Pre-orders for the game were as high, or perhaps even higher than those for Vice City, after all, the population of small rodents far exceeds that of humans these days. Sales records were smashed on the very first day with mice, rats and even a few hamsters flocking to the shops to get their paws, claws and even teeth on a copy.

The two games are actually very similar, with many missions virtually identical, after all, each was developed under the Rockstar brand, though Mice City was developed within Rockstar Rodents rather than Rockstar North. Of course, there is one major difference that hits you straight away - you play as a gangster rat, rather than a human.

Being a rat has its advantages (though at first a large proportion of the mouse population protested against the game starring a rat) because you really aren't limited in where you can go. Reaching any interior location is no problem at all, simply find a hole, and squeeze through. Rats are shockingly well prepared for this, and are capable of compressing themselves through gaps less than half their size.

Simply being a rat though can be quite dangerous, which is why you are armed to the teeth. The amount of weapons available is unbelieveable, ranging from the tiny gnat gun right up to the high powered lice cannon. Perhaps the best of all though are the stink gas grenades, but sadly, they take a while to produce, and there are a limited number in the game. On top of the weapons though, rats can take part in tail to tail combat, and on occasion have been known to resort to scratching.

The missions in the game can be explored whenever you like, anticipating the fact that you may wish to spend several hours simply exploding mice, or mugging gerbils. Rats can run fairly fast, but its often necessary to acquire transport with protection, both during missions and when escaping police. The two main vehicles available are the running ball, a translucent spherical object that allows the user to run along without worrying about mice retaliating by hurling cheese at you. The second is the exercise wheel, a similar design, but one designed more for attack than defence as it can be used to mow down anything in your path.

When you do decide to take on a mission, you must visit the Hamster Family. They are in charge of anything within the city that could be described as shady or corrupt, stuffing their cheeks with whatever they can find, storing away illegal substances. Here you can earn their trust, and work your way up the criminal ladder, moving from mouse-mugger to mouse-murderer and beyond. At several points in the game you are even required to take out other hamsters for the Hamster Family, requiring a great deal of strength and determination as they are almost totally resistant to most weapons, especially the gnat gun.

If you are successful in a mission, your prize is a visit to KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken. Easily the most popular restaurant in Mice City, KFC draws rats from all areas, tempting them with massive pieces of battered chicken. You can also use this to replenish your health and prepare for your next mission. Chicken is what ever growing rat needs, and you will find yourself becoming stronger as the game goes on.