Vice City
Encyclopedia
Vice City is a fictional city in the Grand Theft Auto
series, based on Miami, Florida
. Two versions of the city have appeared in different generations of the series: The Grand Theft Auto
rendition is geographically very similar to Miami. The Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
rendition (also featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
) is composed of two mainland islands, with five smaller ones in between. This rendition of Vice City draws significant inspiration from the 1980s culture of Miami.
Located in the Florida Keys
, Vice City enjoys a subtropical or near-tropical climate with year-long sunny weather, occasional strong winds and rainfall. It is also suggested in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories that the city is exposed to hurricanes, as is Miami; early in Vice City, bridges are closed to the public as Hurricane Hermione is believed to be approaching the city. Similarly in Vice City Stories, Hurricane Gordy is believed to be approaching the city.
, the Grand Theft Auto
rendition of Vice City is more geographically accurate to Miami. Eastern Miami, Fort Lauderdale
, and the surrounding areas are depicted as "Vice Beach;" North Miami Beach and the Central Business District
have been tagged as "Felicity". Western Vice City is made up of Miramire, Coral City, Greek Heights, Little Dominica, Little Bogota and Richman Heights, each representing the counties Broward
and Dade
. Although it is more geographically accurate it is not as accurate in culture.
Districts and locations in the city taken from Miami include:
Note: All of these areas have been renamed in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. See below for more information.
, is set in 1986, a reference to 1980s Miami, which was a major trans-shipment point for cocaine
from South America
at the time. This is further reinforced with its theme of the drug business and crime, as well as the presence of new upper-class businesses and residents in the city, with some of them likely to be funded by the drug business. The city is also located on the same fictional universe
as Liberty City
, San Andreas, Carcer City (Manhunt
), Cottonmouth (Manhunt 2
) and Bullworth
(Bully
). Vice City is specifically indicated to be located within the state of Florida
, while Vice City was suggested to exist alongside Miami in Grand Theft Auto III.
Vice City consists of two major islands and five smaller islands, Prawn Island (northern-most island), Starfish Island (southern-most island), and Leaf Links (consisting of three islands). Both main islands are separated by a large body of water similar to that of Biscayne Bay
, which separates Miami Beach
from mainland Miami in real life. Each major island is divided into several districts. The population of Vice City is given as around 1.8 million.
The city has four hospital
s (two in each major island) and four police station
s (two in each major island) distributed evenly in the city; these facilities serve as respawn
points after the player dies or is arrested, respectively. The city also has one fire station
and a military base
. Unlike Liberty City and the state of San Andreas, however, Vice City has no known railway or rapid transit
systems, and all islands are connected by road or pedestrian bridges. While the city contains local taxicab
s like other GTA cities, Vice City was the first city in the series to offer functional taxicab services that sends the player directly to a single location for a fee, available in one mission (to a club) or when the player failed a mission as a result of being killed or arrested (to the last mission's trigger point, excluding phone missions). This Trip Skip taxi function has been used in subsequent GTA games, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
.
As in other Grand Theft Auto cities, there are no children or schools present in Vice City. Were there children present they would be subject to the same conditions as adult characters, which is not acceptable under any circumstances in many countries including the United States.
In the beginning of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the western island is off-limits due to hurricane warnings. After the player starts working for Ricardo Diaz, the warnings will subside and the bridges will be open. Conversely, in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
, the eastern island is off-limits during the first half of the game due to another hurricane warning.
on its west side, including neighboring Leaf Links. The eastern island is clearly based on Miami Beach, Florida
.
in South Beach
and located in the southeastern most of Vice City. The area is primarily occupied by seaside and beach side apartments, hotels and upper-class businesses. An Art Deco Historic District-like row of Art Deco
and Modernist low rises are also present; the road stretched along the row mimics that of Ocean Drive, bearing much resemblance to their real life counterparts in architecture and layout, and includes a flora partition between the low rises and beach, similar to Lummus Park. The lighthouse located at the southeastern most point mimics the Cape Florida lighthouse, the oldest structure in Miami, located in Key Biscayne
, and a popular beach side tourist destination.
Inland towards the west, Ocean Beach contains additional commercial and residential buildings, resembling southwestern Miami Beach, westward from Collins Avenue (in fact, the road in Vice City that separates the two sides of the Ocean Beach in the manner that Collins Avenue does to southern Ocean Beach, and would eventually run along several beach side apartments and condominiums in Vice Point, similar to northern Collins Avenue).
The district boasts a marina
, Ocean Bay Marina, mimicking a large marina stretched along Alton Road in Ocean Beach and located at the west end of the district. A hospital is also situated on the northwest end of Ocean Beach, named Ocean View Hospital, it is likely named for its locations affront the city bay. Two additional high-rise buildings located beside the hospital bear signage that claims that the tenants are the "Research and Development Department" of the "Ocean View Medical Foundation", suggesting that the buildings are related to the hospital.
