The PlayStation Portable (PSP) version of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories includes a local multiplayer mode that supports up to six players in close proximity using Wi-Fi ad hoc connection. This feature allows players to compete in a variety of game modes using different character models and pedestrians drawn from the single-player campaign.
The multiplayer component is exclusive to the PSP version and does not appear in other releases of the game, such as the PlayStation 2 or mobile ports.
Players can choose from over 60 character models, though access to certain characters and maps depends on the player’s progress in the single-player storyline. Initially, multiplayer is limited to the Portland Island area with nine available characters. As progress is made, other islands and avatars are unlocked.
The game supports 7 unique multiplayer modes, ranging from traditional deathmatches to vehicle-based challenges and team competitions. Power-ups such as Radar Invisibility, Mega Damage, Frenzy, Health Boost, Sticky Tires, and Instant Repair enhance gameplay variety.
Liberty City Survivor
Liberty City Survivor is a deathmatch-style mode inspired by a fictional reality TV show advertised on the radio in Grand Theft Auto III.
Players compete to eliminate opponents, with victory awarded to:
- The first player to reach a specific number of kills, or
- The player with the highest score when time expires.
Matches can be played solo or in teams (referred to as “gangs”).
Protection Racket
In Protection Racket, two gangs face off with opposing objectives:
- One gang must defend four limousines located at their base.
- The other gang must attack and destroy those vehicles.
After a round ends - either when all limousines are destroyed or time runs out - the teams switch roles, and the game continues until one side prevails.
Get Stretch
In Get Stretch, teams attempt to steal the rival gang’s cars and return them safely to their own base.
The game concludes when:
- A team reaches the designated score limit, or
- The timer expires.
This mode emphasizes coordinated attacks and defense between gang members.
The Hit List
The Hit List designates one player as the Mark, while all others act as hunters.
- The goal for the hunters is to eliminate the Mark as quickly as possible.
- Once the Mark is killed, a new player is randomly chosen to take their place.
Each player’s total survival time as the Mark is recorded, and the player who survives the longest wins. The Mark’s vehicle gradually takes damage over time, adding urgency to each round.
Street Rage
Street Rage is a racing mode set across Liberty City’s roads. Players must pass through checkpoints to reach the finish line first while having the option to:
- Change vehicles mid-race, or
- Use weapons against rivals.
If a player loses their vehicle or is killed, they are automatically respawned in a new car after a short delay.
Two power-ups are available:
- Sticky Tires – temporarily improves vehicle handling.
- Instant Repair – instantly restores a vehicle’s condition.
The first player to complete all checkpoints wins the race.
The Wedding List
In The Wedding List, players compete to collect specific cars scattered throughout Liberty City and deliver them to designated shipping crates.
Only players driving the required vehicles can see the delivery locations. Players earn cash based on the condition of the vehicles upon delivery. Once all vehicles are collected and delivered, the player with the most money is declared the winner.
Tanks for the Memories
In Tanks for the Memories, players race to seize control of a Rhino tank and survive for as long as possible.
- The player in control of the tank must survive until the target Tank Time is reached.
- Other players attempt to destroy the tank before this happens.
If the tank is destroyed, the player who dealt the most damage gains control of the next tank. The cycle repeats until one player successfully meets the Tank Time, earning victory.
