One thing that’s shared between Like a Dragon games and shōnen anime is that, sooner or later, we’re ending up in a fighting arena. For Like a Dragon Gaiden, that’s the Coliseum, and here is when you can unlock it.
You unlock the Coliseum in the second chapter of Like a Dragon Gaiden. It comes fairly early on in the game, but getting there is going to feel a bit arduous. There are multiple steps to complete before you can unlock it, and one is to fight in it at least once. (Actually, it’s several times).
Steps to unlock the Coliseum in Like a Dragon Gaiden
To unlock the arena, you’ll need to progress the story until Akame takes you to the Castle. Your first order of business? Well, naturally, you need to punch some dudes. A few dudes in fact, who take the appearance of ghosts from Kiryu’s past. Once you knock out the fakers, keep playing the story until you finish the ‘Rescue Hanawa’ section in Sotenbori. After that’s done, go back to Akame.
She’ll attempt to butter Kiryu up, telling him how impressive he was at the Coliseum. It’s suspicious, and she eventually spills the beans: Akame signed Kiryu up for another fight, and she’ll be in trouble if he doesn’t follow through.
Thankfully, you only have a couple fights left before you unlock the Coliseum. But first, you’ll need to return to Mizorogi and get the Serpent shoes gadget. Be sure to take some time and unlock some upgrades before going any further.
Once that’s done, go back to Akame and tell her you’re ready to return to the Castle. After you arrive, she’ll take you to the Boutique, a shop where you can alter Kiryu’s appearance both in and out of the Coliseum. Finally, once that’s done, we’re ready to get bloody. Again.
Your next fight is against Hammerhead, but this won’t be the last you see of him. After you win, you’re introduced to Hell Team Battle, a mode in the Coliseum where you fight in a team. Hammerhead is your first recruit, and after picking up a few others, you get into your first Hell Team Battle fight. Complete the fight, and you will at last unlock the Coliseum in Like a Dragon Gaiden. See? A bit arduous.
Game modes available in the Coliseum
You can enter a Coliseum fight by chatting with Tom at the Coliseum reception desk. Here are the modes available:
- Tournament
- A one-on-one fight against strong foes.
- Hell Rumble
- Fight off many low-level opponents at once.
- Special Event Match
- “Rare” bouts that pit you against tough opponents, such as Mr. Try and Hit Me
- Hell Team Rumble
- The main event! Team-on-team battles where you lead your fighters against groups of foes
Fights are tiered events. Other than the Hell Team Rumble, you begin at Bronze and work your way up. Fight information includes reward, difficulty, consecutive wins, and stage name. You can also earn different ranks starting with B, which rises based on completion speed. Some fights will also have special rules, such as winning under a time limit or with weaponry.