Several other features may be noted in Ocean Beach. A park mimicking South Pointe Park is located on the southern end of Ocean Beach, and includes a seaside building with similar architecture designs, and an additional helipad. An open-air mall, Washington Mall, depicted at the northern end of Ocean Beach, is possibly based on the Bal Harbour Shops mall at Bal Harbour
. It is also interesting to note the similarity in design to the 1983 motion picture Scarface
, particularly during the hotel chase following the infamous chainsaw scene.
Grand Theft Auto (series)
Grand Theft Auto is a multi-award-winning British video game series created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones, then later by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by Edinburgh based Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games...
series, based on Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Two versions of the city have appeared in different generations of the series: The Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto (video game)
Grand Theft Auto is a 1997 action-adventure video game created by British games developer DMA Design and published by BMG Interactive. The game allows the player to take on the role of a criminal who can roam freely around a big city. Various missions are set for completion, such as bank...
rendition is geographically very similar to Miami. The Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
rendition (also featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
) is composed of two mainland islands, with five smaller ones in between. This rendition of Vice City draws significant inspiration from the 1980s culture of Miami.
Located in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
, Vice City enjoys a subtropical or near-tropical climate with year-long sunny weather, occasional strong winds and rainfall. It is also suggested in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories that the city is exposed to hurricanes, as is Miami; early in Vice City, bridges are closed to the public as Hurricane Hermione is believed to be approaching the city. Similarly in Vice City Stories, Hurricane Gordy is believed to be approaching the city.
Grand Theft Auto rendition
Compared to Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
, the Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto (video game)
Grand Theft Auto is a 1997 action-adventure video game created by British games developer DMA Design and published by BMG Interactive. The game allows the player to take on the role of a criminal who can roam freely around a big city. Various missions are set for completion, such as bank...
rendition of Vice City is more geographically accurate to Miami. Eastern Miami, Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, and the surrounding areas are depicted as "Vice Beach;" North Miami Beach and the Central Business District
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
have been tagged as "Felicity". Western Vice City is made up of Miramire, Coral City, Greek Heights, Little Dominica, Little Bogota and Richman Heights, each representing the counties Broward
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
and Dade
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
. Although it is more geographically accurate it is not as accurate in culture.
Districts and locations in the city taken from Miami include:
- MiramireMiramar, FloridaMiramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041...
- Little DominicaLittle HaitiLittle Haiti or La Petite Haïti, and traditionally known as Lemon City, is a neighborhood in Miami, Florida, United States known as a traditional center for Haitian immigrants, and Francophone culture in the city.-Lemon City, early farming days:...
- Coral City
- Vice Shores
- Vice Beach
- Little BogotaLittle HavanaLittle Havana is a neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. Home to many Cuban immigrant residents, Little Havana is named after Havana, the capital and largest city in Cuba. The approximate boundaries are the Miami River , SW 16th Street , SR 9/West 27th Avenue and I-95...
- Greek Heights
- Felicity
- Richman HeightsRichmond Heights, FloridaRichmond Heights is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richmond Heights is located at ....
- Banana Grove
Note: All of these areas have been renamed in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. See below for more information.
Overview
Vice City, as depicted in Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
, is set in 1986, a reference to 1980s Miami, which was a major trans-shipment point for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
at the time. This is further reinforced with its theme of the drug business and crime, as well as the presence of new upper-class businesses and residents in the city, with some of them likely to be funded by the drug business. The city is also located on the same fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
as Liberty City
Liberty City (Grand Theft Auto)
Liberty City is a fictional city in Rockstar Games' video games series Grand Theft Auto, based primarily on several major cities including New York City...
, San Andreas, Carcer City (Manhunt
Manhunt (video game)
Manhunt is a stealth game developed by Rockstar Games. It was released to the public on November 18, 2003 for the PlayStation 2 console, and on April 20, 2004 for Xbox and PC. Although it was generally well-received by critics, Manhunt created a controversy due to the graphic violence the player...
), Cottonmouth (Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2
Manhunt 2 is an action/adventure video game developed by Rockstar Games and the sequel to 2003's Manhunt. The game was released in North America for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii on October 29, 2007....
) and Bullworth
Bullworth
-Overview:Bullworth is a fictional town in the New England area probably in the state of New Hampshire, and the setting of the game Bully. This town has 5 districts and a northeastern coastal town. It is located in the same fictional universe as the Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt series.It has been...
