The Yakuza series is full to the brim with some of the most diverse and electrifying games ever made. The manner in which all this goofy side content doesn't take away from the inherent seriousness of the main story is something that should definitely be commended. It doesn't punish you for going through the story at your own pace and also allows you to get lost in the sprawling worlds presented in these games.
Yakuza Kiwami is no exception to this golden rule, with the iconic district of Kamurocho serving as the backdrop for an engrossing tale that is jam-packed with a whole host of content. One such side activity that players can get completely lost in is MesuKing; a minigame where you need to engage in bug battles - the "bugs" here being attractive female wrestlers - to be crowned as the MesuKing champion.
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While this might seem like nothing more than a reskin of the betting minigame from Yakuza 0 where Kiryu had to bet on a female wrestler to earn a ton of money, there's actually more to the MesuKing battles than meets the eye. Here are some tips that you should keep in mind to master this minigame.
7 Keep An Eye Out For MesuKing Cards Scattered All Across Kamurocho
After unlocking the MesuKing substory in Chapter Four, Kiryu will be able to spot several MesuKing cards scattered all across the world of Kamurocho. Unlike the keys for the Coin Lockers that are also present on the map, the MesuKing cards will flash in the symbol of a pink butterfly instead.
You should keep an eye out for these flashes and gather as many MesuKing cards as possible. Not only is having a bigger deck the key to success in this minigame but progression in this substory is locked behind the number of cards that Kiryu has on him as well.
6 Don't Get Demoralized After A Loss - Study Your Opponent's Strategy Instead
MesuKing battles are pretty easy when they start out but slowly increase in toughness until it reaches a point where you might have to face the prospect of a loss. However, don't let this dishearten you - losing is just a part of MesuKing and a pretty crucial part at that.
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You should analyze your opponent's strategy while engaging in a MesuKing battle to see what attacks they favor over others. After losing, you can amend your strategy accordingly to dish out some serious pain in the rematch.
5 Never Leave Yourself Open For The Opponent's Special Attack
In MesuKing, most fighters have a particular choice from Rock, Paper, or Scissors that determines what their special attack is going to be. You won't really be aware of this early on, so you may end up losing since your fighter wasn't prepared to handle the opponent's offense.
However, once you've figured out what symbol the opponent's special move is tied to, you should tailor your strategy accordingly so that you never have to remain open to getting hit by this attack. Adjusting your strategy won't take too long, and it'll ensure that Kiryu will coast to victory in MesuKing.
4 Always Try And Pick A Special Move That Counters The One Your Opponent Has
Special moves can completely change the dynamic of a fight in MesuKing. Since this selection changes for each fighter, you should make it a priority to only choose fighters that have special abilities in slots that can't be exploited by your opponent.
So, if your opponent has a special move in the Rock slot, then always make it a priority to select a fighter whose special move is activated through Paper. While a bit of trickery will still be required to navigate through the fight, it's still preferable over having to completely ignore your special attack simply because your opponent can always counter it.
3 Equip Mystic Heal The Moment You Manage To Get This Card
Along with attacks that directly damage the opponent, you can also equip several support cards on your fighter to augment their fighting style as well. While all support cards are useful in their own way, Mystic Heal is an absolute must-have, especially when you enter the harder MesuKing battles.
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This card ensures that your fighter will regain a bit of health when they win right after losing out to their opponent. The health increase might not seem all that substantial, but makes for a world of difference when you're being pushed against the ropes or need to run the timer down with more health to spare.
2 You Can Purchase MesuKing Cards From Certain Vendors As Well
At the end of the day, your skills in MesuKing are bound to rise if you have a greater variety of options to choose from. This makes it important to scour the world of Yakuza Kiwami and get as many MesuKing cards as possible.
Aside from the cards strewn all across the map, Kiryu can purchase MesuKing cards from certain vendors too. The Pawn Shop and the Weapon Vendor in Purgatory all have unique MesuKing cards to help expand your collection.
1 Progress Through The MesuKing Substories To Get Better Cards Too
Aside from purchasing cards and roaming around the map to find them as well, there's another way to expand your MesuKing collection. The answer is simple - just play through the MesuKing substories.
These substories feature a surprisingly fun (and really silly) narrative to get invested in. Along with this, they also net a bunch of great MesuKing cards as well.
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