Yet The Warriors offers more than just traditional beat 'em up gameplay thanks to a variety of mini-games interspersing the brawling action. Better yet, the arrangement of said mini-games build off each other and the main gameplay in a logical manner, flowing naturally into one another. In order to plaster The Warrior's signature all over Coney Island, for example, the player must trace a 'W' via the analog nub at specific locations. However, it's not long until one's supply of spray runs dry, and the local dealers aren't exactly giving the stuff away. What's a broke Warrior to do?

In terms of income, three morally questionable opportunities present themselves. First, the smash and grab. Forcing entry though either the destruction of the front windows or picking the locks (another quick mini-game), players can enter a shop and loot the place for all it's worth. As a bonus, the cash register doubles as a weapon, one which both knocks foes to the ground and also disperses cash. Next up, the theft of shiny car radios. Simply break the driver's side window and quickly rotate the analog nub to free the device from its constraints. And lastly, if all else fails, mugging passerbys always proves a reliable backup.

Fortunately, the speed and ease of these actions keep them from slowing the game's overall pace, especially since everything occurs in the same world. Time doesn't magically stop during a smash and grab, so don't be surprised if the cops stop by to bust it up or when a rival gang interrupts a tagging session. Don't be fooled, this isn't WarioWare or Mario Party, the mini-games here serve to enrich the crime-laden atmosphere, not to split the game into several segments of varying quality.

The only real fault to be had with the game design lies with some unclear bits. For example, one of the early missions challenges players to place a number of tags at certain locations, which are marked on the map. After accomplishing the preset number, the remaining few markers disappear from the map just as the game informs players that hitting the remaining markers is a bonus objective, leaving players scavenging for something that was just clearly designated.

Though workable, some of the functions struggle with their button assignments, most notably using select to issue commands. With the cursor automatically moving between the six available commands, it's impossible for players to quickly choose their command, instead forced to wait for the cursor to cycle over or to tap the select button repeatedly -- a problem in scenarios where time is of the essence. Camera control (activated by the multi-purpose L trigger, controlled via the analog nub) requires some getting used to, as does pressing up on the directional pad to re-center said camera behind the player.

Technical issues muck things up a bit as well. The framerate often slows when there's a lot occurring on screen, making it difficult to discern what's happening. Fast movements cause a brief blurring effect, during which it can again be hard to tell what's going on. Also, the game's dark color scheme makes it impossible to play under bright lighting conditions, which really sucks if you're, say, sitting in an airport terminal during sunrise.

Still, it's tough to deny the appeal of a game that lets players mug rival gang members before beating them senseless with a cash register. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, specifically in regards to controls and color scheme, but fortunately these issues don't interfere much with the gameplay. Offering engrossing beat 'em up action on the go, Rockstar's The Warriors ranks both among the genre's and the platform’s best.