Join me on Dondoko Island

The Like a Dragon (née Yakuza) series is known and loved for its idiosyncratic tone, lovable characters, and complete dedication to mini-games. You get fishing mini-games! Dating mini-game! Cabaret club management mini game! Movie mini-game! And they often come with surprising depth and replayability.

With the release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the franchise has outdone itself with Dondoko Island, a ridiculously deep mini-game that's a spin on the Animal Crossing formula. (Infinite Wealth also includes detailed parodies of Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Snap — Nintendo's love is real.) As someone who never got into Animal Crossing, I was surprised by how much I clicked with this game mode. It's faster, more action-oriented and a little trashier than Nintendo's mega-successful series.

The fictional island of Dondoko, located off the coast of Hawaii (where much of the game takes place), is a former resort that has been trashed by a gang of local pirates who use it as a dumping ground. Infinite Wealth protagonist Ichiban Kasuga makes a deal with the owner: Help clean it up and turn it back into a hot vacation spot, and he can take a share of the profits.