Like A Dragon Gaiden Pocket Circuit Guide: how to beat all Races and Cups

The fan-favorite Pocket Circuit minigame is back in Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. It's been a good handful of years since RGG Studio has included in a Yakuza / Like A Dragon entry; Pocket Circuit was last seen in prior titles like Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami. As always, the Pocket Circuit minigame has an overarching story that unravels as you progress through it and we're here to help if you're having trouble.

Pocket Circuit is unlocked via main story progress in Like A Dragon Gaiden, so you can't miss when it first opens up.

Where to find Pocket Circuit parts in Like A Dragon Gaiden

The bulk of your Pocket Circuit parts will be bought right by where you begin races. The CourStar manager sells the vast majority of the parts we'll be using to beat all of these races and they cost pp, the exclusive currency you obtain by completing Pocket Circuit races. You'll receive an abundance of them by winning 1st place.

The only parts that we use from outside of the CourStar shop is the Metal Frame Plus, Super Balanced Frame, and High Torque Mark II. Metal Frame Plus is sold at Ebisu Pawn Sotenbori for 980yen.

Meanwhile, the Super Balanced Frame can be found at Yotsudera Kaikan 4F, which is the roof of the Yotsudera Kaikan building. The stairs leading up to the building is the left entrance of the Kiss Shot Billiards & Bar by S Shofukucho. Refer to the map down below for the exact location to go up the stairs and where the Super Balanced Frame is located.

Obtaining the High Torque Mark II will consist of opening Locker H5. Luckily, the H5 Locker Key is also at Yotsudera Kaikan 4F. It's right beneath the blue table on that same roof you got the Super Balanced Frame. Refer to the following images if you're having trouble finding it.

Other than that, more and more parts will unlock in the CourStar shop as you unlock higher Races and Cups.

Recommended Parts and Strategy

As with previous Pocket Circuit iterations, we cannot guarantee that the Recommended Parts we listed will always win you 1st place the 1st time. We have personally tested and confirmed that the Recommended Parts layout on each race can win 1st place but there is a large amount of randomness during Pocket Circuit races.

Once a race starts, the player can only control two things actively: when to engage a Boost and expending the Energy Gauge when their pocket racer is in danger of falling off the track. Use Boost very sparingly because this heightens the chance that your racer will fall off; ideally, the Recommended Parts will be enough to win without boosting.

Be aware that some Recommended Parts have had us carefully expend the Energy Gauge at times to keep our pocket racer on the track. Remember that you don't have to mash as fast as possible - only as much as needed to keep your racer stable and on the track. Be conservative about expending your Energy Gauge because you never know when you might need an extra tiny bit at the last stretch of the race.

Introductory Race

• Total Distance: 88.2 m
• Cost Limit: 20
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Slick Tires, Speed Frame, Speed Motor, Power Gears, Regular Battery

Rookies Welcome Race

• Total Distance: 128.6 m
• Cost Limit: 20
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Slim Tires, Metal Frame, Speed Motor, Regular Gears, Regular Battery

Rookie Race

• Total Distance: 184.9 m
• Cost Limit: 20
• Laps: 12
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Slick Tires Plus, Speed Frame Plus, Speed Motor Plus, Balanced gears Plus, Regular Battery

Standard Race

• Total Distance: 178.6 m
• Cost Limit: 25
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Extra Spiked Tires, Extra Rocket Frame, Extra Speed Motor, Godspeed Gears, High Speed Battery

Pro-am Race

• Total Distance: 170.9 m
• Cost Limit: 25
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Extra Soft Tires, Super Balanced Frame, Extra Power Motor, Godspeed Gears, High Capacity Battery

Veteran Race

• Total Distance: 192.1 m
• Cost Limit: 30
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Extra Slim Tires, Metal Frame Plus, High Torque Mark II, Godspeed Gears, High Speed Battery, Side Stabilizer, Light Suspension

Expert Race

• Total Distance: 206.3 m
• Cost Limit: 30
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Extra Soft Tires, Metal Frame Plus, High Torque Mark II, Godspeed Gears, High Speed Battery, Light Suspension, Flat Wing

Official Race

• Total Distance: 205.8 m
• Cost Limit: 30
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Extra Soft Tires, Metal Frame Plus, High Torque Mark II, Godspeed Gears, High Speed Battery, Light Suspension, Flat Wing

CourStar Race

• Total Distance: 189.9 m
• Cost Limit: 35
• Laps: 12
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Speed Frame, Godspeed Motor, Extra Boost Gears, High Capacity Battery, Light Suspension, Flat Wing

Invitational Cup

• Total Distance: 215.0 m
• Cost Limit: 40
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Speed Frame, Godspeed Motor, Extra Boost Gears, High Capacity Battery, Light Suspension, Flat Wing

Champions Cup

• Total Distance: 217.2 m
• Cost Limit: 40
• Laps: 4
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Soft Tires, Super Balanced Frame, Ultra Power Motor, Ultra Regular Gears, High Speed Battery, Side Stabilizer 3.0, Light Suspension, Flat Wing

Expert Cup

• Total Distance: 254.8 m
• Cost Limit: 45
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Rocket Frame, Godspeed Motor, Extra Boost Gears, Regular Battery, Light Suspension, Rainbow Wing

Note: In order to continue, you must defeat Ran in a Rival Match to unlock the rest of the courses after the Expert Cup.

Under Rival Battle, select Ran: Pocket Circuit Fighter

• Total Distance: 213.5 m
• Cost Limit: 45
• Laps: 4
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Rocket Frame, Godspeed Motor, Ultra Regular Gears, Regular Battery, Light Suspension, Rainbow Wing

Professional Cup

• Total Distance: 269.4 m
• Cost Limit: 45
• Laps: 8
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Rocket Frame, Godspeed Motor, Ultra Regular Gears, Regular Battery, Light Suspension, Rainbow Wing

Masters Cup

• Total Distance: 252.3 m
• Cost Limit: 45
• Laps: 4
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Speed Frame, Ultra Godspeed Motor, Ultra Regular Gears, High Speed Battery, Light Suspension, Rainbow Wing

Grand Masters Cup

• Total Distance: 258.5 m
• Cost Limit: 50
• Laps: 12
• Recommended Parts: Golem Jaguar, Ultra Slim Tires, Ultra Metal Frame, Ultra Godspeed Motor, Ultra Boost Gears, Regular Battery, Heavy Suspension, Rainbow Wing