Like a Dragon 9 Wiki: Substory Guide, Minigames, Business Tips & Karaoke

Substory Guide: Walkthrough & Rewards Like a Dragon 9 (Yakuza 9) features 52 substories, up from 50 in the previous game. They’re not just filler—several reward exclusive skills, equipment, and even a party member. Below are key substories you shouldn’t miss. ### Must-Complete Substories

**Substory 12: "The Lost Cat"** – Find a stray cat in Ijincho for the owner, a homeless man who later becomes a vendor for rare healing items. Reward: Cat’s Paw Charm (increases critical hit rate by 5%).

**Substory 27: "Debt Collector"** – Help a loan shark collect from three deadbeats. Each has a unique fighting style; the last one uses a baseball bat. Reward: Loan Shark’s Ledger (sell for 50,000 yen).

**Substory 41: "The Karaoke King"** – Compete in a karaoke tournament. Requires 85% accuracy on "24-Hour Cinderella" on normal. Reward: Karaoke Master’s Mic (weapon for Ichiban, attack +30). **Pro tip**: Some substories are time-sensitive—Substory 7 only appears between chapters 3 and 5. Check the Ijincho bulletin board after every main story beat.

Minigame Tips: Max Your Rewards Minigames in Like a Dragon 9 range from arcade classics to new additions. Here’s how to dominate without wasting time. ### Batting Cages Located in Kamurocho. The trick is timing: the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, wait 0.5 seconds, then swing. For the home run challenge, aim for the center of the strike zone—outside pitches rarely clear the fence. Reward for 10 consecutive home runs: Dragon’s Belt (defense +15). ### Mahjong (Riichi Mahjong) If you’re new to mahjong, stick to the "Easy" tables until you hit 10,000 points. Use the "Tanyao" hand (all simples, no honors) for quick wins. Avoid calling riichi unless you have a guaranteed win—it locks you out of defensive plays. The Mahjong Master title requires 50 wins total. ### Dragon Kart Racing This replaces the previous game’s kart racing. Upgrade your car’s acceleration first (costs 10,000 yen per level) before handling or top speed. The trick to winning the S-rank races: brake before hairpin turns, not during. Reward for winning all races: Dragon Kart (vehicle for Ijincho, faster than taxis). | Minigame | Time to Master | Best Reward | Difficulty | |----------|----------------|-------------|------------| | Batting Cages | 30 minutes | Dragon’s Belt | Medium | | Mahjong | 2-3 hours | Mahjong Master title | High | | Dragon Kart | 1 hour | Dragon Kart | Low | | Karaoke | 20 minutes | Karaoke Master’s Mic | Low-Medium |

Business Management: Build Your Empire Business management returns from Yakuza 7 but with more depth. You manage a chain of stores in Ijincho. Here’s the strategy I’ve found most efficient. ### Early Game (Chapters 1-5)

**Buy the ramen shop first** – Costs 100,000 yen, provides steady daily income of 15,000 yen.

**Invest in inventory upgrades** – Each upgrade (costs 20,000 yen) increases shop revenue by 25%. Focus on this before expanding to new locations.

**Avoid hiring staff early** – They cost 5,000 yen per day and don’t boost revenue much until you have multiple stores. ### Mid Game (Chapters 6-10)

**Target real estate** – Buy the vacant lot in Ijincho for 300,000 yen. Wait two in-game weeks, then sell for 500,000 yen. Repeat every five chapters.

**Stock high-margin items** – Sell health drinks (purchase cost 500 yen, sell for 800 yen). Avoid low-margin items like tissues (cost 100 yen, sell 120 yen).

**Automate with managers** – Once you have three shops, hire a manager for 10,000 yen per day. They run the business while you do substories. **Personal opinion**: Skip the convenience store chain—it’s a trap. Margins are thin, and you’ll spend more time restocking than earning. Stick to ramen and electronics.

Karaoke Songs: Full List & Scoring Tips Karaoke is back with 12 songs, including two new ones. Here’s the complete list and how to ace them. ### Song List

"Baka Mitai" (Ichiban)

"24-Hour Cinderella" (Ichiban)

"Like a Dragon" (Ichiban)

"Machine Gun Kiss" (Adachi)

"Koi no Disco Queen" (Nanba)

"Sakura Nagashi" (Saeko)

"Haruka’s Song" (Haruka—new, unlockable after Substory 41)

"The Future I Dreamed" (Kume—new, unlockable after Chapter 8)

"So Much More..." (Ichiban)

"Tonight" (Ichiban)

"Rouge of Love" (Adachi)

"Kinda Drunk" (Nanba) ### Scoring Tips

**Accuracy is king**: Each note has a timing window of 100 milliseconds. Hit the sweet spot (center of the bar) for a "Perfect" which gives 1.5x points.

**Hard mode**: Unlocked after clearing normal on a song. Hard doubles the note speed but also the stat boost. For "Baka Mitai" on hard, a perfect run gives Ichiban +5 to all stats permanently.

**Use the practice mode**: Available from the karaoke bar menu. No cost, no penalty. Spend 10 minutes on each song before attempting hard. **My take**: "Haruka’s Song" is the hardest to perfect—the chorus has rapid-fire notes. Use practice mode for at least 20 minutes before trying it on hard.

FAQ ### How many substories are in Like a Dragon 9? There are 52 substories total. Completing all of them unlocks the secret boss, "The Dragon’s Shadow," and a unique party member, Haruka. Some substories are missable if you progress too far in the main story. ### What’s the fastest way to earn money in Like a Dragon 9? Business management is the fastest. By chapter 6, focus on real estate flipping: buy vacant lots, wait two weeks, sell. This yields 200,000 yen profit per cycle. Pair with the ramen shop for passive income. ### Can you play karaoke with other characters? Yes. Each party member has at least one song. Adachi sings "Machine Gun Kiss" and "Rouge of Love," while Nanba sings "Koi no Disco Queen" and "Kinda Drunk." Playing with different characters unlocks their unique karaoke-related substories. --- *This guide was last updated for Like a Dragon 9 version 1.02. Rewards and substory locations may change with future patches. Check back for updates.*