The Yakuza series started all the way back in 2006 for western audiences and has grown ever since, with the franchise's popularity booming in recent years. The release of the most recent installment, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, marked the first time that a Yakuza title didn't debut as a PlayStation console exclusive, with the game also available on Xbox Series consoles at launch this time around.
The Yakuza titles have always delivered fun arcade-style combat, with engaging storylines and plenty of quirky Japanese humor. Some of the funniest parts of the games come from the sidequests and minigames, of which there are plenty to choose from. While there are more than enough games to keep fans engaged, the best minigames in Yakuza really do set themselves apart.
Updated September 6, 2022: Though there's still no word on when exactly Sega will be releasing another Yakuza game, that isn't to say that there aren't still plenty of reasons for fans to be excited. With all of the mainline Yakuza games now available on PS Plus Extra and Premium, it seems safe to assume that the series' popularity will continue to rise, which, in turn, should lead to larger budgets for future installments. In the short term, this also provides players with an opportunity to check out some of the earlier Yakuza titles, many of which flew under the radar when they were first released in the west. These earlier entries mark the debuts of many of the best Yakuza minigames and thus serve as a piece of history for hardcore Yakuza fans.
10 Survival Can Collection
Despite its somewhat unusual premise, Survival Can Collection can actually be a lot of fun. As the name might suggest, it tasks players with collecting cans while riding around on a special bicycle, with a number of different courses available as well as plenty of great rewards.
A lot of the best Yakuza minigames have the playable character standing still in one particular spot, which can get a little samey after a while. Survival Can Collection instead allows players to explore the surrounding area and put their local knowledge to the test.
9 Golf
The Golf minigame appeared in quite a few Yakuza games, with Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 5 both having driving ranges and Yakuza 4 and Yakuza: Dead Souls having full-blown golf courses. Much like other sport-themed minigames within the series, Golf is particularly hard to master and can easily leave players feeling frustrated.
It's one of those games that takes a little while to master, though, for those who love the sport, it serves as a fairly faithful representation all things considered. Sometimes, there's just no better way to blow off steam in a Yakuza game than by hitting the driving range, which likely explains why the minigame appears in so many Yakuza titles.
8 Batting Cages
The Batting Cage is the baseball minigame that challenges the player to hit the ball at precisely the right moment to land a home run. This minigame has appeared in all of the main numbered titles, as well as the spin-off Yakuza: Dead Souls, though it does vary slightly throughout the series.
This minigame is one of the most difficult to master, though is arguably one of the most true-to-life side activities in the Yakuza games. Batting centers are incredibly popular in Japan, particularly in and around Tokyo, which is where most of the series' action takes place. There are four difficulty levels, as well as a hidden fifth difficulty that players can unlock after mastering all of the others.
7 Ichiban Confections (Business Management)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon added a whole heap of new minigames for fans to enjoy, and one of these is Ichiban Confections, also known as the Business Management game. It's essentially a business management sim game that sees players growing the small Ichiban Confections store into a massive corporate company.
Players found this game enjoyable and it also earned bonus points for being a great way to earn a lot of money. For the most dedicated players, reaching the top 100 in Management Mode will result in Eri joining up with Ichiban as a new party member.
6 Dragon Kart
For fans who loved the Pocket Circuit minigame from previous titles that saw players building little kit cars to race on various tracks, Yakuza: Like a Dragon decided to up the ante with Dragon Kart, essentially lifesize Pocket Circuit, or more accurately — a Mario Kart clone.
Despite lacking in originality, this minigame is super fun nonetheless and offers players a chance to get their Mario Kart fix on non-Nintendo consoles. However, the one main criticism most players have about this minigame is its lack of variety when it comes to tracks.
5 Darts
Darts is a minigame that has appeared in a lot of the Yakuza games, but it's a mixed bag in all honesty. In some titles, such as Yakuza 0, it is a pretty decent game to play and isn't too difficult to master. This comes as a surprise given that many of the other "physical sports" minigames, such as golf and baseball, are known to be a pain to master.
However, in YakuzaKiwami 2 and Yakuza 6, the Darts minigame seems to have a bit more difficulty attached to it and so players might find it a little more tedious. Regardless, the game is made ridiculously easy once a player unlocks the right darts, so it's a moot point.
4 Disco
The Disco minigame was introduced in Yakuza 0 and allowed players to see their favorite characters strut their stuff on the dancefloor. The Disco game is rhythm-based, though it has a different setup from the franchise's karaoke minigame.
Some players might dislike the Disco minigame as the timings often seem a little off, especially when compared to those of karaoke. However, once it is mastered, the Disco minigame is pretty straightforward. The minigame's selling point is getting to see the cheesy and hilarious moves the characters bust out.
3 Pocket Circuit
Pocket Circuit debuted in Yakuza 0 and went on to feature in Yakuza Kiwami as well. It's an interesting little game that sees players make their own custom build karts to race on various tracks. Along with just being fun, Pocker Circuit has some hilarious story content that is tied to it as well.
While the minigame can get pretty in-depth, there are some really easy-to-follow guides online that explain which setup to use for which race. These make the whole minigame quest arc an absolute breeze.
2 Karaoke
Karaoke has appeared in all of the Yakuza titles. Well, technically it wasn't in Yakuza or Yakuza 2, but it did appear in their Kiwami remakes. Everybody loves a good rhythm-based game, and the Karaoke minigame offers exactly that.
The Karaoke minigames often deliver hilarious scenes, not just of the characters performing, but also montages of their lives. For avid fans, many of the karaoke songs re-appear throughout the series, though sometimes under different names.
1 Cabaret Club
There are two Cabaret Club minigame variants, Cabaret Club Czar from Yakuza 0 and Cabaret Club Grand Prix from Yakuza Kiwami 2, both of which are very similar. As the name suggests, players run a cabaret club with a whole team of hostesses, looking to please the customers and rake in as much cash as possible.
Players can give the hostesses makeovers, both their make-up and hair, and they all have their own different strengths and weaknesses. Extra hostesses can be unlocked, some of who depend on the side quests. This minigame is a lot of fun and also an easy way to earn a ton of cash.