Shakedown: Hawaii

Hello friends,
Today I will review the game Shakedown Hawaii. This is a retro game based on older grand theft auto games. This is also the same company that made Retro City Rampage, which is also a excellent game. Both games use retro type graphics to show off the game. So if a player wants to avoid games with low graphics quality, this is one of those games, but the game is quite fun. The best way to describe it would be mindless fun.
This game features three characters, working together to make a washed-up business man to try to get his company successful. Many of the methods the main character does to gain money are real life shortcuts in cutting costs in real companies. For example, making smaller items with less product in, lying about what is actually in the product. This is a satire of real life business practices shown in a retro game. The three characters are not available from the beginning of the game, but can be used later in the game at certain points.
The players have access to many weapons, which can be purchased at the gun shops in the game. There are even hidden shops players can buy special items and things. This includes different colored clothing, hairstyles, and car paints. Finding some of these stores are a bit hard, but the map does help with icons players can turn on to find specific ones. Make sure to find the veterinarian shops when you can. They sell some really good things.
PROS:
- A retro game based on grand theft auto games.
- Many story missions and side quests. Some of the quests are quite funny.
- There are other options to even play the game. For example, able to play story mode, challenge mode, and free open world mode.
- Many options to fine tune the game. For example, the ability to turn off certain icons on the map so they do not cover up things players are looking for.
- There are even hidden things. Someone wrote a guide about it if you need to find them.
CONS:
- The retro graphic quality might not be everyone's favorite style of graphics fidelity.
- Do not expect a very long game. Even after trying to find all the collectibles, the game is not very long.
Do i recommend this game? It is fun to play, so yea. If you want a silly story, mindless killing, and searching for items in a city that is like Hawaii, then yes, this game can be fun. The retro graphic style might not be everyone's favorite style, but it did not bother me. The fact the game uses a gta style of gameplay, with a similar graphic fidelity to me makes it even more fun. The simplicity of going around killing enemies and collecting money makes players forget the overly complicated newer games.

I had a really good time with this game. It feels like a follow-up to Retro City Rampage DX, but a bit easier to get into and I actually managed to 100% it this time. There’s a lot going on in terms of gameplay, with tons of different mechanics, and while that keeps things interesting, it can also feel a bit messy at times.
The whole idea of buying properties and slowly taking over the island is pretty fun, even if it doesn’t always match the whole “shakedown” theme the game is going for.
I did complete the 3DS version and found out the PC version is much more better. It would have been great to have it in other languages such as French.
Overall, I enjoyed it and just wish there were more games like this.

