After a long and agonizing wait, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has finally made its way to Western shores. Unlike some of the more recent Yakuza titles, it features a full English dub and, for the first time, will release on Xbox at the same time as it does on PlayStation. It’s a sign of the series’ growing popularity in the West and a good omen for the future of the series.
As one might expect from a Yakuza game, there are a wide range of minigames to keep players busy. In total there are 24, which is more than any of the games that have come before it. Many are returning minigames, but there are plenty of new additions to help keep things interesting. As a result, there’s enough to keep players busy for months and enough variety to ensure that there’s something for everyone.
24 OutRun
Sega’s 1986 classic OutRun requires players to race against the clock to cover as much distance as possible. Thanks to Hiroshi Kawaguchi’s fantastic soundtrack, it’s a great way to kill time and can be incredibly addictive when chasing a high-score. This isn’t the first time that it’s appeared in a Yakuza game and probably won’t be the last.
23 Space Harrier
Another classic Yu Suzuki game, Space Harrier is a third person rail shooter with an incredibly challenging difficulty curve. Series veterans should be pretty familiar with this one by now, especially those who strive for 100% achievement. It’s certainly a fun game, but like most games from the 80’s, could prove too difficult for some.
22 Virtua Fighter 2
Although subsequent entries have surpassed it in quality, Virtua Fighter 2 came at the peak of the series’ popularity in Japan. When it launched in the early 90’s, it was streets ahead of the competition and still remains enjoyable to this day. Visually, it’s starting to show its age, but mechanically, it’s still a fantastic 3D fighting game.
21 Super Hang-On
One of the best racing games of the era, Super Hang-On is not too different from Outrun. Instead of a car though, players instead control a motorbike. The game’s fast pace can make it a little intimidating at first, but at its heart, it’s a fairly simple game with really tight controls. It still holds up really well today and is one of the more enjoyable ways to kill time in the game center.
20 Fantasy Zone
Before Sonic the Hedgehog burst onto the scene, many considered Fantasy Zone‘s Opa-Opa to be the face of Sega. It’s a side-scrolling shooting game with a fairly forgiving difficulty level, making it a great choice for those unaccustomed to the levels of difficulty found some of the other arcade games.
19 Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown is the most recent entry in the Virtua Fighter series and features a huge cast of fantastic fighters. It perhaps feels a little out of place when compared to some of the other arcade titles found in the game due to it being so much more modern, but even so, it’s great to see it make a return.
18 UFO Catcher
Anybody who has been to an arcade or game center before should be familiar with UFO catchers. For those who haven’t, it’s a game in which the player controls a claw in order to attempt to pick up prizes. Just like in real life, the catchers found in Yakuza can at times be incredibly difficult to master even in spite of their simplicity. Not having to spend real money to play the ones in the game certainly softens the blow though.
17 Batting Practice
Players wanting to work on their swing can do so at one of the game’s batting cages. The game tests not only players’ ability to hit the ball, but also their ability to aim it towards a certain spot. Doing so successfully can yield small stat boosts. For those with a bit of time to spare, it’s therefor worth spending some of it in the batting cage.
16 Darts
A series staple at this point, it just wouldn’t be a Yakuza game without the ability to play darts. Boards can be found at the Darts Bar Bee in Ijincho and allow players to improve their mental stat by beating friends and landing consecutive bullseyes. It’s also possible to purchase a better set of darts. Although expensive, they make the game significantly easier and so might be a worthwhile investment for those planning to play a lot.
15 Golf
Although there are no full courses, it’s possible to visit golf centers in order to work on Ichiban’s swing. Players can either aim at targets or, as in previous Yakuza titles, play golf-bingo. There are three different difficulty levels with points awarded depending on performance. Upon completing the round, players will be given a prize based on the number of points they were able to accrue.
14 Dragon Kart
Probably the most enjoyable of all of the minigames found in the game, Dragon Kart allows players to drive a go-kart around the streets of Ijincho. There are seven unlockable karts and plenty of races and tournaments to take part in. Winning them all will unlock the Dragon Kart Master trophy, but the experience alone should provide more than enough incentive to do so. It’s not quite as fleshed out as some of the better kart-racers out there, but for a minigame it’s incredibly impressive.