(Bully
Bully (video game)
Bully, also known as Canis Canem Edit for the PAL PlayStation 2 version, is an open world video game released by Rockstar Vancouver for the PlayStation 2 on 17 October 2006 in North America, and 25 October 2006 in the United Kingdom...
). Vice City is specifically indicated to be located within the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, while Vice City was suggested to exist alongside Miami in Grand Theft Auto III.
Vice City consists of two major islands and five smaller islands, Prawn Island (northern-most island), Starfish Island (southern-most island), and Leaf Links (consisting of three islands). Both main islands are separated by a large body of water similar to that of Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
, which separates Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
from mainland Miami in real life. Each major island is divided into several districts. The population of Vice City is given as around 1.8 million.
The city has four hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s (two in each major island) and four police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
s (two in each major island) distributed evenly in the city; these facilities serve as respawn
Spawning (computer gaming)
In video games, spawning is the live creation of a character or item. Respawning is the recreation of an entity after its death or destruction....
points after the player dies or is arrested, respectively. The city also has one fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
and a military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
. Unlike Liberty City and the state of San Andreas, however, Vice City has no known railway or rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
systems, and all islands are connected by road or pedestrian bridges. While the city contains local taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s like other GTA cities, Vice City was the first city in the series to offer functional taxicab services that sends the player directly to a single location for a fee, available in one mission (to a club) or when the player failed a mission as a result of being killed or arrested (to the last mission's trigger point, excluding phone missions). This Trip Skip taxi function has been used in subsequent GTA games, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a 2005 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto series...
.
As in other Grand Theft Auto cities, there are no children or schools present in Vice City. Were there children present they would be subject to the same conditions as adult characters, which is not acceptable under any circumstances in many countries including the United States.
In the beginning of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the western island is off-limits due to hurricane warnings. After the player starts working for Ricardo Diaz, the warnings will subside and the bridges will be open. Conversely, in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
, the eastern island is off-limits during the first half of the game due to another hurricane warning.
Vice Beach
The eastern island of Vice City, also referred to as "Vice City Beach" on the game's roadsigns, is depicted as the more affluent and tourist-oriented side of the city, which is mostly dominated by upper and middle-wealth businesses, as well as residential condominiums, apartments and construction sites. The eastern island is also known for a wide beach, dubbed "Washington Beach", on its east side, which makes almost half of the island's landmass. The island also has a waterwayWaterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
on its west side, including neighboring Leaf Links. The eastern island is clearly based on Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
.
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is an upper-class tourist district consisting of a few skyscrapers and many low rises, directly based on Ocean DriveOcean Drive (South Beach)
Ocean Drive is a street in South Beach—the southern part of Miami Beach, Florida. It is known for its Art Deco hotels. Ocean Drive is also the location of the famed , one of the most photographed houses in North America. The street is the center of the city's Art Deco District, which is home to...
in South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
and located in the southeastern most of Vice City. The area is primarily occupied by seaside and beach side apartments, hotels and upper-class businesses. An Art Deco Historic District-like row of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Modernist low rises are also present; the road stretched along the row mimics that of Ocean Drive, bearing much resemblance to their real life counterparts in architecture and layout, and includes a flora partition between the low rises and beach, similar to Lummus Park. The lighthouse located at the southeastern most point mimics the Cape Florida lighthouse, the oldest structure in Miami, located in Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies south of Miami Beach and southeast of Miami...
, and a popular beach side tourist destination.
Inland towards the west, Ocean Beach contains additional commercial and residential buildings, resembling southwestern Miami Beach, westward from Collins Avenue (in fact, the road in Vice City that separates the two sides of the Ocean Beach in the manner that Collins Avenue does to southern Ocean Beach, and would eventually run along several beach side apartments and condominiums in Vice Point, similar to northern Collins Avenue).
The district boasts a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, Ocean Bay Marina, mimicking a large marina stretched along Alton Road in Ocean Beach and located at the west end of the district. A hospital is also situated on the northwest end of Ocean Beach, named Ocean View Hospital, it is likely named for its locations affront the city bay. Two additional high-rise buildings located beside the hospital bear signage that claims that the tenants are the "Research and Development Department" of the "Ocean View Medical Foundation", suggesting that the buildings are related to the hospital.
Several other features may be noted in Ocean Beach. A park mimicking South Pointe Park is located on the southern end of Ocean Beach, and includes a seaside building with similar architecture designs, and an additional helipad. An open-air mall, Washington Mall, depicted at the northern end of Ocean Beach, is possibly based on the Bal Harbour Shops mall at Bal Harbour
Bal Harbour, Florida
Bal Harbour is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,305 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bal Harbour is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of...
. It is also interesting to note the similarity in design to the 1983 motion picture Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
, particularly during the hotel chase following the infamous chainsaw scene.