You can find nods to retro games in many modern titles, but few pay homage to the classics quite like the Yakuza and Like A Dragon series. Sega has revealed that Daytona USA 2 and Fighting Vipers 2 are playable inside the upcoming Like A Dragon Gaiden.
If you’ve never played a Yakuza game before, you may be surprised to learn that Sega classics have been a mainstay of the series for many years.
Retro offerings like this are commonplace and have existed since the series began. There’s always an arcade you can visit as a side activity, and over the years, we’ve been treated to many other Sega games, including:
- Virtua Fighter 2 (1994)
- Space Harrier (1985)
- Out Run (1986)
- Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (2010)
- Fighting Vipers (1995)
- Puyo Puyo (2011)
The arcade selections always reflect the time period in which each game is set. Although they aren’t always retro, the Yakuza series is always full of mini-games. From drone racing to go-karts and baseball, there’s a ton of side content that makes the world feel alive.
These mini-games are a great addition to flesh out the world but aren’t the main focus of the Yakuza games. The titles heavily emphasize the story, telling the tale of life in the Yakuza through the eyes of the protagonist, Kiryu Kazama. For as heavy as the story gets at times, there’s a healthy dose of wackiness in every game, and this unique blend has made the series tremendously popular.
As a series fan, I wouldn’t bother if you’re only interested in the retro games. If you’re looking for a superb brawler with deep lore and mountains of side content, few do it as well as Yakuza.
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