Shakedown: Hawaii is a game that fully embraces the outrageousness of open-world crime satire while presenting it through the lens of nostalgic pixel art. Developed and published by Vblank Entertainment, it plays like a spiritual successor to the studio’s earlier retro-inspired urban sandbox work, taking the fast, chaotic top-down formula and applying it to a world fueled by corporate greed, dying business models, and shameless profiteering. Instead of centering on street-level criminals climbing the underworld ladder, the game focuses on a washed-up CEO desperately trying to modernize and salvage his crumbling empire. This shift in protagonist instantly gives the narrative a personality of its own, turning the usual rise-to-power arc into a ruthless—and often hilarious—critique of capitalism, consumer culture, and the absurdity of modern business tactics.
The gameplay is built around two core pillars: arcade-style action and economic domination. The action side delivers classic top-down chaos—high-speed car thefts, shootouts, explosions, reckless driving, and spontaneous destruction. Controls are responsive, combat feels punchy, and the world encourages improvisation, making even small skirmishes entertaining. Missions often escalate quickly, sending players across the island to intimidate competitors, sabotage rival businesses, tamper with advertisements, or strong-arm reluctant shop owners into compliance. The humor in these objectives leans intentionally exaggerated, taking inspiration from media sensationalism and the ridiculousness of corporate PR disasters. While the structure of missions can repeat familiar patterns, the absurd framing keeps them entertaining enough to sustain momentum.
The second pillar—the business and property acquisition system—adds a compelling layer of strategy. Nearly every storefront, gas station, apartment complex, and tourist trap on the island can be purchased, upgraded, or exploited to generate income. Watching daily revenue climb as your influence spreads provides a satisfying feedback loop, and experimenting with different upgrades can subtly shape your financial empire. Eventually, passive income begins to dwarf mission rewards, reinforcing the game’s commentary on how wealth perpetuates itself. The city becomes a playground of opportunity, and acquiring properties starts to feel like its own game-within-a-game, pushing players to explore every corner of the map.
Presentation plays a major role in the game’s appeal. The pixel art is richly detailed, colorful, and animated with an energy that elevates the setting. Vehicles burst into flames dramatically, storefronts have character, and the island feels like a living parody of tropical urban development. Cutscenes are expressive and comedic, leaning on exaggerated facial expressions and punchy writing to deliver jokes efficiently. The soundtrack bolsters the retro aesthetic—catchy, upbeat, and rhythmic without distracting from the action. Together, the visuals and audio create a world that feels nostalgic yet modern, bridging retro sensibilities with contemporary humor and pacing.
As entertaining as it is, Shakedown: Hawaii does have limitations. Once the empire-building aspect hits a certain threshold and income floods in, the sense of struggle or progression fades. Wealth becomes so overwhelming that buying properties or upgrades loses meaning, and the economic system transitions from engaging management to routine button-pressing. The mission structure, while humorous, can become repetitive as objectives begin to blend into one another. The satire—sharp early on—occasionally slips into predictability, relying on similar comedic beats rather than surprising new angles. None of these issues undermine the core fun, but they reduce long-term tension and challenge.
Even with these shortcomings, the game succeeds because it remains consistently entertaining and self-aware. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it never forgets that its primary job is to make the player have fun. The combination of explosive arcade action, tongue-in-cheek storytelling, and light economic strategy creates a distinctive identity rarely seen in modern open-world games. It’s approachable enough for casual players yet layered enough to keep completionists invested, especially those eager to unlock map coverage or push daily revenue into absurd numbers.
Shakedown: Hawaii ultimately works as both homage and satire—celebrating the chaotic joy of retro crime sandboxes while skewering real-world business practices with exaggerated delight. It’s unapologetically silly, stylishly presented, and confident in its vision. Players who enjoy fast-paced open-world mayhem, humorous writing, and accessible empire-building will find a lot to appreciate. It may not revolutionize the genre, but it delivers an experience full of charm, personality, and memorable moments, leaving the impression of a game that knows exactly what it wants to be—and achieves it with gleeful abandon.
Rating: 8/10

Weirdly fun!
It oozes charisma through its pores! The characters are incredibly charming and funny. The shooting, driving and general controls are great. The sound effects are mega nostalgic, and the scenery is beautiful. Awesome artistic direction!
But things in the game happen too fast! Like ULTRA FAST! You spend like 2 minutes in each mission, then you're already doing another one completely different from the previous one. Sometimes a mission ends with something like "buy this to finish it". I don't mind quests being trivial, since it fits the comedy of the game (like fixing your printer because it has a subscription system that you would LOVE to exploit it for yourself) but they are too quick, you don't feel attached AT ALL to your progress.
It's fast, it's fun and it's a great sandbox with a ridiculous amount of bite-sized content.

Great Satirical Pixel game that combines all sorts of (mini)games into one. Lots of variation too!

got on sale for $6 and it was very worth it. missions are fun and fast and buying up every building on the island is so satisfying. runs perfectly on gamenative for android with barely any power drain

I liked this game. For a retro city rampage DX successor, it offers hours of fun. Unlike their previous game, I managed to 100% this game, so it feels a little easier. But overall, it's a good open world 2D GTA clone. The price though is a little steep. I would actually buy this on off sale.