Prawn Island Mansions

Overview of the Prawn Island mansions in GTA Vice City.

The mansions at Prawn Island refers to a collection of three villas located on the northern tip of Prawn Island in Vice City in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The mansions serve as a key location in the storyline of both games; in GTA Vice City Stories, the northern mansion, which the game dubs the "Mendez mansion", is Diego and Armando Mendez's residence.

Description

In general, the Prawn Island mansions are located on an elevated terrain that slopes upwards from south to north, fronting the island's commercial block and InterGlobal Studios to the south, and encircle a fountain which, in GTA Vice City, is depicted to be pouring water.

The three mansions, each located to the west, north and east are distinguished by their color or design. The western and eastern mansions are identical in structural design, but differ in color (the western mansion is green and the eastern mansion is yellow), while the northern mansion shares the same color scheme as the western mansion but is depicted with a unique architectural design. In addition, the western and eastern mansions do not feature extensive compounds, while the northern mansion is/was lavishly equipped with a swimming pool, a basketball court (in GTA Vice City Stories), and a tennis court.

GTA Vice City

In GTA Vice City, set in 1986, the mansions' compounds are by large depicted in a dilapidated state, serving as a base of operation for the Streetwannabe's, and as a result, are (with the exception of the western mansion) heavily vandalized and their buildings covered in graffiti. The eastern mansion is accessible at any point of time in the game, and boasts a ruined two-storey interior that also provides access to the second floor veranda and the rooftop. A Gang Burrito can also be found parked in front of the northern mansion.

The mansions are prominently featured in "Phnom Penh '86", when the player, with assistance from Lance Vance, launches an assault on the Streetwannabe's stronghold among the Prawn Island mansions, gunning down defending Streetwannabe's thugs in all three mansion compounds, and fighting their way up the eastern mansion.

GTA Vice City Stories

Overview of the mansions in GTA Vice City Stories.

In GTA Vice City Stories, set two years before events in GTA Vice City, the mansions are depicted to still be in good condition to the point the area features well trimmed lawns and well furnished backyards.

The northern mansion, which takes up the largest share of land among the three, is occupied by Diego and Armando Mendez, heads of the Mendez Cartel, and is thus referred to by the game as the "Mendez mansion". At one point in the game, a Domestobot operates in the mansion to do chores; during "Domo Arigato Domestoboto", the player seizes control of the robot to crack a safe in the mansion; this is the only time in the game when the player can explore the upper interiors of the mansion.

The Mendez mansion would serve as the starting point for missions given by the Mendez Brothers, and is also the central flashpoint during "Light My Pyre", when Lance Vance and the player charge in in a failed attempt to save a kidnapped Louise Cassidy-Williams, although Victor succeeds in killing Armando in the mansion's (unusually) spacious basement level in the process. The killing sends Diego seeking refuge at the Mendez Building, leaving the Mendez mansion abandoned.

Gallery

GTA Vice City

Exterior of the eastern mansion. First floor of the eastern mansion's interior. Second floor of the eastern mansion's interior. The northern mansion. The northern mansion's backyard. The western mansion.

GTA Vice City Stories

The eastern mansion. Exterior of the the northern mansion, known in game as the "Mendez mansion". The Mendez mansion's backyard. The western mansion.