrets, upgrades, and colourful NPCs like Reggie – the town gossip and Dorothy – the wise old pimp.
You’ll need all the help you can get, as the journey involves facing off against eight fearsome bosses, each with unique attack patterns and a larger-than-life personality, such as the first dungeon boss, Bling Kong.
When can you get Vice: Magic City Mayhem?
The developers, who have a background at studios like Telltale Games and EA Tiburon, state the game is already 80% complete and is heading into final polish, focusing on the last few boss fights and map details.
If you want a taste of this chaotic, retro-infused adventure, you can download and play the Vice: Magic City Mayhem demo on Steam now.
Are you ready to suit up and dive headfirst into this unique blend of 8-bit adventure and 80s mayhem? Back the project while you still can on Kickstarter.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
