The Yakuza series is known for its wild assortment of activities the player can spend their time doing between quests. Many of these are required for players to earn money, items, and precious CP (or "completion points").
Mini-games are a great way to pass the time and get a number of different rewards but they are also just as fun as beating up thugs on the street. Side quests, on the other hand, are usually packed full of fun and engaging content in the form of "substories." These range from serious fights, captivating story arcs, and outrageously silly scenarios.
10 The Cabaret Grand Prix Combines Makeovers, Advertising, And Quick Thinking Into One Mini-Game
While some earlier titles have the player manage a host club, Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2 refine the management mini-game. The two games actually connect in the overall story, but the mini-game is roughly the same between them. The player buys advertisements from around the city to gain fans and start to raise the club's popularity.
They can recruit girls from other substories, CP rewards, or just from around town as well. They then raise their stats by leveling up, using different outfits, accessories, and makeup, and rake in money each night. The Grand Prix is the ultimate challenge in which clubs go head to head or lose their reputation.
9 Early Honeymoon Is The End Of The Akimoto & Mizuki Saga
Yakuza fans will recognize Akimoto and Mizuki from the first two games of the series. While Kiryu doesn't particularly care about the two, Haruka always has Uncle Kaz help them out. In Yakuza 3, their back and forth game of falling for the same trick, nearly committing suicide, and then a new lie getting him back on board meets its conclusion.
Kiryu and Haruka find the couple on the beach in Okinawa and after a string of events, Mizuki's new lie has Akimoto convinced that she is his long-lost sister, explaining that that is the reason they have never been intimate. He is delighted at this revelation as he is now part of her family and the couple hasn't been seen since.
8 Virtua Fighter 5: The Final Showdown Is In The Arcade In Yakuza 6
The Virtua Fighter series is a beloved fighting game franchise from Yakuza developer Sega, and as a result, it is playable alongside other SEGA titles in various arcades and other locations the Yakuza series. Pachinko Virtua Fighter isn't quite the same in Yakuza 3, only able to press buttons during specific encounters, but Yakuza 6 has the most fun, playable cabinet available.
Kiryu can choose between easy and normal cabinets, fighting six opponents randomly to get to the secret end boss. The paths are random after defeating an opponent, but after all six are defeated, players are rewarded with a bonus fight against Dural.
7 Kazuma Kiryu, Professional Voice Actor Is A Short But Hilarious Substory
Yakuza Kiwami 2 has Kiryu explore many different jobs like the previous titles, but there is one job that continues to be brought up by fans. Unlike his movie debut of his own story, or running a real estate business, Kiryu is recruited as a voice actor. Running through Shofukucho, the player is asked to deliver lines of dialogue for a video game. The game ends up being a "Boys' Love" game, and Kiryu can deliver his lines with the greatest of passion.
The reward for the quest is a Straight-Laced Suit, but many fans agree the real reward is knowing that Kiryu's game is circulating around the streets of Shofukucho and Kamurocho.
6 Dragon Kart Is A Mini-Mario Kart In Yakuza: Like A Dragon
As much fun as Pocket Circuit racing is, Dragon Kart is a much more involved form of racing available in Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Pocket Circuit racing has players put together several parts to make the fastest Pocket Circuit car to race on a track but there is very little control to be had apart from boosts.
Dragon Kart takes the concept and simplifies it into a Mario Kart mini-game where players participate in dangerous races. Item boxes are even available, able to grant players a useful boost of speed, machine-gun fire, or a rocket launcher. Unlike Mario Kart, however, you can take out a rival racer completely.
5 Heir To The Family Shows Just How Close Kiryu & Daigo Are
Yakuza 0's Heir To The Family substory has Kiryu chaperoning Daigo around Kamurocho. While the actual involvement the player has only includes a few dialogue options and a fight at the end, it gives some insight into Daigo and Kiryu's friendship. Daigo acts like an entitled child and Kiryu's role outside the Dojima family allows him to give him the harsh words he needs.
Fans would see Daigo again in Yakuza Kiwami 2, where there is clearly a lot that happened in the interim. Heir To The Family lets players see the contrast between Daigo's respect before and after Kiryu's involvement into his father's death.
4 Disco/Karaoke Fully Embraces The Sillier Parts Of The Game
Much of what makes Yakuza what it is can be seen in its mini-games and disco and karaoke. They both show the characters involved in a much more relaxed state, far removed from the perils of the story.
In Disco the player inputs buttons on a grid, gaining more points for how many steps they take before pressing the input on time. In Karaoke, players play another rhythm game with thematic scenes played during the performance. From their past, a dream scenario, or just singing in a band, they are creatively chosen to match each song.
3 Be My Baby Is Yakuza's Dive Into Diaper Cafes & The Strangeness Behind Them
Diaper Cafes are used in Japan for people to destress while acting like an infant. The exploration of this peculiar hobby in Yakuza Kiwami 2 is exactly what fans have come to expect of the series. Kiryu finds himself invited to be treated after a Captain's men cause trouble, leading to a fight. The cutscene that occurs is one that has been taken out of context when referencing the series, having Kiryu back away from his "caretaker" and knocking over a wall.
He discovers these Yakuza playing around with toys, rolling around, and being fed while wearing diapers. After Kiryu refuses to participate, they fight him for refusing their offer. Kiryu's last words of wisdom to them is to never force someone into their fetishes.
2 Clan Creator Puts All The Fun Of An RTS & The Silliness Of Yakuza Together In One Mini-Game
Clan Creator in Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 6 has Kiryu manage fighters to fend off attackers in an RTS-style mini-game. Fighters can be trained or leveled up to become more powerful and materials can be invested in the have more defense when protecting them. The money system has Kiryu leveling characters up in combat, replenishing their health.
Additionally, money can be used to spend on special moves like AoE attacks, buffs to the party, or even discounts. It's one of the most involved mini-games of the series and is one of the most diverse as well, with several ways to play it.
1 The Sixth Chairman's Woes Shows Just How Off-The-Cuff The Yakuza Spinoffs Are
Though not canon, Yakuza: Dead Souls is a firearm-heavy, action-packed title in the series where Kamurocho is crawling with zombies. Like Yakuza 4, the player goes between several protagonists, including Goro Majima. While playing as him during the course of the game, players can encounter a substory where Daigo plans to lure out zombies hiding out in The Hills.
Majima's idea is to get a couple to act as bait as every zombie movie has couples as the biggest attraction for creatures to go after. After not being able to find a couple to be bait, Majima asks Daigo to pose as a woman so they can be the bait instead. The substory has Majima fully into the roleplay, with Daigo feeling a great amount of embarrassment, even asking Majima to keep it a secret between them.