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 mini-games 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 mini games, 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.
Updated June 19, 2021, by Tom Bowen: With the PS5 release having now arrived and the game recently making its way to Xbox Game Pass, there's never been a better time to check out Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Even for those who have already completed the main story, the huge amount of minigames on offer in Ichiban's debut outing should be more than enough to keep players busy for quite some time. Whether or not there's enough content to tide players over until the next Judgement game arrives remains to be seen, but there's definitely a lot of fun to be had on the gritty streets of Yokohama and Kamurocho either way.
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.
Players can find OutRun at the Sasaki Arcade in Yokohama and the Club SEGA arcade in the Theater Square area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find Space Harrier at the Club SEGA arcade in the Chinatown area of Yokohama and the Club SEGA arcade in the Nakamichi area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find Virtua Fighter 2 at the Sasaki Arcade in Yokohama, the Club SEGA arcade in Sotenbori and the Club SEGA arcade in the Nakamichi area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find Super Hang-On at the Sasaki Arcade in Yokohama, The Club SEGA arcade in Sotenbori and the Club SEGA arcade in the Theater Square area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find Fantasy Zone in the Sasaki Arcade in Yokohama and the Club SEGA arcade in the Nakamichi area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown in the Club SEGA arcade in the Chinatown area of Yokohama and the Club SEGA arcade in the Nakamichi area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can find UFO Catchers in the Sasaki Arcade in Yokohama, the Club SEGA arcade in the Chinatown area of Yokohama, the Club SEGA arcade in Sotenbori and the Club SEGA arcade in the Theater Square area of Kamurocho.
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.
Players can practice their batting at the MIRAI Batting Center in Yokohama and the Yoshida Batting Center in Kamurocho.
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.
Players can play darts at the Bee bar in Yokohama and the Bantam bar in Kamurocho.
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.
Players can play golf at Heaven's Golf in Yokohama and the Yokobori Golf Center in Sotenbori.
14 Dragon Kart
Probably the most enjoyable of all of the mini-games 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.
Players can participate in Dragon Kart racing at the north end of Hamakita Park in Yokohama.
13 Movie Theatre
The Movie Theater mini games 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.
Players can participate in the movie theater minigames by visiting the Seagull Cinema in Yokohama.
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 mini-game, but can listen to them freely.
Players can sing karaoke at the Survive bar in Yokohama and the Karaokekan in Kamurocho.
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.
Players are able to play Shogi in the Commercial District area of Yokohama and the South Shofukucho area of Sotenbori.
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.
Players are able to play Mahjong in the Citron and Vista Mahjong parlors in Yokohama, the Riichi Towers building in Sotenbori and the Lullaby Mahjong parlor in Kamurocho.
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.
Players are able to participate in the Survival Can collection by speaking to Can-San in the Commercial District area of Yokohama.
8 Property Management
The Property Management mini-game 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.
Players will unlock the real estate minigames after completing the mandatory side quest, Ijincho's Safety Net, during Chapter 5.
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.
Players can find the Ounabara Vocational School in the Ijincho area of Yokohama after reaching Chapter 4.
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.
Players can find two cabaret clubs in Yokohama. The Rose Blossom Cabaret is in the red light district, while the Lin Lin Hostess bar is in the Isezaki Ijincho district. Entry to the clubs will cost 3,000 and 5,000 yen respectively.
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.
Players will need to download a rather large update before they'll be able to play slots. After doing so, they can can find Pachinko and Slot machines at the PIA in the Ijincho area of Yokohama and in the Maruhan and Theater Square areas of Kamurocho.