Skip to content 
Grand Theft Auto IV Side Content: Friends, Dates, Unlocks
Most of the useful extras in Grand Theft Auto IV come from people rather than places: friends and dates who, once you spend enough time with them, give Niko abilities you can call on by phone. On top of that, the city hides a collectible hunt with a helicopter reward, secret outfits and a set of phone codes that change the rules.
How Friendships Work
Several characters become friends during the story. They call Niko to hang out, and he can call them too. Activities such as eating, drinking, bowling, darts and pool raise their opinion of him, while ignoring invitations or cancelling plans lowers it. Once a friend’s like level reaches 75 percent, a special ability unlocks:
| Friend | Ability | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Roman | Car service | Sends a taxi to Niko’s location |
| Little Jacob | Guns | Makes weapons cheaper |
| Brucie | Chopper | Picks Niko up in a helicopter |
| Packie | Bomb | Fits a car bomb to a vehicle |
| Dwayne | Backup | Sends a car with two armed gang members |
Dwayne’s backup is only available if Dwayne survives the choice in The Holland Play, so the decision there also decides which friend you keep.
Dating and Its Rewards
Niko can also date several women he meets through the story or through the in-game dating site. Dates work like friendships: going out, picking a suitable activity and showing up on time raise the relationship. At 80 percent, each one offers a perk:
- Alex – a 50 percent discount at clothing stores.
- Carmen – a phone call that restores Niko’s health.
- Kiki – a phone call that removes up to three wanted stars.
Kiki’s ability is one of two ways to clear a wanted level by phone. The other is calling Francis McReary, available only if you killed Derrick in Blood Brothers.
Hunting the 200 Flying Rats
Pigeons, nicknamed flying rats, sit on rooftops, ledges and bridges across every island. Shooting all 200 of them unlocks the Annihilator helicopter at a helipad. The hunt is long, and many players use the in-game website mentioned below, which shows pigeon locations on a map, to finish the last few.
Pigeons make a distinct cooing sound when Niko is close. Listening for it is often faster than searching every ledge by sight.
Hidden Outfits
A few clothing items are earned rather than bought. Two are especially well known:
- Statue of Happiness T-shirt – enter the hidden room inside the Statue of Happiness, and Niko leaves wearing the shirt.
- Claude’s GTA III outfit – kill Playboy X in The Holland Play to take over his apartment; its wardrobe holds the leather jacket and trousers of the silent protagonist from Grand Theft Auto III.
Story missions also leave Niko with outfits, such as hospital scrubs after Flatline, a sanitation worker uniform after Taking in the Trash and a balaclava after Three Leaf Clover.
The Conspiracy Website
Typing www.whattheydonotwantyoutoknow.com into the browser of any in-game computer opens a page with maps of weapons, health, armor, vehicles, pigeons, stunt jumps, random characters and entertainment spots. Using it does not affect achievements. After the main story ends, an email about conspiracies links to the same page.
Phone Cheats and Achievements
Numbers dialed on Niko’s cell phone act as cheat codes. Some are harmless, while others disable achievements for the session, so it matters which you use:
- 948-555-0100 – song information texted by ZiT; does not affect achievements.
- 468-555-0100 – changes the weather.
- 359-555-7272 – gives a parachute.
- 482-555-0100 – restores health; blocks several achievements, including One Man Army and Cleaned The Mean Streets.
- 267-555-0100 – removes the wanted level; blocks several achievements, including One Man Army.
- 486-555-0100 – advanced weapons; blocks Cleaned The Mean Streets.
Vehicle Codes Worth Knowing
Most vehicle spawn codes leave achievements untouched, which makes them handy for getting around quickly. A few useful ones:
- 227-555-0175 – Comet sports car.
- 227-555-0147 – Turismo.
- 625-555-0150 – Sanchez dirt bike.
- 625-555-0100 – NRG-900 motorcycle.
- 359-555-2899 – Buzzard helicopter.
- 938-555-0100 – Jetmax speedboat.
A helicopter code is especially useful for reaching the Statue of Happiness or rooftop pigeons. Note that the Annihilator spawn code is an exception: it does block One Man Army, so earning the Annihilator through the pigeon hunt is the cleaner route for achievement hunters.
For the main campaign and its choices, read the Grand Theft Auto IV story walkthrough. Hidden landmarks and jokes are collected on the Liberty City secrets page.
