How to Play the Udon Shop Minigame

Learn how to play the Udon Shop minigame in Like a Dragon: Ishin! Master button memorization, Chef's Recommendations, and achieve the Divine Rank.

Alright, let's talk about the Udon Shop minigame in Like a Dragon: Ishin!. You can actually start playing this as early as Chapter 2. First, you'll need to rescue that Shinto Priest if you haven't already. Then, head over to Fushimi Ichibangai, find the Umai Udon place up north, and grab a bite. This'll get you a bond with the owner.

After that, go back to the shop, and a Substory called 'All in the Hips' will kick off. This is where you'll actually learn the basics of the minigame. Once you clear that Substory, you're free to play the Udon Shop minigame whenever you want by just talking to the owner and selecting the option.

How to Play the Udon Shop Minigame

So, the core of this minigame is all about your memory. You'll see buttons pop up on the bottom of the screen, and your job is to memorize the sequence. Once they disappear, you need to press them in the correct order. See that rope at the bottom of the order screen? That's your timer, so you've gotta nail the sequence before it runs out. Mess up any button press in a round, and you'll lose a heart. You start with three hearts, and if you lose 'em all, it's game over for that shift.

On top of that, you've got your sales total in the upper right corner. Just below that, you'll see a 'Noodle Skills' meter. As you clear rounds, this meter goes up, making the minigame a bit tougher, but also more rewarding. Don't worry, the most button presses you'll ever need in a single round is capped at seven. Your reward for playing is 10% of the sales you made, plus it helps build that bond with the owner.

Now, you're not totally on your own here. There's a handy 'Chef's Recommendation' you can use. Look for the L1/LB button flashing in the upper left corner – hit it, and it'll make all the orders in that round the same type, which makes things way easier. You only get one Chef's Recommendation per shift unless you fail a round. Since you have three lives (hearts), you essentially get three Chef's Recommendations throughout your shift.

Getting the Divine Rank

For those of you aiming to tick everything off the Completion List, you'll need to hit the 'Divine Rank' at the end of your results. To do this, you need to earn a total of 5 Ryo during a single shift. The best way to tackle this is to pick the second option when you start, 'Udon Superstar'. This kicks you off at 7 Dan (Noodle Skills), meaning you'll earn more money from the get-go, though it'll be more challenging.

My advice? Use your Chef's Recommendation right away. Then, pause the game to really study the button sequences for each round. Eventually, the timer might get too fast to keep up, leading to a failed round. If that happens, just start again with the Chef's Recommendation and keep using it until you're done. Hopefully, these tips help you snag that 5 Ryo and the Divine Rank!