New Shenmue II gameplay details and screenshots

In Shenmue, Ryo--the main character--had Ine-san supply him with a daily allowance so he had money for bus trips, drinks, and arcade games. In Shenmue II, where the game primarily takes place in Hong Kong and mainland China, Ryo will have to find ways of earning money so he can continue his search for Lan Di. You are awarded money for winning arm-wrestling competitions, which is accomplished by pressing the A button as rapidly as possible. You may also win money by placing bets on dice rolls. There are two different types of dice games that have been announced thus far. One dice game asks you to determine if a roll will be higher or lower than a predetermined number, while another asks you to match two out of three die with the same numbers.

Yet another way to earn money involves a pachinko-like game that asks you to drop a ball into a roulette table. You may place bets on one ball falling into one chosen slot, three balls falling into two chosen slots, or three balls falling into three chosen slots. If all else fails, you may sell items such as figurines acquired in either version of Shenmue in a pawn shop. Selling the figurines in sets grants you more money than selling them separately.

A North American release date for Shenmue II has yet to be announced.