13 Movie Theatre
The Movie Theater minigames require players to press button prompts in order to avoid falling asleep. There are ten different movies to sit through, with each one more difficult than the last. It’s also possible to watch the movie with a party member, which will lead to a stronger relationship. Completing all of the challenges will improve the Ichiban’s stats as well as unlocking a trophy.
12 Karaoke
At this point, karaoke is something of a series staple and so it should come as no surprise to see it return in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. There are 6 songs in total, although thanks to DLC and preorder bonuses, it’s possible to add many of the series’ previous karaoke tracks to the jukebox in Survive Bar. Players can’t use them in the karaoke minigame, but can listen to them freely.
11 Shogi
Shogi is a Japanese board game that’s incredibly similar to chess. Like in chess, players must place their opponent’s king in a checkmate in order to achieve victory. Most of the pieces are the same, but there are a few key differences. The movements of the three lance pieces may take a bit of getting used to, but shouldn’t be too complicated for players to understand. Shogi may not be as exciting as some of the other minigames, but it provides a great mental workout.
10 Mahjong
Yakuza: Like a Dragon isn’t the first game in the series to feature Mahjong and it probably won’t be the last. It’s an incredibly complicated Chinese tile-based game that will take quite some time to fully understand. For those who are able to master it, it’s a great way to earn money. Most will probably look elsewhere when it comes to gambling though.
9 Survival Can Collection
Survival Can Collection is a little strange, but can be surprisingly enjoyable if given a chance. Players ride a special bike around the area and pick up discarded cans. These can then be traded in for eco points which in turn be exchanged for a wide variety of items. There are rival collectors to steal cans from and obstacles to steer clear of, making it a lot more tactical than it first appears.
8 Property Management
The Property Management minigame in Yakuza: Like a Dragon can be fairly time-consuming, but it’s a good way to earn money. Players purchase and upgrade properties and must then hire staff to run them. They’ll regularly receive sales reports and must also attend shareholder meetings. Here, they must fight to gain the approval of shareholders in order to increase executive earnings.
7 Vocational School
Players will unlock the vocational school through one of the game’s sub-stories. After doing so, they’ll be able to take tests in order to raise Ichiban’s stats. Each test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, with players needing at least three correct answers to pass. There are 21 tests in total, with 20 of them requiring an entrance fee to sit. It’s worth taking them all for the stat increases though and there’s also a trophy available for passing 10.
6 Cabaret Club
Cabaret Clubs are a great way to recover health and improve relationships with party members. Like in previous games, the core mechanics centers around talking to women, although it’s also possible to order food. It’s an incredibly popular activity in Japan and one that has appeared in several of the previous Yakuza games.
5 Pachinko / Slots
There are a wide variety of slot machines in the game, and, just like in real-life, they’re a great way to lose money. Given how easy cash can be accumulated though, it’s not quite such a big deal in-game. Besides, the satisfaction of hitting a jackpot far outweighs the frustration born from having to earn a few extra thousand yen to cover losses.
4 Blackjack
One of the easiest to understand card games in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, most should require no explanation as to how this game works. Players are dealt two cards and must decide whether to stand or take another card. To win, they need cards that add up to a higher total than the dealer’s without their own total exceeding 21.
3 Koi-Koi
Koi-Koi is a popular card game in Japan that uses a special set of flower cards. Players must match them together and are given a point for each set they make. Upon adding a card to a set, they’re given the choice to either continue or end their turn. If they choose to continue, they risk losing any points they’ve accrued if their opponent is able to make a set before them.
2 Poker
Poker is probably the most common videogame card games and so most players should be fairly familiar with it. It’s a gambling game in which players bet on the strength of their cards and can win or lose some fairly sizeable amounts of cash. For those who know what they’re doing though, it’s probably the easiest way of making money in the game.
1 Oichi-Kabu
Oichi-Kabu is another Japanese card game and is fairly similar to the Western game of Baccarat. It’s traditionally played with a special deck of cards called kabufuda with each card having a numerical value. The aim of the game is to acquire cards that add up to a total that has a 9 as its second digit. It requires just as much luck as it does skill and so might not be the best option for those hoping to make some cash.
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