7 Great Games for Gangland Enthusiasts
From Al Capone to Pablo Escobar, there’s something fascinating about the criminal underworld. If you’re a self-confessed mobster enthusiast, you’ll love our roundup of the best games for gangland enthusiasts.
1. San Quentin xWays
The underworld is notoriously cash-fuelled, which makes this casino slot game right on brand. You’ll go behind the bars of a maximum-security prison and rub shoulders with infamous inmates, Crazy Joe, Beefy Dick, Biker Bill, Loco Luis and Heinrich 3rd. Bet your way to success and hunt down an eye-popping jackpot worth 150,000x your wager. With an RTP of 96.03%, the stakes are high and the rewards are even better. The aesthetic is prison with a punk-rock twist. San Quentin xWays just came out, so why wait any longer to test your nerve?
2. Grand Theft Auto 4
The first Grand Theft Auto game was released in 1997 and quickly won over players with its action-adventure format. Of all the installations, Grand Theft Auto 4 is the most critically acclaimed. Gameplay is focussed, the graphics are superb, and the cars are lush. We’re talking a sleek Invetero Coquette, lighting-fast Turismo, sporty Banshee, blood-red Comet and futuristic Infernus. Playing as Serbian immigrant Niko Bellic, you’ll quickly find yourself dragged into the Liberty City underworld, which takes its cues from NYC.
3. Yakuza 0
Forget The Big Apple, Yazuka 0 unfolds on the streets of Tokyo. You play as Kazuma Kiryu, a stoic protagonist navigating his way through the Japanese criminal underworld of the 1980s. You’ll battle it out for possession of the Empty Lot, a pocket of land coveted by several Yazuka gangs.
4. Sleeping Dogs
This open-world game transports you to Hong Kong, where you’ll take on the role of an undercover cop who finds himself a little too deep into the underworld. It does a fantastic job of recreating the brutality of Asian gangs, complemented by striking graphics and a hip soundtrack.
5. Gangstar Vegas
Hit up the Strip in this role-play video game. You’ll take on a slew of gangsters, mafia cartels and cold-blooded criminals, some of which are allies and others are enemies. The goal? To become the ultimate Las Vegas gangland leader. There’s plenty of glitz and glamour in this action-adventure game, with pimped-out sports cars, colossal guns and piles of cash around every corner. Love the format? Try its predecessors Gangstar New Orleans and Gangstar Rio.
6. Crime Coast: Gang Wars
This city-building smartphone game puts a criminal twist on classics like The Sims. Instead of homemaking, you’ll build up a thriving city, establish a dominant gang and earn stacks of cash. It’s all smooth sailing, until it’s time to battle rival gangs and fight for your territory.
7. The Godfather: Family Dynasty
What’s not to love about a smartphone game based on one of the most iconic gang movies of all time? Like Crime Coast: Gang Wars, this portable game is essentially a city-building simulator with a gangland theme. Build your empire, defend your turf and take down rival gangs. It all unfolds at your fingertips.
Whether you’re looking for lifelike graphics and engaging storylines or a simple, smartphone-friendly experience, you’ll find gangland games for every occasion. Leave your morals at the door. These games put you into the snakeskin shoes of hardened criminals who’ll stop at nothing to clear cash, take down rival gangs and rule the streets.
